Parents share their words of wisdom. All to be taken with a pinch of salt, obviously.
Stop comparing
“Don’t compare yourself to other parents. You don’t have to take everyone’s advice. Do only what feels right to you and your partner. And always be patient. They’re so little and innocent.”
Accept that mistakes happen
“You are going to make mistakes and you are going to feel like the worst parent in the world. It is completely normal. Just give yourself some time to relax.
When you have a baby who is crying because they have new teeth coming in and a toddler who is crying because you aren’t watching him spin around in circles for the thousandth time, you’ll wonder why you signed up for this. Those thoughts are normal. You aren’t a terrible person.”
Don’t forget about yourself
“You can’t take care of someone else if you’re not taking care of yourself.”
Literature is key
“Read to you child every day, even when they are too young to understand the words. Choose well-written children’s books, so that this is does not become tedious for you, even when the same favorite book is requested every day for weeks on end. (I never got tired of reading The Color Kittens).”
Teach them valuable lessons
“Don’t be afraid to let them understand that not everything is about them. It’s hard to do this, because as infants and toddlers we wait on them hand and foot. But as they get older, take some time out to show them how to be graceful in defeat.”
Teach kids not everything is always about them
Let them get dirty
“It’s ok to let them fall and fail. Let them get comfortable taking risks and sorting out their own messes – to a point. It’s also ok to get dirty and eat a cookie that fell on the floor – good for the immunity.”
Crying doesn’t kill
“For brand new parents. A screaming baby is a breathing baby. Don’t hop out of the shower after 2 minutes when you hear fussing. You will be a better parent if you feel clean or fed or rested and normal. Your baby can be up set for a little bit and be just fine. Breath. They all cry. It doesn’t kill them.”
Give them your time, not possessions
“Spoil them with your time, not with objects. I mean it! If you do want to spend money on them, use it to take them on day trips or vacations. Give up some of the extra shifts at work, live frugally, and spend that time with them. They will only be the age they are for a short time.”
Make time for your relationship
“Always make couple time – it’s SO easy to let this slide and SO hard to make up the ground again. Even an hour to go for a walk and get a coffee while someone watches the baby is worth doing.”
Kids aren’t little adults
“The hardest thing for me to remember when I’m wore down and tired is they are not little adults. Things we take for granted are new, exciting, or even frightening. They are little sponges taking everything in and reacting the best they can figure out.”
WATCH: Pregnant Mila Kunis tells a pretty cute story about her daughter, Wyatt
