Best Advice Given To You As A Parent, What was the best advice you have gotten

I was curious to know what the best advice parents out there have gotten in regards to their children? So often we get really bad advice, so it's good to share the winners

The best advice I ever received was from my dad after my son was born. He told me not to be get upset when I made a mistake trying to raise Connor. Just do my best. Kids are resilient and will love you anyway.

Sláinte

Brad

My best advice I was told is to listen, I mean really listen to what they are saying and do not critize them. Always be there for their fall to pick them up .

Rindy

The best advice???

Remember what you did as a kid and just know that your kids are doing the same things and maybe more.... don't freakout about it you lived!

I remember (like it was a long time ago ) two great peices of advice given to me. When my daughter was a newborn, my mom told me to not watch the news the 1st year of her life. She was so right - each time I would watch the news I would get all worked up and think my daughter was in all kinds of danger. It was much easier not to watch. Believe me - I didn't miss all that much!

The second piece of advice was from her godmother. She said to pick your battles, and boy has that one carried me through! She let her daughter go to school with a skirt on her head and mismatched clothing. People may have looked at them funny, but the house ran more smoothly, her daughter eventually gained more sense in clothing, and she ended up an A student with only a few bumps in her teen years to work through. As a person who was completely controlled during my childhood, I really do attribute a lot of her success as a teen due to her mothers' ability to let certain things go and teach her daughter to believe in her ability to make good choices.

Something I've learned is the importance of playing with your child. Don't watch them play, but play with them - crafts, dolls, sports, go for walks, games, etc.

Rory

Yes Shadows,

I totally agree with you. We lived, but I wouldn't do a lot of the things I chose, and if I can stop someone from making the mistake great. If not oh well I tried. Like the saying goes, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"

Have a good one
Rindy

Know when to listen and when to talk
Know the difference between love and control
Let them spread their wings but be there to catch them if they fall
Remeber that your actions, language and demeanor are the basis for who they will become later.
Show them how to take pride in who they are without looking down on others.
How to care without being taken advantage of.
How to question without being cynical.
Teach them patience
Love
devotion and loyalty
Teach them to take pride in a days work, to provide for their own but to help those that may not be able t
Teach them to defend their beliefs and points of view
But respect others
To debate without arguing
To walk through life with eyes wide open so that they can see the ugliness and the beauty instead ot being led, blind, and being forcefed everything.

Simply put...teach them to live and not exist

my ramblings

Natural selection....

The strong ( both in intellect and brawn ) survive....

If one does not allow their offspring to make mistakes and learn then the human race is doomed.

Being a youth is experimenting, pushing the bounds, trying things forbidden, seeing if you can still exist in spite of it all.

We all did it to one extent or another, some pushing the envelope more then others, but that is what it all is about.

Teach the best you can and don't feel as if you failed if the outcome is not what you expect!

I would not change one thing I did, I am me because of or in spite of those things!

Life will go on.

What a wonderful way of summing things up, urian!

Thanks
I do have my moments

The best advice I received was: "NO, don't kill the kid!"

Being a parent is hard. I am just glad I am past that stage, for the most part. My youngest daughter has moved out of our house forever 9 times now.

My best parenting advice would be to work at creating good memories for the child. Do fun things together. These memories will be with them all of their lives.

Love them enough to let them be who they are. No that doesn't mean permissiveness, it does mean nurturing the person inside instead of "papering over" them.

Never let the kids outnumber the parents. While two parents can each keep an eye on one child, that third (or more) can be getting into unseen mischief

Believe about 1/2 of what your child tells you. Remember that there are two sides to every story and they will tell you their 1/2. Also, when you want to kill them, give them a big hug and tell them you love them. They grow up and practice what you've taught them. Teach them love, not permissiveness. They need firm guidelines and expectations.