12 “Priceless” Pieces of Advice That We’d Better Not Give to Parents

Every parent has encountered unwelcome suggestions on how to educate their children at least once in their lives. Family members, neighbors and even friends are eager to give the “priceless” experiences and opinions regarding how the child and their parents should conduct themselves and live their lives. However they often ignore the fact that the method that works for one child may not be applicable to a different one.

Bright Side Bright Sideare recalling 12 annoyance suggestions for parents that they frequently hear. We’re sure you’ve got more suggestions for this list, too.

“Sleep while the baby is asleep.”

There are children who are able to complete household chores. They stay at the same spot wherever you take them to leave with a toy or book. Some children don’t even abandon their parent’s arms, and will shout louder than a siren should their mom is distracted for even a second. It’s not uncommon for parents in the latter group to give up their time to clean the floor with the infant with them. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re not tired or don’t merit assistance.

“A mom should eat more to produce fat milk.”

Many elderly relatives who are well-meaning advise nursing mothers to eat a lot to ensure that their milk is more nutritious, but then complain that the mother doesn’t appear to be Gisele Bundchen. Balance is the key to all we do. Don’t feed two persons if you don’t intend to, as you could not see yourself in the mirror in many years.

“Teach your kid to share things or they will grow into a greedy person.”

Adults frequently require their children to give their toys to their friends without thinking they’re infringing their limits. However parents and grandparents shouldn’t want to share their possessions with anyone they meet, for the sake of not being perceived as a shrewd person. If the object is owned by a child and they’re not comfortable sharing it, that’s their right.

“Stop taking maternity leave and downgrading. You’re a long way from time to learn, so you should do something!”

Many people who have never been on maternity leave think that young mothers have a lot of free time and they don’t know how to spend it to better their career. In fact, they are not always able to find time to peacefully drink a cup of tea during the “groundhog days” filled with sleepless nights, belly aches, and toothaches. It’s a pity that well-wishers who give advice on how to develop themselves during maternity leave usually only want to help with words, while helping a young mother is no longer their responsibility.

“A boy should be raised as a man. He must give in to girls.”

From birth, society dictates to parents to raise their sons as future gentlemen: they shouldn’t cry and should always give up their seats (or whatever else) to girls. Perhaps these rules would work if the adult men themselves were sticking to them. But no — kids are told one thing, while adult men behave absolutely differently, even those who vote for a more “manly upbringing.”

“You should give birth to a second kid so that your first kid has someone to play with.”

It often seems to people outside the family that they know better about what young parents should do. It’s easy for friends and neighbors to say things like, “It’s high time you had a second kid,” or assume a mother and a father should necessarily give birth to a boy or a girl, or think that a baby who lacks attention will get more of it once their small sibling appears. Of course, few people rush to follow such advice, but they do get terribly annoyed with it.

“Don’t let the baby get used to being in your arms.”

Babies cry in their cribs and ask to be held in their mothers’ arms not just because they’re trying to manipulate adults. Such behavior is the only way for them to inform the world about their needs and ask for help. Ignoring a baby at this moment for the sake of “not letting them get used to being in their mother’s arms” is a rather weird strategy, but many people still stick to it.

“A kid should eat what they’re given.”

If you’ve ever tried broccoli purée, you’ll likely understand that not every adult can make themselves eat it, while babies eat it avidly. Tastes in food among kids and adults can vary, and it’s absolutely normal. That’s why there is nothing wrong with a kid refusing to eat porridge that they don’t like. After all, there are dishes many adults refuse to eat too.

“Put on something warmer, and take off their hat.”

Each person has their own understanding of what it means to be “warm” and “cold.” Some people wear coats when it is 60°F outside, others wear hoodies, and then there are those who wear T-shirts to feel comfortable. No one makes any remarks to adults about the clothes they’re wearing not matching the weather. But at the same time, many adults gladly inform parents that they know the specifics of their kid very well and that they dressed their kid improperly.

“A baby should sleep in their bed.”

Many well-wishers advise young parents not to let their baby sleep with them in one bed, but rather, to put the baby in a crib from birth. Some people are really more comfortable this way, and that’s wonderful. While for other mothers, it’s easier not to get up 5–7 times a night in order to calm and feed the baby, so having them right next to them is easier. And there’s nothing scary about this. Parents’ comfort and getting peaceful sleep are what really matter.

“It’s better to buy bigger things so that they serve longer.”

Buying bigger clothes is not a bad strategy when you take into account how fast kids grow. But it doesn’t relate to seasonal clothes that can be too big this season and too small the next. All parents want their kids to feel comfortable in their clothes. That’s why you shouldn’t impose your philosophy on young parents regarding what clothes to choose, even if you have the best intentions.

“You should teach your kid properly — at this age, they should be potty-trained (or reading poetry, etc.).”

The idea of comparing a child to any other even if they’re their parents of exactly the same stage, isn’t an ideal idea. Every child grows at their own speed and does not require acquiring certain abilities before a certain age. The early introduction of potty training hasn’t helped anyone to become an expert, which is why it’s not necessary to dictate what children should do and irritate parents and fathers by making such comments.

Which “priceless” advice about raising children did you receive but haven’t applied to the real world?