Things Moms Say: Best Parenting Advice

Each week, I'll be taking a little time to share real words from real moms.  From solid advice to funny stories to moving confessions, hearing the words from other moms can be uplifting, encouraging and enlightening.  I hope it makes us laugh and helps us find support from a community of women who are all coming from the same place: Motherhood!



This week, I asked some great blogger friends of mine for their Best Parenting Advice. If you are anything like me, you get a lot of (read: too much) advice thrown at you.  All well intentioned, of course, but at times misguided.  There is nothing like getting advice from other Moms who've been there too. Here is some of the best pieces of parenting advice given to my dear bloggy friends:

Best Parenting Advice

"This too shall pass " - Sarah from Finnegan and the Hughes

"'Everyone thinks they know what's best, but YOU know what's best for your family.' (A friend shared this when my mother in law, best friend and a host of other people offered too much advice)" - Heather from It's Not a Deal

"Oh, and perhaps the BEST advice I ever got from my mom: 'Let the dishes pile up in the sink and let the dust gather on the furniture, and hold your baby.' She was also of the, 'you can't spoil a baby' philosophy of parenting. I wish I'd listened to her more. My baby is six. Boohoo." - Jo-Lynne from Musings of a Housewife

"‎'Do the best you can, because the best you can is good enough.' (From a woman who lived at the nursing home where I used to work - it was the best advice ever.)" - Brandi from One Great Mom

"‎'There's no 'right' way to parent. There is no one book, no one method that works for everyone. Every baby is different and you have to do what works for you and your baby.' (Which saved my life when my second baby was the complete opposite from my first in every single way and I was totally stressing out!)" - Melissa from Girlymama

"'Trust your gut, you know your child.' - From my mother. " - Melinda from Look What Mom Found

"Pick your battles. Because I struggled getting my 3 year old to not wear her bathing suit to school every day." -Pam from I Forgot What I Was Doing

"‎You gotta play the cards you're dealt." - Lisa from A Day in Our Shoes

"'You must trust what your heart and gut say, because you know your child.' Also, 'Google doesn't have kids,' which I think it excellent advice!!!" - Jessica from Delaware County Moms

"'You can always change your mind.' This wasn't given to me as parenting advice; I just think it's particularly helpful for parents." - Barb from A Life In Balance

"Once your child learns to do something (like tie his shoes) let him do it himself from then on. I don't remember who told me that bit of advice, but it stuck with me. I think it does wonders for a child's self-confidence and teaches them a small bit of independence." - Cindy from Whatever Works

"Let kids try things and guide them to be curious without fear." - Becky from Crafty Garden Mama

"'‎Find a way to make a little time in the day for yourself' -- Great advice for moms I think, because we spend so much time caring for others it's easy to forget about ourselves. All you need is 5 minutes of peace and a cup of coffee sometimes to feel like the you've got the motherhood thing under control." - Marissa from Land of Once Upon a Time

"When they were little, I think the BEST advice I got was, 'Sleep when they sleep' -- my mother-in-law, who has since passed away, would always tell me to stop folding the laundry, stop washing the dishes, and just relax and rest while they were napping. It took me to the 3rd child to realize that this advice was GOLD!" - Michelle from Mommy Confessions

"Nearing my delivery date another mom said - 'Keep your pajamas on for two weeks. You are recovering. The only way people will remember that is when they see you are still in your pajamas. (So go treat yourself to some nice ones).' Of course, that is hard to do when you have kid number 2 & 3 etc etc" - Mary Ellen from Jamess Project

And, of course, the ever-wise...


"Not to listen to anyone's advice :)" - Beth from Life in the Bat Cave

Isn't it so encouraging to hear the great passed-down advice from other Moms?  Bookmark this page so you can come back and read it when you need the encouragement. 

I'll post another question/topic on the Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom Facebook Page early next week for a new post. I hope you'll pass your wisdom and stories to along to others!

And I'd love to hear the best parenting advice YOU'VE ever received (or your favorite sage advice posted above) - so leave a comment below!