When I was going to be a new parent, I read every book I could get my hands on. I thought I knew what to do to make sure that my kids did not get hurt, developed correctly, became socially astute, get good grades, be completely well adjusted, so on. But what is funny is not all the guidelines I read worked. Come to find out- every kid is different and needs different things. As a new parent you need to learn as you go. You need to figure out what works for you and your family.
That being said- there are a few things that would have been helpful to know. I asked a few of seasoned parents what their takeaway parenting tips would be- and you might be surprised by their answers.
Batteries.
All batteries die- but some not as soon as they should. So take them out. Sure- it sounds mean to remove all the flashing lights and high volume music, but it’s for your sanity. Keep in mind that some toys are fine to keep their batteries. Some toys at our house will never run out of batteries- their names are Buzz, Woody, and Jessie. Not on my watch anyway.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
When kids live in your home, they touch everything. Commonsense right?!? But why do they need to get into your academic book collection??? No reason- because it is there. So make sure that you keep something that is just yours. I have a small bag of chocolate in my closet that I don’t share.
Goggles are the devil.
Yeah- you heard me. Have you ever went swimming with a kid who needed you to fix their goggles every 2 seconds. Sometimes very little swimming happens due to goggle malfunction. So although most of the time goggles come with us to the pool- sometimes if mom can’t handle it, they get lost for a day.
Wet Wipe Stock.
Wet wipes can clean anything– butts, walls, noses, ouchies, toys, binkies, they do it all. I once watched a woman give her dog a full bath with wet wipes. Buy more than you think you will ever need and put an extra pack in each car and bag.
Hide things.
Hide Sharpies, hide chocolate, hide the toy they all want but don’t care about until someone else else has it. It is okay to hide objects from your kids.
Long Lost Sippy Cup.
Don’t open the old sippy cup you just found under their bed. Just throw it away and buy a new one. It’s not worth it- some things are not meant to be saved.
My Challenge to you: Consider these tips and see if you can apply any of them to your life. They may seem silly, but it is all about your sanity. 😉
Happy Parenting friends!
– Jessie the Therapist
