This was such a phenominal parenting book that I have decided to give a copy away to one of my readers. If you would like to try and win a copy, leave me a comment that shares the best parenting tip you have ever heard. I will have the random generator pick a winner on Monday, May 25th. You may enter multiple times as long as your parenting tip is differant.
To not listen to all the advice and listen to your heart.
“Pick your battles” is my favorite, but so is clarify a question before you answer it to make sure you are answering the right questions – especially when your adopted child asks a really off the wall question regarding relationships.
Wow – we could really use some grace right now. My advice would be not to start sleeping with your toddler to get her to fall asleep. It is a really, really, really hard habit to break. She’s almost 4 and continues to hold the house hostage with her nighttime wailing. ICK!
Say yes more. The chores will still be there tomorrow. Childhood goes by in a flash.
Share chores and play togther.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Kimspam66(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hmmm…a couple more months before I’m a mom myself, but I have an opportunity to observe over 80 parents each week with a variety of parenting styles. My advice would be the importance of rest and down-time for both parents and children. We see so many exhausted parents coming straight from work (and kids straight from school) to swim lessons, gynastics, ball games, etc. every single night. The parents are exhausted and short-tempered with their kids, and the kids are just as frustrated.
My Mom told me right after I had our first “Do your best, that’s all you can do, and don’t judge and compare yourself to other mothers as tempting as it is. You’ll do fantastic, just remember that!”
Be patient…more than anything be patient and understanding.
Listen, REALLY listen to your kids when they’re talking to you. Everyone, even kids, know when they don’t have your full undivided attention, and it’s an essential way of showing them you love them enough to drop everything(yes cell phone included!)to look them in the eyes and LISTEN.
Remember each day, each month, each year, is a season of life. You will move past the tough times you’re going through. Try to stay positive. This too will pass.
Smile, tell them you love them, + hug as much as you possibly can!
don’t sweat the small stuff
Always talk and keep communications open.
When talking to your kids make eye contact. Get on their eye level. That way they know that it is important!
Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
Carlene
iluvreading(at)verizon.net
Here is my best tip, learned from a friend. My friend is a really great dad and one day that I was feeling a bit torn in different directions, he came into my office and took my stack of sticky notes. He wrote a word on three of the sticky notes and gave them to me – they read “sanity”, “children”, and “organized”. He said that you can only have 2 of the 3 at any time as a parent. You always have to have the children so that is a given so it is really just a choice between the sanity and organized. It kind of puts it all in perspective. I keep the 3 sticky notes close by when I need a reminder.
My best parenting tip is to cherish every moment.
When you say no, mean no. Kids try to be in charge, but you have to establish who is in charge. Thanks for the contest!
Say you’re sorry if you were wrong. It teaches kids that you’re only human too, and also how to apologize and forgive.
iluvchrisnlevi@aol.com
My favorite advice has been about how not to wear yourself out as a mom:
Don’t run if you can walk;
Don’t walk if you can sit;
Don’t sit if you can lay down;
Don’t lay down if you can sleep.
Children are life’s greatest treasures, precious gifts to be cherished, nurtured and adored. The most important parenting tip that I have learned is to not worry about the future, don’t dwell in the past..but live each day as if it is the last day of your child’s life. Sound depressing? After losing my daughter, I spent countless days wondering why I had spent much of my time worrying about a clean house, working long hours, etc.when I should have been savoring the moments with her. But it was too late. Enjoy each precious moment as it could be the last.
I have tried to leave a comment on this blog and each time I submit the form times out the comment or gives an error. Do you think the author could possibly look into the reason this is happening?