Best Parenting Advice for Moms from Moms

When it comes to being a parent, there is no shortage of advice. The amount of information that comes at us can be overwhelming! It can be hard to sift through it all. But in keeping with the old adage “mother knows best,” we decided to ask other moms to share with us the best parenting advice they had ever received or given. And wow, did we get some amazing responses! Here are 25 of our favorite, simple parenting tips for moms from moms:

• Let your children know they are loved. Daily. ~Cindy G.
• If you forgive them for something do it with your whole heart. Never throw it back in their face or hold it over their heads. ~ Pam K.
• Enjoy every moment, no matter how hard it seems. Someday, your kids will be grown and on their own and you WILL miss “those days!” ~ Bonnie S.
• Quit comparing your kid to other kids. They’re all so unique. ~ Jenae B.
• Let them take chances. Sometimes they will succeed and other times fail. ~ Sharon M.
• “It takes a village,” is so, so true! As a mother who works outside of the house (and feels guilty about it at times,) I recognize how much she learns and grows by not being with just me. ~ Jill F.
• Never say something (promise or consequence) that you aren’t willing to follow through on. ~ Natalie T.
• Take time for yourself. ~Diane M.
• My sister, 21 years my senior, told me when I was pregnant for my first: “Don’t correct your husband, let him do his thing with the kids and figure it out just as you will figure it out”. It was the best advice because it taught me to let the kids and Dad develop their own unique bond and for me to realize motherhood doesn’t need to be uptight. ~ Jennifer L.
• Do the best you can, and your best is going to look different than that other parent’s best. Don’t compare yourself with them. You are doing the best you can…breathe. ~ Cathy Z.
• Listen to their “little” things so that when the “big” things come, they will come to you for those as well. What’s little to you IS big to them. ~ Kristina K.
• Take what works for you and ignore the rest. Every child is different. ~ Alissa W.
• Be their parent first, that is where your friendship in their adulthood will grow from. It is hard to be ‘that’ parent that disciplines, holds their child accountable, is committed and has rules, but it truly pays off for everyone, it is how they learn to be adults and parents. ~ Jenice B.
• You can do it all, just not at the same time! ~ Leslie J.
• The best advice I’ve ever heard: When your child comes into the room, let your face light up and the love you have for them be the first thing they notice. ~ Jan C.
• Someone told me when I was pregnant with my first son never to tease him about girls. When you do, she advised, he will be more likely to be embarrassed to share his feelings or come to you for advice about girl related questions. I love that as a teenager he feels comfortable to talk to me about these sorts of things. Oh, and another tidbit that is helpful is to talk to him with the lights off or when he is in the backseat, so that if he is a little embarrassed, he isn’t looking at you staring at him. ~ Gayle D.
• Don’t revolve your marriage around your kids’ activities. They will eventually leave the house, and your spouse should not be a stranger at that point. ~ Gina L.
• Honesty! Always be truthful with your kids, and it’s OK to say “I don’t know!” ~ Amy M.
• My doctor told me go with your instincts. If it’s not life threatening, do what you think is right for your baby and makes you and the baby happy…It allowed me to relax in making decisions. ~ Carm S.
• I met a lady whose mother died when she was an infant. She assured me that even the littlest things we as moms do mattered and that we don’t have to compete with anyone because to our kiddos we are “kind of a big deal.” No matter what we do (or don’t do) we ARE superwoman to our kids. ~ Erica R.
• Pick your battles wisely. ~ Gretchen F.
• When it comes to teenagers, my older, wiser brother reminded me that we were teenagers once and not to expect anything more from them than what we expected of ourselves at their age. ~ Linda F.
• Love those children with all your heart, and lead by example. ~ Jan L.
• Everything is “just a phase.” ~Sandi H.
• The best advice I was given: Everyone will give you advice/opinions. It’s up to you to figure out what will work best for your family. Your family is not exactly like someone else’s so your parenting shouldn’t be either. ~ Carissa H.