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Do New Parents Get Too Much Advice?
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New parents usually welcome advice from friends and family but they often get bombarded with advice from well-meaning relatives. There are some who may tell a new mom that her mother's parenting advice is outdated. That's not necessarily true. While it is true that times change and certain ways of doing things no longer apply in today's modern age there are some things that continue to be relevant down through the ages. Some good old-fashioned advice is timeless.
We must admit that some things do change though. For example, we no longer expect children to clean every morsel from their plate. We now know that it may be better to eat small meals more often rather than three large meals a day. We no longer believe that a child has to be a chubby cherub in order to be healthy.
Even though people develop new ways of doing things the advice of an experienced parent can always be an asset to the new parent. Children don't come with instruction books although sometimes we wish they did. Learning is an ongoing experience and we learn from experience. An experienced parent can provide insight that an new parent has not yet acquired. For instance, parents who have multiple children know that each and every child is different and they have different needs. Some children are shy where others are outgoing. Some seem naturally well-behaved where others are defiant. Some children require more attention while others are quite independent.
Experienced parents have learned the hard way. Their parenting advice is tried and true because they've made mistakes and learned from them. They've learned what works and what doesn't. Why should you take the advice of an experienced parent? Don't think you should take the advice of experienced parents because they have all the answers. They don't. No one has all of the answers. They may know more than you but only because they have already gone through the various stages of raising a child. No parent is an expert. We all make our share of mistakes. You should take the advice of an experienced parent because they have been in your position before. They can tell you what they've dealt with and how they handled the situation. They can help you to avoid making the same mistakes they did. They can give you tips to help make life a little easier for you and your child.
How will the advice of experienced parents benefit you and your family? It can be very beneficial just to have someone to talk to and be able to share your joy, fears and frustrations with. Besides the obvious benefits your parents can provide insight into what you were like as a child and your in-laws can do the same with your spouse. You will see similarities with your own child. You will laugh at stories of childhood antics as well as appreciate the advice. They have dealt with first steps, teething, temper tantrums, bumps, bruises, childhood illnesses, worry, bonding and all the various aspects that go along with parenthood. The advice of an experienced parent can help new parents adjust to their new roles.
While it is true that many people will thrust their advice and opinions on new parents whether they want them or not it doesn't hurt to listen. A new parent doesn't have to assimilate every piece of advice thrown at them into their own special brand of parenting. Listen to the advice of others, let them know you appreciate their thoughts and value their opinions. If you feel they have given you useful advice keep it in mind and put it into practice. Even if you don't feel you need the advice it might be best to keep it in mind since you never know when the need may arise.
Even though much of the advice that new parents receive is unsolicited important information can always be gleaned from seemingly unimportant information. New parents may often feel that everyone around them is trying to tell them how to raise their child. They can easily become frustrated and overwhelmed by the steady flow of advice from friends and family members. Being a new parent can be overwhelming in itself. Most new parents can use all of the advice they can get so the next time someone gives you parenting advice don't be so quick to dismiss it. A few words of wisdom can be worth a lifetime of benefits.
© NowChic.com
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