Whether you want it or not, unsolicited parenting advice starts coming your way from many directions, when you are a new mom/dad and it is at times so difficult to understand or accept such advice. It is obvious that parents want to raise confident, well-mannered, and self-reliant kids. They try in every way to meet their children’s needs and guide them in the right direction. Despite all these efforts, parents oftentimes get easily worried or anxious when things don’t fall in place. Does this mean you should accept advice that you don’t believe in?

While learning from others is not wrong, being careful about the advice you get is certainly important, in order to avoid creating problems in your family life and putting yourself as well as your kids in trouble. Here are some of the common unsolicited parenting tips that are better ignored for the well-being of your family.

1. Let the baby keep crying, don’t pick him/her up.
2. Don’t ever let the baby cry.
3. Enforce strict rules and punish them if the rules aren’t followed.
4. Force the child to eat the food he/she dislikes.
5. Don’t focus on discipline, they will learn it as they grow.
6. Withdraw attention if the child disappoints you.
7. You don’t need to adjust your life for your kids.
8. Reward them with dessert after every meal.
9. I can discipline your child better. Let me take him/her home this weekend.
10. My kids do as they’re told. Don’t allow your kid to question anything.

Remember that there are no perfect children or perfect parents. What applies to certain kids need not work with all kids. Parenting also depends on your values, beliefs, and perspectives. The same shoe doesn’t fit every foot and the same parenting tips don’t help every parent. Be calm and learn from your experiences. The efforts that you put in as a parent will pay off eventually. Have patience and continue doing your best.

What is the unsolicited parenting advice do you feel is better not taken/followed in your life? Do share in the comments.