Parenting Advice You Always Hear From Non-Parents
Image Credit: Kelly Sikkema
No Screen time – Ok I get it, you see kids in front of a screen and automatically think, no way should they be allowed to do that because they will never learn, or they need to be active to burn off that energy. That’s kind of true. But it’s not entirely true. There is study after study out there that will tell you a ton about kids and screen time, But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the same out there in the world. For example, my son has been watching TV since he was months old. Today he is 2 and speaking well, with the ability to count in English and Spanish. He sings a ton of songs about the ABC’s and can tell us exactly what an object is called, because we put educational screen time in front of him most of the time. And we don’t only offer the screen, so he can learn and grow with and without the screen. It’s a topic that needs many more years to understand scientifically because technology and kids just haven’t been able to be studied for long enough.
You shouldn’t feed your kids ____. My VERY picky 2-year-old would have a temper tantrum if he heard and understood that someone was trying to tell us not to give him the foods he loves and eats. It’s not so simple feeding kids, they aren’t all these wonderful and eager eaters. Parents are busy and try to make food to feed them with limited time and when your kid just flat out rejects everything, we often just give in and allow them to eat the foods they probably shouldn’t. Why because they need to eat something! And here is the thing, this isn’t a daily thing. You see a kid eating chips…that doesn’t mean they eat chips every day. And your assumption of that is just that an assumption.
Breastfeeding is best- It’s easy to explain this. Yes, it is best. Yes, it does have the most nutrients and immunities 99% of the time. But it’s not the only option to give every single nutrient a child will need. Formula is another option to really make sure your child is well nourished and fed. So, this isn’t exactly about what is best but what is best for mom and baby a whole. If that is Formula, then that’s fine. It’s not wrong, because FED is Best.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Formula is best- Technically no formula is not best when looking at what a child gets from Formula versus Breastmilk. However, it absolutely is the BEST alternative that will make sure your child grows up 100% the same as that Breastfed child. Therefore, give those kids Formula if you want to do that, OR give them Breastmilk. BOTH are BEST for their own reasons.
You need to teach those kids some Discipline – Discipline can be given in many ways, and it takes time before the kids learn it. Kids often do exactly what they have just learned not to do a few times again. They test boundaries and sometimes parents are tired of having to teach them yet again, so in that moment you don’t see the discipline but that doesn’t mean the parent didn’t work with that child when they got home. Also, different things bother people so the parent may not feel it’s something the child needs to be disciplined about.
Your kids shouldn’t wear that- This one is a bit rude and this is because it’s completely based on your own beliefs and values. If you’re are a devout Christian with the belief that you shouldn’t wear pants, and I’m not. And my kids are wearing shorts, that doesn’t make it wrong. It means you and I aren’t the same and that’s ok. You should never tell a parent that a child’s clothing is wrong because it’s wrong to YOU, not actually wrong.
You put your kids in Daycare…how could you let someone else take care of your kids so young? - So, you know how the kids have to eat, have a place to sleep and just overall survive? That’s the Parents responsibility to make sure that happens and well…It takes money for that to happen. Money comes from Jobs and jobs require you to work during certain hours. So how exactly do you expect a parent to be in two places at once? While also working and take care of the kids. Life will be remarkably interesting with healthcare workers, lawyers, etc. all going to work with their kids since daycare is so wrong. Oh, and if you think one parent should stay home, let me know where to get that kind of money because most people in the world do not have that kind of income to do that. Not due to laziness or lack of schooling before you go down that road, and that is an entire post for another day. I think I have made my point with this one.
