Parenting advices

When we first started on our journey to parenthood, my hubby and I had many well-meaning (depending on how you looked at it) relatives and friends who were very eager to share with us tips on childcare. The advices we got were mostly useful, save for some that were completely devoid of common sense.

One of the most ridiculous advices we received was that it’s ok for kids to partake alcohol, as long as it’s done right under our watchful eyes. How anyone in their right frame of mind could have thought of such a thing is really beyond my comprehension. Needless to say, I was completely horrified although I could not fault the person for not leading by example.

Then, there are also some who openly rebuke us for many of our choices for our daughter.

Is it not our responsibility as parents to provide the best we can for our kids, be it in attention, love or care? Although at that time we were first-time parents, we’re well-read and luckily, have the advice of many people who are experienced parents. Our daughter is now a happy 7 year old who is bright and kind. If anything, I think we’ve done a pretty good job at being parents.

I guess we can’t stop people from giving us advices, but I think the key for new parents is to listen to the ones who make the most sense and go with your instincts. In case instincts don't kick in, there's always lots of useful information on the internet that could be relied on. Whatever it is, the journey to parenthood is one of the greatest gifts of all. It's the gift of self-discovery.