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Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom

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June 23, 2011 by: Shell

Parenting Do’s and Don’ts: Part 2

Last month, some fabulous bloggers shared their Parenting Do’s and Don’ts. I loved your advice so much that I decided to ask some more bloggers for their advice. They are sharing that with you today: parenting do’s and don’ts that you can actually use!  Be sure to visit some of these wise mamas!

DO feed your kids healthy things for their bodies like fruit.

DON’T let them eat their whole body weight in fruit say like watermelon or you will spend your whole night cleaning up the bathroom after said child because, “Mom, my butt threw up” and he couldn’t make it to the toilet in time.

-Jen @ Buried with Children



DO what you can, and always remember that at the end of the day your best IS good enough.

DON’T sweat the small stuff. Motherhood is the hardest job in the world but also the most rewarding. If you worry about all the little things that don’t matter, you waste precious time that would be better spent soaking in all the rewards being a mom has to share!

-Brandi @ Think Tank Momma

DO notice the candy-coated moments. They go by so very fast.

DON’T forget to keep your relationship with your significant other in the middle- it’s truly the heart of your family.

-Galit Breen @ These Little Waves

DO make time for exercise 4-5 days a week. Even if you have to wake up super early or work out very late, your sanity will thank you for it.

DON’T beat yourself up over a missed workout. Just look at the next week and budget in your times that you can exercise – writing it down will help make it happen.

-Lisa @ Two Bears Farm

DO Take several timeout’s for yourself. I may joke about being in timeout a lot on my blog, but seriously do it. Go get a pedicure. Lounge around during naptime. Have a date night out with your hubby. All parents need a break. Don’t feel guilty taking one.

DON’T Be afraid to ask others questions. Something may happen in your parenting tenure that you think nobody else would have experienced. Guess what? Someone probably has. Ask around and you just might get some really great advice.

-Elena @ Mommy is in Timeout

DO find some mommy friends if you’re a stay at home mom…join a MOMS Club or MOPS, being a new mom or stay at home mom can be a very lonely time if you don’t have friends

DON’T let the one mom at the park who rebuffed your attempts at friendship keep you down or keep you from trying again…who knows, maybe she’s had a crazy day or her kids are driving her nuts…we’ve all been there!

-Holly @ Holly’s House

DO give your child limited choices(food, weather appropriate clothing, toys, etc.). I promise the child does not usually have their best interest in mind, they just want to fulfill their desires. You are the parent, limit those choices to help them make the right decision ( “The high is 5 degrees today, do you want to wear your blue sweater or red sweatshirt to school today?”).

DON’T you believe for a a single moment that a child is completely capable of making all the right choices for all the right reasons. Sometimes they make those right choices purely by mistake. Remember their brains are still developing (even as teenagers/young adults), they will need you behind them for some time.

-Heather @ The One and Only Oka

DO learn to pee, eat, pull up your pants, fill out important paperwork, and do laundry all with one hand BEFORE you have a baby. Because that is how you will be doing everything from then on.

DON’T expect your childless friends to be as fascinated by your baby’s poop as you are.

-Stephanie @ The Blue Zoo

DO remember that your children may be young, but they are very impressionable.

DON’T forget what you might inadvertantly promise to your kids; they are like elephants, they never forget.

-Tiffany @ My Crazy Kind of Wonderful
DO be prepared for plenty of life lessons once you become a parent.  Such as…boogers are an acceptable snack food when in a pinch, kids will not hear you ask them to clean up their room but they will hear you mumble the word “shit” under your breath even if they’re in the next room (and they will repeat it exactly at the wrong time in a very public place), the family pets will need to be on a serious dose of anti-depressants, there is no point in having a bunk bed if you can’t fling your little brother off of the top bunk, any and all forms of bodily fluids and/or bodily noises are worth a giggle or two (especially if discussed at the dinner table on Thanksgiving) and kids only require 2 food groups, chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese.
DON’T give into Mommy Peer Pressure.  Who cares about the June Cleaver Wanna-Be down the street who always looks stylish, has a winning smile and never seems to smell like baby puke.  So what if she hand knits all her kid’s hats and gloves and bakes amazingly delicious cookies for all the school’s bake sales.  
Your kids love you because of who YOU are.  They don’t care what you smell like, what you look like or the fact that you haven’t washed your hair in 3 days.  Kids don’t need perfection…they just need a mom who loves them unconditionally and can dole out hugs and kisses like no one’s business.
Besides, the June Cleaver Wanna-Be is probably a complete bitch behind closed doors and has no real friends.
-Helene @ I’m Living Proof God Has a Sense of Humor

Want to share your advice for the next edition of Parenting Do’s and Don’ts?  Email me @ thingsicantsaymichelle at gmail dot com, subject “Parenting Do’s and Don’ts.” Include ONE do and ONE don’t and your blog url.  Please submit by Saturday, 6/25.  Not all submissions will be used due to space constraints, but I’d love to hear from you. 
Pour Your Heart Out: My Soft Place to Land
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Comments

  1. mom2kiddos says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:06 am

    Thanks for sharing these. I love all of them!

  2. Heather says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:08 am

    Love these! And the promises thing – oh god! My husband has the best of intentions, but he promises too much and everytime I hear him start to utter another "promise" I cringe.

  3. Lisa @ Two Bears Farm says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:19 am

    Love these Shell! Some very solid mom advice here!

  4. JDaniel4's Mom says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:49 am

    I learned about watermelon the hard way.

  5. Secret Mom Thoughts says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:51 am

    Great advice. I love don't let the kids eat a whole watermelon or their butt might threw up. LOL.

  6. Barbara says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:54 am

    Love it! All very good advice, especially concerning the watermelon!

  7. Annie @ astonesthrowfrominsanity says

    June 23, 2011 at 8:08 am

    Oh Sweet Lord! Helene makes me laugh . . . June Cleaver is probably a bitch . . . sooooo true and sooooo funny. June Cleaver is probably just a mean girl that grew up. πŸ™‚
    What a great post idea shell! I enjoyed it . . . and I lived Jen's fruit induced moment with my kids too.

  8. Kmama says

    June 23, 2011 at 8:15 am

    I love these!

  9. Hines-Sight says

    June 23, 2011 at 8:22 am

    I love this. Great, Great advice.

    I am going to share it with my FB people.

  10. Alison@Mama Wants This says

    June 23, 2011 at 8:27 am

    All fantastic advice, thanks ladies!

  11. Brittney says

    June 23, 2011 at 8:41 am

    so very true!!! I know for the longest time i tried to live up to everyone else's expectations i soon had to learn that you learn as you go and what works for some doesnt for others πŸ˜‰

  12. Evonne says

    June 23, 2011 at 8:47 am

    I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who learned about watermelon the hard way.

  13. Jenn says

    June 23, 2011 at 9:01 am

    Love these!

  14. Tiffany says

    June 23, 2011 at 9:57 am

    Love these girl! I enjoyed some of the insight that these moms shared. Reassures me.

  15. Desperate Housemommy says

    June 23, 2011 at 10:10 am

    Love, love, love.

    I nodded my head especially vigorously in response to keeping promises and offering choices.

  16. Oka says

    June 23, 2011 at 10:38 am

    Bunk Beds are also jungle gyms πŸ˜‰ to hang upside down from.

  17. KSK says

    June 23, 2011 at 10:48 am

    I love these!! I keep these tidbits in my back pocket.. because I'm sure I will use them!

  18. Jessica says

    June 23, 2011 at 11:12 am

    I definitely need to follow the timeout advice more.

  19. MommaKiss says

    June 23, 2011 at 11:52 am

    "my butt threw up"

    that's awesome. I love the crap kids say.

  20. Laura @ My Thoughts-Uninterrupted says

    June 23, 2011 at 12:24 pm

    These are awesome! I can't wait to go check all these lovely ladies out. I can totally relate to the pets needing medication and the whole one handed thing (I'm still not very good at that)!

  21. Carolyn says

    June 23, 2011 at 12:25 pm

    These were great, thanks for posting them.
    I agree with Tiffany
    kids are impressionable and I'm always thinking about that before I do or SAY something…

  22. Charlotte says

    June 23, 2011 at 12:59 pm

    Such great pieces of advice! I love the heartwarming ones (don't forget to keep your relationship with your SO in the middle) as much as the funny anecdotes (ie, my butt threw up, LOL!!)

  23. Carol says

    June 23, 2011 at 1:00 pm

    really Graet advice,love this post!!!!

  24. Courtney K. says

    June 23, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    You should totally compile these into a nice little ebook or something for Soon-to-be first time mom's. There are so many of these things that I wish people had told me when I was pregnant. Motherhood is tough, and there are more moms out there who try to pretend they have it all together, than there are REAL moms who don't mind admitting to their flaws. Love this little series. πŸ™‚

  25. Just Jennifer says

    June 23, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    Awesome!

  26. Babes Mami says

    June 23, 2011 at 1:35 pm

    another great list!

  27. Jen says

    June 23, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    Butts throw up when you least expect it. All you can do is be prepared. πŸ˜‰

  28. adrienzgirl says

    June 23, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    Thanks for asking me to share Shell! These are all great!

  29. A Mommy in the City says

    June 23, 2011 at 2:14 pm

    Love these. Especially the one about not being afraid to ask questions. As a first time mom I was asking everyone questions all the time!

  30. Missy says

    June 23, 2011 at 2:23 pm

    These are so awesome! Love them. Going to visit some of the mommies now!

  31. Natalie says

    June 23, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    Such great advice…and Helene always crack me up…it's all so true what she says!

  32. Sarah says

    June 23, 2011 at 2:35 pm

    This would be so neat, printed out and bundled for a baby shower gift for a new mom πŸ™‚

  33. Daffy says

    June 23, 2011 at 3:12 pm

    These are fun and great reminders!!

  34. Kimberly says

    June 23, 2011 at 3:36 pm

    This is awesome. Should be in a book…hint hint

  35. Nicole says

    June 23, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    These are so great!!!

  36. More Milestones says

    June 23, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    Love these! Thanks for sharing.

    ~ Mona : )

  37. Helene says

    June 23, 2011 at 6:31 pm

    These are great!!! And Tiffany is so right…kids do not ever forget a promise!!!!

  38. Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:26 pm

    Great post …am sending them to my daughter…Finally a few hours to blog hop and catch up on some of my favorite blogs. Have a great weekend

  39. Ma What's 4 dinner says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:59 pm

    I love Jen's the best…My butt threw up! She's great!

  40. Blue Cotton Memory says

    June 23, 2011 at 8:40 pm

    Each one of these is a keeper! LOL – made me laugh!How about "when you bring the baby home from the hospital make sure somebody didn't let the new big brother eat all 20 something little gem donuts – or you'll be cleaning them up in the middle of the night! LOL

  41. Nicolette says

    June 23, 2011 at 9:56 pm

    LOL. Thanks for putting these together.

  42. Mama S says

    June 23, 2011 at 10:18 pm

    I really needed some of that advice today! I've been going through a lot and it never seems to be good enough!

    Even though I'm on my second child!

  43. Chelle says

    June 23, 2011 at 10:57 pm

    Love, love, love!

    These are awesome ideas–I may even print these and put them in a jar for when I'm having a baaaad day to remind myself of the do's and don'ts πŸ™‚

  44. Emmy says

    June 23, 2011 at 11:43 pm

    Love loved those! Some of those were so very timely for me. Crazy how many bloggers are out there that I have never heard of. You always seem to find the good ones.

  45. Crystal says

    June 24, 2011 at 1:59 am

    I love this Shell!!! What a fun idea! So many great do's and don'ts. Thank you for doing this.

  46. Kim @ Mamas Monologues says

    June 24, 2011 at 3:50 am

    All great advice!!

  47. Julie says

    June 24, 2011 at 8:31 pm

    Fabulous advice all around.

    And "my butt threw up" is the best description of diarrhea I've heard.

    Ever.

    I hope to never hear it from my own kids.

    Especially now that they're in middle school…
    πŸ™‚

  48. Krystyn says

    June 24, 2011 at 9:16 pm

    Oh, those are some good ones. And, so important for so many moms to read.

  49. Amber_D says

    June 26, 2011 at 6:56 am

    I love the advice to give children limited choices. It's so much more productive when I ask my son would he like this or that for lunch than when I just say "What do you want for lunch?"

    Great advice.

  50. Jennifer says

    June 26, 2011 at 12:44 pm

    I love Stephanie's about doing everything one handed. That is so, so true.

  51. Coreen says

    August 2, 2011 at 7:37 pm

    All of these are wondefrul but this one is the BEST advice!

    "DO remember that your children may be young, but they are very impressionable.

    DON'T forget what you might inadvertantly promise to your kids; they are like elephants, they never forget."

Welcome to Things I Can't Say: Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom. I'm Shell. Boy mom, beach girl, bookworm, ball games, baker, brand ambassador, Thinking yoga, food, and travel should start with "b," too. Finding the easiest way to do some things while overthinking so many others. Read More…

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