With a new baby on the way, I am planning a virtual baby shower for August complete with tons of baby gear reviews and a massive giveaway. I already have some great companies lined up, and I am working on getting more. (If you have a baby or new mom product and would like to participate, contact me.)
Leading up to the virtual shower, I thought it would be fun to recruit some of my fellow bloggers to share their best parenting advice. So every week from now till August, I will feature A Mom Blogger’s Advice. I hope you enjoy the advice as much as I do (I am printing all of the advice for my baby book).
I’d love to hear from you too. If you have parenting advice you would like to share (whether you are a blogger or not), email me. I’ll feature any advice I get so everyone can enjoy.
Advice from Connie at miscfinds4u.com
My best parenting advice? Easy.
Be grateful.
Grateful parenting is easy. When you’re having the worst day ever, think about how it could be if that child wasn’t here. Really think about it. A bad day with your child is better than the best day with him/her. Someone told me once when my kids were little that days go on forever and years speed by. She was so right. I remember being overwhelmed, tired, and worn out. I worked full-time and my husband had 24-hr shifts. I was exhausted. But I made it through because I realized I truly loved being a mom, even during the bad times. It also helped me refocus on what’s important and turn the day around. I lowered my expectations for cleanliness and homemade class treats and focused on really being present. Finding out what caused the day to derail, and then focused on fixing it.
Be present
There will be challenges at every age. Don’t wish away any of them thinking the next stage will be easier. It won’t. It will just be different. Enjoy every step of the way. I promise, when they leave you, you will look back and wonder where the time went. When you get there, I want you to be able to look back and say, with true conviction that you lived every minute of it.
That’s my best parenting advice. Be present and be grateful.
Connie, mom to two amazing adult boys who challenged me every step of the way and whom I couldn’t love more. www.miscfinds4u.com & www.princesstimetoys.com.
Mandy/ Mommy Cracked says
Great advice. I remember being so overwhelmed as a first time mother that my son’s first few months seem like a blur. I miss those times, for sure. They were tough, but they were worth every minute.
Bobbie {OneScrappyMom} says
Great advise! I think I was very grateful for all the moments, even the less then fun ones! I do however, wish I would have taken more photos!
Louise says
Such great advice. I miss that time too and it is so overwhelming. It’s really hard to mentally prepare for.
Jen-Eighty MPH Mom says
Connie – I couldn’t agree more! My daughter never slept when she was little and it seemed like that stage would never end. And now she is 15 and I have NO idea where the time went. It really does fly by, so definitely treasure every moment…the good and the bad.
Stefani says
Great advice! I agree, my children can drive me crazy but I wouldn’t want to go a day without them.
Connie says
My “baby” just moved to Mississippi from WA and I’m hating every minute of it. He’s 23 and far old enough to do it, but I miss him and worry about him every moment.
Being a mom never stops, but being a mommy goes so fast. I miss mommy time, every day.
Hug your kids for me and give ’em a squeeze for me.
Connie