Parent Pet Peeves…Aren’t They Splendid?

My Great-Grandma Taylor was a very strong woman.  The day after she gave birth to my Granny she went and pulled cotton in the field.  She put my Granny in a tote sack, or something they typically carried their babies in, and took her with her.  This is an amazing story of a woman trying to make ends meet, but it’s not likely we would recommend any woman doing this after giving birth.

So, what about when people, whether they be parents themselves or singles without children, recommend us to do things that relates to our children?  It can get a bit frustrating when people chime in on this matter and that matter.  This is how parent pet peeves start.

I asked a wide array of friends, aquatints and strangers of what their TOP PARENT PET PEEVES are, and these seem to be the top ten.

#1 “When is number two due?”  — Sometimes we don’t shed that baby weight very fast or some just don’t want another child! It’s almost like asking “When are you due?” when you’re not even pregnant.

#2 When people try to tell you how to handle your child whose throwing a fit in the store. –Lets be real for a minute…we’ve ALL gone through this!! LOL It’s embarrassing every time!

#3 When children interrupt and the parents allow them to do so.

#4 How to raise your children. –Times are different with each generation and parenting styles may reflect that.

#5 Parents that “give in” to whining and begging behavior just to get their child to be quiet. –I’m not proud, but I have definitely done this before.

#6 Competing Mommy Wars! “You should cloth your baby, you should not burp your baby like that, you should not hold your baby like that.” –Totally guilty! In my defense I only try to share my joy with others.  Maybe something I do will help someone out.  I try to leave out any criticism.

#7 “You look really good for having 3 young kids!” — Is my body not considered normal after having kids?…LOL

#8 Parents that make up excuses for their child’s misbehavior. —Sometimes we get HANGRY (Hungry & Angry).  Lol..come on, it’s kind of funny.  We’ve all been a little hangry before.

#9 Parents that don’t buckle their kids while driving in the car.

#10 Parents that smoke while in the presence of their children (especially in the car).

Needless to say there are a lot of parent pet peeves out there.  Some you take with the grain of salt and some you take to heart, because it can actually be very good advice.   I am as guilty as anyone in offering parenting advice.  I know I will look back on the days when my children were young and laugh at some of the advice that was given to me and some of the advice I gave. After I had my daughter, my mother-in-law sent her a whole bunch of suckers when she was about six or seven months old.  My husband asked why she sent all the suckers and she told us it was for the baby to chew on since she was teething.  I laugh now, but at the time I was a little bothered of that advice.  We all want to be good parents and we also want to help our neighbors, friends and family members be good parents.

I love this picture of our MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) Group, because it shows me how different each parent is. During my time with these ladies, I have seen very many parenting styles, different disciplinary skills and “convincing” tactics.   Remember, if you’re going to offer advice try and do it in a kind manner! Sometimes all you want to do is help…