I'm working on an article on the stupid advice parents can receive.
Here's my question to you, the reader: What's the worst advice you've gotten as a parent?
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5 comments:
"Probably the stupidest piece of advice was to never teach your child manners because they repress the child."
My wife and I were once at a dinner party, sitting next to a self-described anarchist -- childless, of course. He railed against the ideas of teaching manners or sending kids to school. What's the alternative? we asked. "Kids should be out in the streets," he said, "taking direct action."
Ha ha ha!
"Let Jeremy stay on your couch.... he'll just be there for a couple of days".
Ha, ha, ha,.... just kidding J-Butt.
Hmm. I'm usually the one with the parenting advice! And I have to say, Moms usually do not react well to getting parenting advice from a man. Even if they are at their wits end and your little suggestion could save them hours of aggravation, guess what--it's not appreciated!
The bad advice I usually get is some version of "don't be so protective". The implication is that being protective isn't dad's proper role. I always make it very clear that my first priority, with MY child, is to make sure he is safe and happy.
Some of the worst advice I have gotten is that I should hold my daughter in a shuttle van and not use her car seat (because ofcourse I should trust my daughter's life to the driving skills of a complete stranger and break the law). Another was that the guns in my parents house should not be in a gun safe and my dad would just close the door to their bedroom where the guns were on the floor within a toddler's reach. And of course the whole breast feeding advice that I should stop before Zoe or I was ready.
"don't be so protective"
Yes, I get versions of this often, mostly from my in-laws, which annoys the living shit out of me. I'm actually not that protective, but you know, he's two and I watch over him and try to make sure that he doesn't kill himself.
I wonder if men get this advice more than women? Maybe it's considered natural for moms to be protective but defective if a dad is careful. We're supposed to be careless and clueless!
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