For this year's giveaway entries, we asked each of you to send over the best advice you've received from the mother figures in your life. Your responses did not disappoint. We hope you read these, remember them, and are proud of the amazing work you are doing!
"The best momming advice I got from my mom was to trust myself and do what works for me. Do you think something’s going on with baby? Call the doctor and advocate- you know your kids best. Baby seems hungry but it’s “not time” based on the schedule you came home from the NICU with? Feed baby anyway. You know best as the mom. It’s served me well so far!!"
"There are years that ask questions and years that answer, pay attention."
"The best advice I got was from my great-grandmother and I had no idea at the time it was advice. Let kids in the kitchen and make a mess. The bigger the mess the more fun they are having. Hard to do some days but I try and remember when the kids make a massive mess baking or cooking."
"The best advice I received from more seasoned parents was to spend the money on the newborn photo shoots, because beautiful pictures of your new family are priceless."
"The best piece of advice from my mom - wash your hands more than you think you need to... those toddler germs are sneaky!"
"Drink lots of water. Take care of yourself.”
"The best advice I’ve received from my mom is that no matter what I’m doing (or how I choose to parent) is what is best for my daughter. I live day in and day out for her. I’m doing my best, even at my worst."
“When they start going crazy, sometimes you just have to tell them to go in the basement.”
"A great piece of advice my mom gave me growing up was to “kill them with kindness.” That means everyone - the Starbucks drive thru employee, the Nordstrom returns employee, the custodians at my school. It’s introduced me to some loving people!"
"The best advice I’ve seen and tried to live by is just the mentality/acceptance that no two kids are alike and should always be treated as individuals. Having two daughters that are twelve months apart, it’s very challenging at times to not compare them at each stage. And while we do have the same morality code for each, we have tried to make sure we approach each situation individually, ensuring their unique personalities and processing caps abilities are taken into account."
“You can’t pour from an empty cup. Make sure you are filling yours so that you are the best version of yourself for your family” Easier said than done and I don’t always take it. But it’s something I *try* to remind myself from time to time."
"I'm not sure if this is necessarily "advice" but one thing my mom said to me that stuck with me is that all of the things that make me feel like a "bad" mom will stick with me but not my kids. I was in tears dropping off a sick kid to her very shortly after going back to work in the office for the first time in a year and a half after Covid and maternity leave and she said she vividly remembers having the same thing happen when I was a baby and she had to drop me off to her mom to go to work. I of course remember none of this - I just know my mom has been the absolute best role model and example of a mom working outside of the home I could ask for." "My grandma's advice is short and sweet...her answer to every problem : "this too shall pass" :) Not the most comforting in the moment but looking back it has morphed into the one thing I tell any of my friends that are expecting their first : everything (good and bad) is a phase."
"The best advice I've gotten from a mom friend who had a child before I did was about perspective, and it's what I love to share with my new mom friends as well! She said that on the days that are so tough, when they just won't nap, sleep, eat, etc. and you're about to tear your hair out, take a deep breath and pretend for a minute that life has passed by, your kids are grown, and you get one more day to spend with them when they're this little. And it seems silly, but doing so, helps shift perspective in the moment to remind yourself, it won't last forever, you will (somewhat unbelievably!) miss these days, and gives you patience from a reserve you didn't realize you had."
"Whenever I have felt guilty or nervous to leave my kids with my husband while on a solo get-away, my Mom has always said “remember they are his kids too”. This always helps me to realize that I deserve the time away!!!"
"A favorite piece of advice from my mom is that experiences are more important than material goods. My parents worked hard their whole lives, and we lived in a modest house where all four of us shared one bathroom, but we took wonderful family vacations growing up—to National parks, Disney, and even Maui. I treasure those memories to this day, and look forward to sharing many experiences and adventures with my own little ones!"
"Make time for at least 10 minutes of uninterrupted, unstructured time every day with each child. It's supposed to curb behavior issues that stem from not getting enough attention.
Works for partners, too :)"
"Chickens are very dirty birds - my mom in why you should always err on the side of overcooking rather than undercooking chicken."
"Best piece of advice my mom gave me when becoming a new a mom was that it’s all a phase. definitely puts it into perspective."
"The best advice I received from a mom friend- “Never Google anything health-related unless you want to be convinced that you or your child is dying."
"The best piece of advice I got from my mother is that motherhood is a glimpse of how God feels about us. The way we love our children- that intense, overwhelming way- is only a small fraction of the way God loves us. She told me to always remember that and it helps keep all the problems of motherhood in perspective."
“Trust your gut and get a second opinion.” While this has applied to MANY things since then, she was specifically suggesting I look into PT for my first born, who was pretty late hitting some important milestones like crawling, cruising and walking. Our pediatrician (who is fantastic in many regards) wasn’t encouraging us to go to physical therapy, but I decided to advocate for my daughter and get an evaluation anyway. We’ve been going 2x a week for 6 months now and I love it! It skyrocketed my daughter’s confidence physically and in general. While pediatricians are experts in their field, we are experts on OUR kiddos and should leverage as many resources as possible to help them thrive."
"Advice from my mom: “There’s no crying in baseball!”
"Best mom advice I’ve gotten: every stage of parenthood/raising a child is temporary and often fleeting, so try to remember that when going through a particularly rough phase (e.g. potty training). They will eventually learn to use the potty."
"Find some time to embrace play, it means so much to them."
"The best piece of advice I received was from my grandmother. Actually two pieces.
1) Always show affection towards your husband around your children. The good base of any family is the marriage and your children need to see that their parents love one another
2) Never worry about a clean house when your kids are little. The mess can wait. The memories you are creating in the every day will be gone before you know it."
"Listening to you all arguing and laughing downstairs is the only medicine I need. The reminder of the simple power of what I've said yes to. Your kids are the only ones who know exactly what you need in order to do hard things. Made only more beautiful because they have no idea what you're talking about". My mom recovering in bed from chemo."
"The best piece of advice I have been given was: Trust Yourself! Every child is different and you know your kids best."
"In the midst of getting all this seemingly definitely advice about what worked for someone else and being bombarded with all these different parenting approaches, I was told:
The solution probably isn’t 100% one thing - 100% one sleep program, one feeding plan, one parenting theory - just try some things and see what works, and it’s also ok to change your mind!"
"The most truthful advice I’ve ever been told (and I’ve not always followed it well so hopefully that’s not how this is being evaluated…) --
In motherhood, everything is a phase, and phases end. When it’s hard – it will end. When it’s incredible – it will end. This applies to the good, bad, sad, happy and everything in between! So try (and it’s really f***ing hard) to be present because one day you just might find yourself missing the moments you wished would pass. also when in doubt.. eat a snack."
"Best advice I've been given is to trust your gut and that you know your kid best."
"Mine is actually from a nurse after I had my son. She said, “The child if coming into your life, not the other way around. Get the baby used to the noise and temperate of your house." "The best advice my mother ever gave me (which I will absolutely pass on to my son) is extremely simple but I think about it often. ALWAYS TRY/DO YOUR BEST!
As a child I knew that even if I failed, if I had tried my best that it would all be ok. I’m in my 40s now and my mother still asks me if I tried my best when I’m upset about something and she always makes me feel better when I say that I did."
"Get out of the house everyday. Even if that means just going for a drive with the kids."
You will never be a perfect mom. You want help and feeling stuck in trying to be perfect? Talk to the blessed mother. She’s the only perfect mom, and she’ll help guide you. (Also tell your kids to talk to her when they say things like “you’re the worst mom ever!”)"
"When you lose yourself in the early months/years, give yourself grace. Try to remember who you were and pick up that one thing you used to love to do. You’ll find yourself in the things you love again."
"In regards to gossip / talking bad about others - my mama always said — “If you play in the mud, you’ll get dirty!” I’ve said this in my head a million times and think it’s stopped me from those relationships that just want to talk shit."
“If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” -Mother Teresa.
"Slow down, learn to enjoy the beauty of the simple things and the everyday tasks."
“You can be mad. You can be sad. But you can’t be rude.” This is the mantra we adopted for when my daughter would have tantrums come on… I would start it, and she would finish it. If a few deep breaths didn’t calm the tantrum down, she was free to go into another room to calm herself down. We’ve always reassured her that it was okay to have her big feelings, and we would be there if/when she was ready to talk to us about them
"The best advice I ever received in motherhood was from my mom: everything is a phase. So great to remember when going through those tough times!"
"The best piece of advice I have received about motherhood comes from several phenomenal mothers I am lucky to know. “Every aspect of motherhood is a season, a short-lived phase. Don’t spend all your energy solving the current puzzle, because come tomorrow, the pieces could be scattered all over the floor.”
"Who cares if your house is messy or your hair isn’t brushed, your kids definitely don’t! Enjoy the time!"
"Best piece of advice isn’t from one specific person but pretty common and I’m glad I e started following it- get in the picture! The “proof of mom” photo is so important. For a long time I had all these great pictures of my husband and son but not myself so I’ve started making it a point to ask for him to take photos of me too :)"
"If you’re at a crossroads with your career and kids, you’ll never regret spending more time with your kids. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing either. Finding a way to maintain some level of a professional identity as a mom can help you do both jobs better. Find the balance that feels right to you, for the season of motherhood you’re in."
"Best advice from my mom! “Always trust your gut, it it rarely lies to you!” Simple but sooo good."
"Be silly. Being serious and mature is overrated. Silliness can cut tension quicker than that metaphorical knife everyone's always talking about. Silliness can create meaningful connections with your kids and, even more surprisingly, with your spouse. Silliness can overcome any tantrum. Silliness can relieve tension you didn't even know you had. Being silly is the key to a happy home. Don't fight it!"
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