You may think you have the absolute best parenting advice EVER to share with every mom and dad on the planet, but the fact is if said mother or father didn’t ask for your tips, it’s highly unlikely he or she is going to follow them.
Unsolicited advice is invaluable advice.
If you want to share your tried and true parenting techniques with other moms and dads, wait until you are asked. Parents are more apt to follow advice if they are seeking it rather than having it forced down their throats. What’s more, it’s important to remember that a tactic that worked well with your child may fall flat with another.
For some well-meaning individuals that’s a hard pill to swallow. However, in most cases, parents know their children best. They understand how their child responds to certain situations and will deal with those challenges with their own set of skills. Forcing a mom or dad to take your parenting advice when they didn’t even ask for it will only lead to hard feelings. Respect that others may have different parenting styles, and then find a way to be supportive. If you find this too difficult, move on.
Advice, be it parenting or otherwise, must be given with respect. Be respectful of the entire family–mom, dad and child—and don’t let your ego get in the way.
Finally, when giving advice, timing is everything. Think about it; do you really expect a mom to embrace your advice on disciplining children when her kid is having a meltdown in the middle of Target? Talk about an inopportune moment. Use common sense before firing off what you think is valuable parenting advice. Assess the situation, consider whether the timing is right, and then reflect on whether your tips will truly be helpful to the intended recipient or if they will simply fall on deaf ears, and potentially create more drama.