Mothers share the best parenting advice they ever received, motherhood moments that moved them, the advice they wish they hadn’t followed — and the advice they wish they had
My grandmother a”h used to say, “Zug ah kind az er iz gut, vert er besser — Tell a child he’s good, and he’ll become better.” A mother can’t underestimate the value of positivity. Our children are intrinsically good. They may mess up or do certain things we wish they didn’t (at any age) but letting them know that we love them, and that they are good, is crucial.
Also, the most important thing you can give your children is your time. I listened to that and used to take out one child once a week — either for pizza, or to the bakery, etc. It was our time together just to talk and enjoy each other’s company. Doing this at night made it even more special. I did it from about age six. The child picked the place he or she wanted to go and felt like a million dollars!
Sit with your child and play a game, read a book. Don’t get bogged down by what you have to do — like dishes, laundry, etc. That can wait, and the children grow up so quickly, you can’t turn the clock back. My married kids still talk about how I used to read them books and act out the characters.
Your kids will not go to bed happy with you each day, and that’s okay. Parenting is not a popularity contest. Although saying no and setting healthy boundaries doesn’t always feel good, it’s part of what your children need in order to become healthy and stable adults. Be your own cheerleader for now. They’ll thank you later.
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