23 Situations That Prove Listening to Parenting Advice Isn’t Always the Best Option

Just as there are no two people in the world alike, there is no one way to raise children. However, some people seem to believe they “own the truth” and are not afraid to criticize or even give unsolicited parenting advice that no one asked for. This is actually worse when some recommendations end up being completely illogical, and you don’t know if the person who gave them was talking about raising children or Martians.

• “Don’t apologize to your child. It undermines your authority.” Umm...what?! I’m not trying to raise a sociopath. © Riots_and_Rutabagas / Reddit
• My grandmother said that if I touched the cat while pregnant, my baby would be hairy... Which turned out to be true (definitely a coincidence), but it was hilarious because she had a full head of hair at birth. © cupcakefantasy / Reddit
• “You need to get your anxiety under control because all your cortisol is getting into the breast milk, and that’s why he’s not sleeping through the night” Cool, let me get right on that and flip that switch! © Worldly_Science / Reddit

• Someone once told us if our baby started trying to walk, to push them over because once they walk, your life gets harder. © musician_mom / Reddit
• Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m 8 months pregnant with my second. My mother-in-law told me a few weeks ago “to ignore my toddler as much as possible and to not take her to any activities she likes anymore, so she’ll get used to it before the baby comes. That way, it won’t be such a shock.” It sounds absolutely horrible and a waste of our time together to me. © lullaby225 / Reddit
• When my baby was small, she used to cry a lot, and no one knew why. They simply termed it as colic. Two visitors came one after the other: one told me never ever to give the child gripe water, and the other said it was so important that I gave it.
  Like this, many people told me conflicting advice on various matters. Emotionally, I couldn’t handle it until my husband told me that I was the mother and I should do what I feel is best and shouldn’t worry about other people’s comments, as they were not the parents. I instantly felt in control and at peace. © MrProducer01 / Reddit

• My mother-in-law is one of those people. She was appalled that we listened to our pediatrician and took their advice instead of hers. She’d always comment with, “Well, I raised 3 kids; I have experience. You can’t trust and believe everything the pediatrician says!” Well, lady, all 3 of your kids have tons of issues, so maybe, just maybe, I shouldn’t be taking your advice. © MiaLba / Reddit
• My dad told me I shouldn’t keep picking my barely month-old up, or I’d spoil him. I offhandedly told my grandma (his mom) about it, and she immediately picked up the phone, called my dad, and said, “Don’t you tell ANYBODY about spoiling a baby! When you were a baby, I had to pay the neighbor girl a quarter to push you up and down the road in a baby buggy just to get housework done!” She hung up, told me to “hold that baby as much as you want,” and I can say my dad NEVER said anything else about “spoiling” my baby by holding him too much ever again. © scissorsister82 / Reddit
• As a newborn, my son had reflux that made him super upset anytime he was in a car seat, swing, etc., until it eventually went away when he was about 5 months old. My grandparents visited us when he was 2 months old, and afterward, my grandma told my mom that we need to feed him oatmeal to help his tummy (again, 2 months old) and that instead of the car seat, we should just hold him upright in the car. © eraltsDadofRivia / Reddit
• I just had to come in and post to laugh at my mother for telling me that I need to stop holding my daughter so much and let her scream, so she can “strengthen her lungs.” © Just___al / Reddit

• My first son had trouble sleeping, and my friend told me to put him to sleep in a bean bag because babies always sleep best in a bean bag. Obviously, I did not follow that advice. I’ve also been told honestly 100 times that I should probably stop breastfeeding. © erinwilson97 / Reddit
• A childless friend was shocked when she found out my 6-month-old didn’t sleep in her crib because I co-slept with her. Also, she was scandalized when I told her bedtime was 9 pm. I should have known better, but this friend offered to babysit one night. I told her I’d be home before bedtime.
  When I got home at 8:30 pm, I found this person in the baby’s room, with my baby screaming in the crib. She was trying to Ferberize her. In one night. I was livid. I told her she needed to save the parenting advice until she had some kids of her own. 5 years later, she got married and had two kids, and they both co-slept with her. I didn’t say a word about it. © Humble-Plankton2217 / Reddit
• My daughter was having a particularly bad tantrum when my in-laws were over. I did what I normally do, I took her into her bedroom, sat on the floor, and just waited it out with her while she did her thing. I didn’t say much, I just told her I was sorry she was feeling this way and that I was there for her when she needed a hug. I get her calmed down, and we go back to the living room, where my father-in-law tells me I should have spanked her. I proceeded to look at him and say we don’t do that in our family. © MrProducer01 / Reddit
• “Saying ’no’ to your child will damage their self-esteem.” © Greaser_Dude / Reddit

• During every pregnancy (third now), my mother has always warned me against watching horror movies in case the baby is born deformed. She fully believes distressing visuals directly affect the baby. Too bad for her, my partner and I are massive horror fans and always laugh at her when she scolds us. © necrabelle / Reddit
• Someone was asking what to do now that their 3-year-old child was climbing out of the crib. Most people responded sensibly that a 3-year-old can certainly be put in a real bed, and it is no longer safe to keep them in a crib they can climb out of. Except for one person who thought the best solution was to FLIP THE CRIB UPSIDE DOWN AND TURN IT INTO A BABY CAGE! Anything to stop your kids from growing into independent people, I guess. © nursejoy1989 / Reddit
• Someone told me to take my baby’s clothes off and lay them on the cold floor, which would help with their colic. I was like, “oooooh, okay.” Inside, I was like, “nope.” © Sunshine_n_Sunflower / Reddit
• When he wasn’t toilet trained by three, I was told it was simple. She said, with hand gestures and all, “just tie him to the potty until he goes.” © JTMAlbany / Reddit

What has been the most absurd advice you have ever received? How would you respond to someone criticizing your parenting or how you live your life?