7 Tips to be a Better Parent

If there's a struggling parent who wishes they were better at the most important job they'll ever have, here are seven suggestions to help. With love from everyone who sees your struggle but isn't up for a fight. 

1) Always have tissue available. Have you seen these kids with snot running down their faces? And they’re always with moms that don’t ever look at their kids because they don’t want to see that muck either. Carry tissues so the good moms aren’t handing you tissue. Wipe noses, really.

2) Carry fruit leather and a small bag of cheerios for sudden hunger moments.  Hey, kids get hungry in two seconds. Be ready to feed the little tummies. No one wants to hear your little darling cry because they're hungry. It just mean to let that happen.

3) Bring a book or small toy with you. Distract, distract, distract. If there’s some store you just have to go in at nap time, bring some small items with you to distract your tired child. After all you’re the one with the scheduling problems; don’t make us pay for it.

4) Wet wipes clear a myriad of sins and yuck. From sticky to barfy, wet wipes solve problems. You can clean faces, fingers, and butts, shopping cart handles, car seats and more. Hopefully, not all with the same wipe but hey, wet wipes are amazing.

5) Don’t bribe the little darlings. Bribery doesn’t work for parents in the long run. Bribery creates brats. There isn’t enough stuff to get your little clone to behave properly. Don’t be lazy, just discipline them.

6) Don’t threaten them. Threatening doesn’t work unless you mean it. Ever hear a parent say, if you don’t stop it we’re going home. The kid doesn’t stop and the parent gives up. If the first time you threaten, follow through then you’ll never have to threaten again. If you've already messed this up, you'll have to be consistent for a significant period of time until you redeem your credibility. 

7) Don’t let them scream. You may understand why you’re child is screaming, he’s tired, he’s hungry, he’s rotten. Don't ignore your offspring. We don’t want to listen. You need to leave now. But please come back when the crisis is over. 

While there are a few people who can't stand kids no matter what, most people enjoy a well-behaved child. In the end, the little ones are your project. We're just pulling for a good outcome.