The best parenting advice I ever got, hmmm let me sift through about 50 suggestions each from every person I know HAHA. In all seriousness, I truly appreciate everyone offering what worked for them, as long as they understand it might not work for me, and that’s okay! It takes a community to raise a child after all, right?
The most honest advice I got was from my late Grandma Viv. I called her one day when I was 8 months pregnant and super uncomfortable. “Grandma, I can’t even sleep because of this baby.” She gave me a reality check I’ll never forget, “Well, Amber, let me tell ya something. You’ll never sleep a day in your life again. You’ll always be worrying about your baby, even when they are fifty.” She was so right, and while her honest insight has held true, it still wasn’t what I consider the “best advice” I’ve ever got. 
In fact, you might be surprised (just like I was) to realize the best advice I ever got was from my very own husband, who is just as inexperienced as I am. He blew my mind when he said, “Just do the stupidest, silliest thing you can think of and the kids will love it.” My oh my is that true, and it dictates a lot of the time we have spent with our kids. Whether you make a crazy face, pretend to fart, wear outrageous outfits, tell a dad joke, show your awesome dance moves… when you are at your craziest, your kids think you are the coolest. Let’s keep it that way! They love when their parents break the mold. Kids learn from examples, and while we may not always be perfect, at least our kids will know they can be themselves and will always be embraced by us. So I encourage all you parents out there to go beyond societal norms and be yourself, because there is no ONE WAY to parent. Your kids will love you for it now and thank you for it later.
Check out our very first Vlog from our Sunday Funday over the weekend! I dressed a little crazy, we danced in public to live music, learned about ocean pollution, saw mermaids and pirates, created a fun family experience and embraced life. 💕👨👩👧👦💕
Amber Launstein 