Unsolicited Parenting Advice

Spoiler alert: you’re doing it wrong.

Photo by Julie Johnson on Unsplash

I have two boys, ages 2 1/2 and 1 month. When we found out we were having our second son I was over the moon. Somehow I’ve always known I was going to be a boy mom. Since my husband and I are now “seasoned” parents, the unsolicited advice that we’re still getting is becoming comical. We’ve mastered “that look” we give to each other when it happens. My husband doesn’t even need to say anything for me to know he’s thinking, “Are you listening to this clown?”

Here is some of the better advice we’ve received recently.

Don’t have your son sit on the toilet to potty train. Only boys without dads sit down to pee.

This gem was spoken as my husband stood right next to me. The lady had obviously never cleaned up a boys bathroom.

Don’t ever bathe the baby. It’ll mess with his skin flora.

Sure. Never, ever. Gotcha.

Don’t use sunscreen. They won’t get vitamin D and it’s full of chemicals that cause cancer.

Ok, I’ll admit that some sunscreens are better than others. I’m pretty sure NOT using sunscreen also causes cancer. But I’m probably wrong about this, too.

You send them to daycare? I’m sorry. They must struggle with who their real mom is.