A parenting expert has revealed the worst parenting tips that mums and dads should avoid – debunking long-held myths.
As a parent, it can be tough to know the right way to tackle raising your children – particularly with all the conflicting opinions and advice that circulates every day.
Parenting specialist Kirsty Ketley, 42, has debunked the top five parenting myths – and most of us are guilty of them.
Surrey-based Kirsty, who is mum to Ella, 10, and Leo, six, adopts a “respectful parenting” method, and says she has given her children “controlled choices” from toddler age.
Now, she is revealing which popular parenting tips and myths aren’t actually correct – breaking down the top to avoid.
“There is so much info out there when it comes to parenting and it can be tricky to know if you are doing the right thing – so it’s important to know the true facts.,” Kirsty, who offers her services under the name Auntie K, told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“These are all some of the most common misconceptions that I come across when I’m working with families, and often why they come to me for help.”
POTTY TRAINING
While the general consensus seems to recommend potty training from the age of two, Kirsty says this is not always the case.
Kirsty said: “Children are actually ready anywhere from 18 months to around three years old.
“Just because physically they may be showing signs, emotionally they may not be ready.”
TERRIBLE TWOS
We’ve all heard of the terrible twos – but are they really guaranteed to be terrible?
The mum said: “Yes, it can be a tricky time navigating tantrums – which usually start before children turn two – but the good bits far outweigh the bad.
“It’s a period of time where children are developing at a fast rate and learning how to regulate their emotions, so be aware of that.
“Keeping your expectation realistic will hugely help.”
DUMMIES
Dummies – are they really an evil, bad habit? Maybe not.
Kirsty said: “Dummies can be a godsend for helping a baby to settle and shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing.
“However as babies turn into toddlers, it is best to ditch the dummy to help their oral health and speech development.
“My advice is either ditch the dummy around six months, or wait until your child is heading towards two years – then you can make full use of the Dummy Fairy, Father Christmas or the Easter Bunny to help you.”
CHERISH EVERY MOMENT
While it’s a commonly heard message – you must cherish every moment with your child as they grow – Kirsty says that may not be the case.
She explained: “It is impossible to ‘cherish’ the moments where you are knee-deep in child sick, picking dried bogies off a wall, sat in a pool of sweat watching swimming lessons, or being severely sleep deprived.
“Parents never regret having their children, and of course they love them unconditionally, but it’s perfect OK to find some parts of parenting hard and to really dislike other parts.
“Nobody cherishes every part of their life – parents or not.”
GOOD OR BAD?
And finally, Kirsty insists we should avoid anything that places babies in the category of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ – no matter their behaviour.
She explained: “There is no magical unicorn baby.
“They all behave according to their needs and stage of development.
“Babies are babies – end of. They are neither good or bad.”
