what I know or what I dont know...

It seems to be the belief of many people that wisdom or knowledge of children and raising them is directly attributed to the amount of children you have.

I don’t believe this is true in the slightest, I have three and there are still days when I am completely clueless, or days when I am sure of something the one moment and completely unsure the next.

In short every family, parent and child is different no one can tell you for sure that you need to raise your child a certain way or react in a certain manner to certain ailments, behaviours etc.

Just because my child ran fevers etc while teething doesn’t mean yours will, just because your 1^st child was an easy baby doesn’t mean your next will be.

Parenthood seems to be the only ‘job’ in the world that comes without a manual, sure there are many books detailing certain methods and ways but there is not one book that fits all children, all parents and all families.

At the end of the day you need to do what you feel is best for you, your children and your family.

Natural birth, Caesar, breast feeding, formula feeding, cloth nappies, disposables, early solids and delayed solids, home schooling or mainstream…. There is no right way or wrong way at the end of the day it is you all you, you need to make an informed decision and be the best mom/ parent you can be for your child/ren.

This is what I have learned over the last almost 8 years…

No parent is perfect.

There is no manual or one method to raising children.

If people offer advice smile and accept it take what you need and ignore the rest.

No child is the same even in the same family.

Children will test you to the point of near insanity, bear through it...

There will be many occasions of doubt and wondering if you made the correct choices for your children, the best parents are those with the most questions.

There will always be someone to tell you that you are wrong or doing something incorrectly, it doesn’t make them right.

Don’t sway from a decision you feel is right just because you are tired or are told someone knows better.

Ask for help when you need it, and accept help that is offered, even if you don’t need it at that moment, a helping hand is always a good thing to have in hard times.

Collect moments not things- material items will never keep your children happy.

A child’s love is worth every moment, and the best thing you can ever give your children is your love.

Use it, don't use it these things are what I have come to tell myself every time I have a doubt or question, every time I am tired or down or think I am failing as a parent...it is completely normal to doubt your skills as a parent, but the best parents are those with questions, those who let their children guide them because at the end of the day it is our children who teach us as much as we teach them, sometimes we just need to take the time to listen.