As parents, it's our job to teach our kids various life skills. The ironic thing is parents are also constantly in learning mode, too. We’re discovering how to be a parent. We’re learning about things such as how to patiently coax your kid out the door in the morning, how to reason with them about the importance of those "yucky green vegetables" and why manners actually matter. It's a constant effort that requires endless amounts of patience, focus and quick thinking to get through the day.
As with all learning endeavors, parents sometimes fail with these new tasks, and that's where humor becomes important. At this point, it's good to vent and confess to all the crazy lengths that parenting has driven you to.
We reached out to our community of parents and asked them for their “mic drop” parenting moments. They shared with all the useful tips they have learned along the way and a few funny confessions about those times when it all went wrong.
So, if you need a new parenting tip to add to your arsenal or you just need to laugh with a fellow parent about this crazy parenting life, read on!
If you have a confession or tip to share, please add it to our "mic drop" page.
“Keeping a stash of kid socks by the front door. One less thing to track down when desperately trying to get them out the door!” — Devon, H. from Maple Valley
“The only full-size mirror we have is in our bedroom. Before school and events, the kids come to check their outfits there and it’s the perfect place for tween and teen conversations.” — Stacey D. from Seattle
“I taught my 2-year-old her left from right by having her direct me to and from her daycare. Bonus: now, at age 9, she can give anyone directions to the places she frequents.” — Sigga F. from Maple Valley
“I created little melodies for our phone number and address so they would be easier for the kids to learn and remember. It worked!” — Carolyn M. from Seattle
“My daughter refused to eat fruit or vegetables. I began making fruit and veggie smoothies with a little yogurt and called it ice cream. She loves it and now easily gets her daily intake of vitamins.” — Amie R. from Sumner
“Parent confession: I have five kids ages 9 and younger. When my third kid was born, I took the kids to McDonald's once a week for Happy Meals and chocolate milks. It was a blessing!” — Jessica M. from Seattle
“To get my kids excited about learning sight words, I built a whole track with cars and obstacles; under each obstacle, there was a sight word that they had to read to get to the next obstacle. They loved learning their sight words because of the game that I made.” — Stacy M. from Duvall
“Yesterday my 2-year-old woke me up by bringing a Rice Krispies treat into my room. I reluctantly opened it for him. It's *technically* cereal, right?!” — Lindsey C. from Covington
“My younger son loves technology, cooking and getting up early. So we taught him how to make lattes using our espresso machine and we now get lattes in bed!” — Katherine B. from Seattle
