Alphabetical Advice For Parents of All Ages

As a parent, sometimes you have to make things interesting. Keep your kids guessing!

And today, I’m making things interesting for you. Welcome to my alphabetical advice for parents of all ages. 26 tips that all parents should implement.

Ask your child questions. This is especially important as your kids head back to school. Ask your children questions about school. Stay in the loop. Have healthy conversations with your kids!

Be present. A few months ago, I wrote about how important it is to put our phones away and be present with our children. Honestly, it’s still a work in progress for me. How’s it going for you?

Correct temper tantrums immediately. When your child has a temper tantrum, that can be a tough situation to navigate. Follow these three steps to help you with those nasty tantrums.

Don’t forget about routines. My family LOVES routines. Especially nighttime routines. You can’t go wrong with setting a family routine. Stick with it and see what happens!

Enjoy the little moments. Saturday cuddles. Creating new traditions. Sometimes, it’s the little moments that your kids will remember the most.

Forgiveness is so important. We have a rule in our house. Forgive one another before bed time. Don’t go to bed angry with someone.

Get outside as a family. I created The Ultimate Fall 2023 Bucket List for Families so you can enjoy the outdoors with your family this Fall! With so many outdoor activities to choose from, you can’t go wrong.

Hiking is a great bonding activity. Hiking makes for a great weekend family activity. Find a hiking trail near you and go exploring!

“I love you”. Say it often. I make sure to tell my kids every single day that I love them. For me, you can never say it too much.

Join your kids in their interests and hobbies. It’s how I got into coaching my son’s soccer team. He loves playing soccer and it makes it even more special that I get to be his coach!

Kids need to be comforted when sick. Taking care of sick children is no small task! But most importantly, your kids want to be comforted when they are sick. They want to know that it will all be okay.

Listen. When your kids are talking, listen. Put down your phone. Your texts and emails can wait. Listen to your kids. They know if you’re not and that will upset them.

Make school lunches the night before. This will save you so much time. Trust me. If you struggle with school lunches, these are five school lunches that your kids will love.

No means no and that’s okay. Sometimes you have to say “no.” It’s not always easy, but it might be the right thing in that moment. It’s okay to say no.

Order take out and don’t feel ashamed. When our twins were still babies, we ordered out more than we care to admit. It’s a short season, but one where cooking at home was put on the back burner. Don’t feel ashamed. It happens and enjoy those moments with your spouse.

Practice patience. Early and often. Patience is a skill I’m still working on. But you need patience when you are raising children. Practice patience!

Quit trying to be perfect. There is no such thing as the “perfect family.” Tune out those who tell you you’re doing it wrong. You do what is best for your family. End of story!

Respect downtime. Your kids will have moments where they want downtime. Read a book. Watch a movie together. Take a nap (That’s my dream scenario).

Show your kids how much you love them. You tell your kids you love them. But show them too! For me, spending time with my family is an easy way to show I love them. Here are 37 ultimate end of summer activities you can do together as a family.

Take family vacations. My family does our best to take two or three family vacations each year. It takes budgeting. But it’s worth it. Need vacation ideas?

• Here is how we traveled to Disney World on a budget.

• Here are the best places to travel in 2023.

Uplift your children as much as possible. Build their confidence! It doesn’t matter how old your kids are – they need to know their parents are supporting them and encouraging them.

Volunteer together. Find something your family is passionate about and volunteer towards that cause.

Work together as a team. Parenting and teamwork should go hand in hand. Don’t make it hard on one another. Work together to parent your kids.

Xylophones make a great starter instrument. Yes, I was having trouble finding words that start with “X.” But think about it – xylophones really do make a great instrument for your kids to get their wiggles out. My kids love to bang on pots and pans, but a xylophone…even better.

Yelling is not advised. It happens though. When your kids don’t listen and continue to disobey, sometimes as parents, we raise our voice. If you do yell, you must take these five steps after yelling at your kids.

Zoo visits are worth it. Who doesn’t love a visit to the zoo?!