Advice? Really?

The BufBloPoFo creator suggests that we share any parenting advice today. I don't know that I'm qualified to do such a thing. What works for me doesn't necessarily work for you. You may see choices that I make and think I want to be like her/I am so glad I'm not like her/Why would you do that/What compelled her to think that was a good idea/I'm calling DCYF/Those are cute kids why doesn't she have more patience with them? To which I can only reply, we all do our best every day with what we've got and before we go judging anyone, I say: A mile in my shoes, my friend.

My favorite piece of child rearing advice was given to me by Uber Mom of a Pair & a Spare, Betty. I was only about half way through cooking my twin chickens when she reached over my voluminous belly, patted me on the shoulder and said, "Babies cry. As long as you know that you'll be fine."

It is with that levity that I try to face every day. They grow and change everyday. I hope that I am giving them a happy life with integrity, confidence and intelligence. But that is a tall order on a daily basis, so I just try to keep things light. I have things that I do feel strongly about for my family. Mostly I just feel really strongly about my family. As in, I love them all like crazy. So in a nutshell, here's the top three things that have worked so far for me:

1. Turn the TV off.
2. Work hard at your marriage.
3. Music, veggies, crayons, love, coffee, books
   

Take it or leave it.