Mothering Advice That You Actually Want to Hear

Beyond “sleep when the baby sleeps” there is no shortage of advice on how to handle motherhood. Whether you’re diving into mommyhood for the first time or wrangling teenagers like a boss, we can all use a little advice now and then. We asked our devoted readers, fellow moms and our very own editors to share the best advice they’ve received on motherhood and they weighed in. Keep scrolling to catch your daily dose!

photo: Xavier Mouton Photographie via Unsplash

Enjoy the Moment

"The days are long but the years are short."–Heather R.

"Enjoy every moment, even the hard ones." –Johanna G.

"Never turn down an opportunity to cuddle." –Elizabeth W.

"Don’t worry that they are growing and you might be sad they are getting big. Enjoy them at each stage..." –Sheila Z.

"You are enough ❤️❤️." –Sharlene H.

photo: Jennifer Murray via Pexels

Raising Kids

"Be the woman you want your daughter to be when she’s an adult." –Mary S.

"Prep your children for the road, don't prepare the road for your children." –Holly E.

"Babies cry. It is ok" –Cicely Kunsman

On having a third baby: "Don’t over think it honey, just throw another potato in the pot and carry on!”–Kendra S.

"The 'smell the soup, cool the soup' method- when emotions are high from mom and/or kids, just remember to breathe. Tell them and yourself to smell the soup (breathe in) and cool the soup (breathe out). It’s such a random thing that has saved the day so many times." –Ayren J.

"The more you do for your kids, the less they will do for themselves." –Sue E.

photo: Vinnicus Costa via Pexels

Because Motherhood Is Funny

"It's fine to have cereal for dinner sometimes." –Megan S.

"Don’t spend money on a purse you’re not willing to catch throw up in." –Tara Z.

"No one judges you in Target if you’re in your pajamas mamma. You rock it girl!" –LeAnne N.

"Never share your drink." –Molly O.

"Always park by the cart return." –Tami R.

"Don't worry about that terrible phase your kid is going through - it will eventually end and be replaced with an even worse one." –Kelly H.

"Don’t ever load another woman’s dishwasher." –Stephanie J.

"Beware what you sniff check." –EJ H.

photo: Ketan Rajput via Unsplash

One Day at a Time

"When you come home from a hard day, and touch the doorknob of your door, smile and know that the face your kids see is one that shows that’s you’re happy to see them." –Edie G.

"Don't sweat the small stuff. And believe me, the older they get, you'll wish you knew how small that stuff really was when they were younger." –Beth S.

"Do what you need to do to get through the day." & "Get in the photos!" –Eva I.

"If the kids are alive at the end of the day, it was a good day." –Sonnet G.

"If you have the sense of mind to worry if you are a good mom, you are probably doing just fine." –Whitney R.