The New York Times Motherlode blog is a firm fave with us gals. Is it the NYC envy? We don’t know, but true to our Irishness (aka natural nosiness), we can’t help but obsess over parents’ lives in the US.
Do they have it better, worse, or is the tiredness universal? The latter, we suspect. So, when we saw their little straw poll about parenting advice in six words, we couldn’t help but obsess about the outcome.
They put it out to the twittersphere and asked Larry Smith, the editor of “The Best Advice in Six Words,” books to choose his favorite. Bestowing accolades wherever possible, these were his favourites:
The sweetest advice in 6 words:
Snuggle together as long as possible.#ParentingAdviceinSix
— Jinnie Spiegler (@JinnieSpiegler) November 5, 2015
The most cerebral advice in 6 words:
Someday they’ll grow a frontal lobe #ParentingAdviceinSix — whackamolemom (@whackamolemom) November 5, 2015
The tragic = comedy + time award advice in 6 words:
What doesn’t kill you – tries to. #ParentingAdviceinSix
— Randi Cairns (@randicairns) November 5, 2015
Winner of the Twitter handle most in need of sleep (because she sent this and multiple entries at 3am).
“Karma is defined as having teenagers.” #ParentingAdviceinSix — Stacy H (@stacyhuisman) November 5, 2015
These are just a few of the winners, but my favourites were:
It’s a marathon, not a sprint #ParentingAdviceinSix@NYTMotherlode — carolinegrant (@carolinegrant) November 5, 2015
…and our all-time favourite Daddy blogger, Dadandburied, always there with this pithy truths:
Get over yourself; they mostly survive. #ParentingAdviceinSix @sixwords @nytimes @KJDellAntonia — Dad and Buried (@DadandBuried) November 4, 2015
So, what did the result prove? That parents, wherever they are are experiencing the same stuff with the same sense self-deprecating humour. The phrase, ‘same shit, different place’ comes to mind. We wouldn’t have it any other way, of course, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find it tough and hilarious during parenthood.
What would your parenting advice in six words be?
I’m musing on: “I’m as tired as you are” but tomorrow it could be: “My heart will explode with love” or “Will my house ever be clean” or “A new day, a new tantrum,” but really, the advice I do give parents-to-be is, “You will laugh every single day.”
Fact.
