10 Things NOT to Do as a Parent (If You Want Happy, Resilient Kids)

Parenting doesn’t come with a manual- just a lot of trial, error, and unsolicited advice from strangers at Target. But some mistakes are universal, avoidable, and worth steering clear of if you want to raise kids who don’t need therapy solely because of you. Here’s what not to do.

1. Don’t Compare Your Kids

   They’re people, not contestants on a game show. “Why can’t you be more like your sister?” Congratulations, you just started a sibling rivalry.

2. Don’t Dismiss Their Feelings

   “Get over it” isn’t parenting. It’s emotional negligence with extra steps.

3. Don’t Over-Schedule Their Lives

   Your child doesn’t need a Google calendar that looks like a Fortune 500 CEO’s. Let them breathe.

4. Don’t Solve Every Problem for Them

   If you rescue them from every puddle, they’ll never learn to swim.

5. Don’t Ignore Your Own Self-Care

   Burned-out parents don’t raise well-adjusted kids. Go nap. Really.

6. Don’t Overreact to Mistakes

   Spilled milk isn’t a felony. Chill.

7. Don’t Avoid Tough Conversations

   If you don’t talk about sex, money, or boundaries, TikTok will. And TikTok is a terrible parent.

8. Don’t Micromanage Everything

   Helicopter parenting doesn’t make them safer- just more likely to crash when they finally fly solo.

9. Don’t Use Guilt as a Tool

   “After all I’ve done for you…” isn’t a parenting strategy. It’s emotional blackmail.

10. Don’t Forget to Have Fun

    Yes, rules matter. But so do pillow forts, ice cream dinners, and laughing until juice comes out of their nose.

Final Thought

Parenting is messy, exhausting, and occasionally thankless. But if you lead with love, humor, and a little grace, you might just raise humans who like you when they grow up.