23 Terrible Things No One Should Ever Say To A New Parent (2 of 5)

“Having a baby is the best feeling in the world, isn’t it?”

Having a baby is undoubtedly the best feeling in the world for a lot of people. However, for people who find the experience a slightly anxiety-inducing one, hearing statements such as these makes them feel as if they are falling short on the emotions they are supposed to feel and adds to that self-judgment. Even according to experts, no one can feel great about being a parent all day long, and even the most excited and enthusiastic parents actually feel a mixture of feelings because of the very tough nature of parenting.

“That baby doesn’t look like you at all!”

While it is always great to hear compliments such as the newborn has grandpa’s smile or his mom’s smile, it is never a good thing to hear that their baby doesn’t remotely look like them. It is not just rude, it can also hurt parents who are not the biological parents of the child, and don’t want to discuss it with you. So, be cautious and avoid saying anything like that.

“You are exactly like your parents”

Even if you know that the new parents have a great relationship with their parents, it doesn’t mean they would like to feel as though they are following the same patterns as their parents. According to a leading family and marriage therapist Steven Reigns, such comments only make them feel dreaded and hopeless. He also points out that even though you can find striking similarities between the new parents and their older folks, it doesn’t mean they would like to see it that way as well.

Anything that starts with the words “You should….”

If you really think that new parents are just dying to get your input on how they are supposed to hold, bathe, and feed their baby – especially in cases where you begin with the words “you should” – you are simply misguided. According to most experts, you shouldn’t just give out advice on parenting, unless they ask you for it. So, unless you see new parents doing something that may be dangerous for their child, it is better to keep your advice to yourself.

“My child was able to do that at xyz age”

So, we get the fact that your kid was able to talk, walk, and even cook some delicious chicken soup by the age of one. That is totally awesome for you and your child, but telling this to new parents about how their child was more capable than your child at the same age is just misguided and rude. It not only comes across as judgmental, but it can also be extremely painful for parents of children with special needs, as their child might not be able to complete those milestones as your kid did.