We asked our readers for favorite parenting quotes – these are their answers.

“The days are long but the years are short” – A. Suduiko

“‘It’s a phase.” — my mom. – E. Wise

“‘Don’t let yourself become so concerned with raising a good kid that you forget you already have one.” – Glennon Melton  – A. Stroud Brown

“The best thing you could give to your child is a gift of your precious time by being with your child and ready to listen…” – J. Hider

“Cleaning the house while you have children is like brushing your teeth while eating oreos'” – K. Cichucki Ceballos

“What you teach your child, you teach your child’s child.” – C. Pridham

“Patience and calm firm communication can build a peaceful healthy relationship with well mannered children.” – A.S. Santos

“What’s the best way to find something? Clean up” – J. Petroff Smith

“Childhood is not a race.” – K. Head Amos

“Making the decision to have a child – it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” – Elizabeth Stone – D. Poli

“Your toddler doesn’t want to annoy you.” -Janet Lansbury

I don’t know who said it but: “One of the kindest things you can say to a toddler is ‘you don’t have to hurry, we have time.” – A. von Novak

“Don’t be worried that they don’t listen to you. Worry that they observe you all the time.” – S. Swaroop

“There’s only one perfect child in the world and every mother has it.” – O. Mecking

I forget the quote or who said it but basically, the general idea of it is that the goal and the curse of motherhood is to always be pushing your child toward independence and further away from you, while desperately desiring nothing more than to pull them close. It’s a battle of gradual heartache and fulfillment. – E. Albano

“It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken adults.'” – R. Kaiman

“Prepare your child for the road, not the road for your child.” – M. Funez

Pretty much anything Alfie Kohn says.- C. Rembish Reid

“‘…Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.'” – J. Hampton

“‘Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be.” -Rita Pierson, Educator – L. Domino Jones

“Give them roots so they can grow wings. Tomorrow’s another day. CIO = cuddle it out. WIO = wait it out.” – S. Blanchard

“Don’t prepare the path for the child, prepare the child for the path.'” – C. Krost

“‘I am a mom; I see clearly that while I’ve been teaching them, they have been my reason to learn.'” – T. Shelton

“You can’t walk gingerly. You have to step in and say I am gong to love you robustly, and we are going to get to the end of this!'” – L. Louise

“Pick your battles.” True when they’re toddlers, true when they’re teenagers.  – S. Ruckh Franzosa

Louisa May Alcott — “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.'” – K. Nash

“Children close their ears to advice but Open their eyes to example.” – A. Bouthillier

“Do as I say not as I do… Lol” – G. Gremaux

“Sleep is for the weak” – D. Gordon

“Let them be little.” – J. Gassaway

My daughter actually told me yesterday this was a quote her teacher used in class and  she chuckled when she told the teacher she hears that all the time from me.– “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over…and expecting a different result… – C. Vreeland

 “This too shall pass…'” – L. Brooking

 ‘If you’re not yelling, you’re doing something wrong.” -Mark Ruffalo – C. Kent

“These are not the glamour years.” – L. Lawrence

“‘It’s relentless” – me.- E. Savela

“Best of times, worst of times.” – R. Rock Tots Briggs

“Is that poop or chocolate?!” – N. Proctor-Fajen

“Don’t blink” – J. Lane

“You’re not managing an inconvenience. You’re raising a human being.” – I. Rourke

“There’s no way to be a perfect parent but there are a million ways to be a good one.'” – G. Young

“You’re happy to see them come, you’re happy to see them go.'” – N. Babilonia Prunés

“‘Will this really matter in 5 years? 10?'” – P. Stinson

Sorry no citation, but years ago I heard “Deciding to have children is like deciding to have a bowling alley installed in your brain.” This has always resonated with me. – K. Kolb Peterson

“Children close their ears to advice, but open their eyes to example.” – M. Aria

“‘Deep within me there is a well of peacefulness which nothing can disturb.” ~ Mommy Mantras – S. Campbell

“You’re not a cruise director, you don’t have to keep them entertained all the time.” – my mom – A. Avey

“Fake it ’til you make it.” – B. Eaton

“Children will grow up in spite of their parents, not because of them.” – B. Hartwig Beck

Back to November 2015 Issue