27 Millennial Parents On Avoiding Their Parent’s Mistakes

24.

“I think the biggest thing I do, that my parents never did, is ask my children for feedback on how I’m doing as a parent. I have two kids and I ask them often, ‘Hey dude, is there something I could do better? Is there something I’m doing you wish I wouldn’t? Is there something you need from me that I’m not giving you?'”

“And this has resulted in a lot of really great discussions about things like, ‘Mom, you’ve been kind of snappy lately and it makes me sad when you snap at me,’ to ‘I really appreciate that you send me voice notes telling me that you’re proud of me randomly. So we don’t have to have a whole conversation, but I still get to hear that you were thinking about me.’

I also tell my kids that they’re allowed to call me out on things. Like, if I get short with them and they don’t feel like they deserve it, they’re allowed to say something like, ‘Hey. Why are you taking that tone with me?’ because the way I speak to them is just as important as the way they speak to me.”

—robinseggblue