The best unsolicited advice

Unsolicited parenting advice can really get on your last frayed nerve, but sometimes that butting in can be the single important suggestion that saves your parenting sanity.

Gift of unsolicited parenting advice

From doing what's best for your family to using the word 'no' sparingly, check out these stories from real moms on good parenting advice they didn't ask for.

There are plenty of parenting 'rules' out there, but giving yourself permission to do what works for you and your family will save you a ton of frustration. "The best unsolicited parenting advice ever given to me was to supplement my baby with formula," shares Amy Bonaccorso, of Laurel, Maryland. "I was under a lot of pressure to exclusively breastfeed. But, it turned out that my baby and I had so many health issues so it really was important to supplement."

But, before you can take care of your kids, you have to take care of yourself. "You are the most important part of this whole newly configured family," Kathy Cardille was advised. "Without you nothing else works. So put yourself to bed when you need it, fix yourself good meals, exercise and get some alone time. If you feel like crying, do it. If you feel like reading, do it. You are number one."

Part of taking care of you is giving yourself a break, like Stacey Glaesmann, of Pearland, Texas was told. "The best parenting advice I have ever gotten that was not asked for was to 'strive to be good enough, not perfect.' For some reason, that allowed me to give myself permission not to pursue being a 'Super Mom.' I think it saved me a lot of unnecessary stress!"

Check out these 6 things you should never say to your kids >> 

However, no parent is going to make it through the childhood years without these words from those who've been there before you. "I feel like it's one big secret just how hard those first few weeks and months can be — no one really talks about it," points out Lauren Holmes. "But the best piece of advice is to hang in there as it just gets better and better. And then you get to a point where you think, it can't possibly get any better than this. And it does."

And Anita Lavine agrees. "When I was feeling particularly beleaguered with two toddlers, someone said to me, 'try and remember, the days are long, but the years are short.' Now that my kids are 7 and 8 years old, I realize it's so true, and it helps me (sometimes) to not sweat the small stuff."

Regardless of who is offering unsolicited parenting advice, never forget to love your kids — now! "Take time to read to them or play with them, the rest can wait," a wise person once told Raquel Scharf-Anderson, mom of two. "There's never been a mom who regretted reading with their child."

Especially when you're stressed to the brink and your kids are on your last nerve, remember to "love the child you have, not the one you wished you had," Janet Lehman, co-creator of the Total Transformation program was told. And Bola Ajumobi of healthgist.com was giving similar guidance. "Never to compare your children but to love them as they are." It's tough, but worth the effort!

Explore this parents' guide to praising your child >> 

It may be a little easier to keep your cool when you're following the advice Liz Cooper of Newton, Massachusetts was given. "The best unsolicited parenting advice I've received is if you want your child to know how to behave well at restaurants or on planes, etc. then make sure you take them out and expose them to those situations to learn how to behave in restaurants, planes, etc." Experience always trumps lecturing until you're blue in the face in most cases.

And, speaking of blue in the face, you may want to rethink the word 'no.' "Best advice? Use 'no' sparingly — for situations of danger primarily — and when you do use it, go to the wall with it," someone once shared with Patricia Butler of Phoenix, Arizona.

Regardless of your parenting style or the type of kiddo your youngster is, some good parenting advice you didn't ask for is worth its weight in gold. So before you tune out unsolicited parenting advice every average Jane throws your way, give it a chance — it may just become your parenting mantra from that point on.

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Tonight's Parenthood tackles one pretty serious issue, as well as a couple mini-dramas.

First things first: The preview at the end of last week's episode looked downright juicy... and disturbing. It appears Sarah's (Lauren Graham) youngest, Drew, has inadvertantly knocked up his quasi-girlfriend, Amy. While Drew immediately assumes it's his, let's not forget that this season started off with Amy breaking up with Drew for a college guy she met at camp. Who knows what those two were up to, right? The situation is shady, at best. But Drew's desire to keep the baby is admirable (if not a little bit clingy, as always).

Things are made worse for Drew when Mr. Cyr, Sarah's ex, spots Drew and Amy fighting in the hallway. Mark — Mr. Cyr — goes to Sarah with the news (whether he actually knows the whole story isn't entirely clear). That might make things awkward with Sarah and Hank, but Mark definitely does the right thing.

With this plot line Parenthood is set to tackle teenage pregnancy — a topic many other shows have already covered. What fresh perspective will they bring to the drama?

Also on Parenthood...

Things in Crosby's (Dax Shepard) house are far from perfect after his mother-in-law moves in. She has her own way of doing things and she's bound and determined to push her ways onto his family. From cranking the heat (and the humidifier) to leaving stuff all over the place, she's left her mark on his house. But, she's also sinking her teeth into his family's routine. She refuses to wait for Crosby to get home before they have dinner and to top it off, forces Cros to eat fish, which he hates. They may seem like small things, but when you add them up, they're big annoyances. Someone please put this woman in her place.

Finally, the tension continues to escalate between Julia and Victor. Just watch...

While viewers have remained extraordinarily sympathetic to Julia's adoptive son, this might be the turning point. He's really acting like a spoiled brat now; he's on level with his adoptive sister, Sid. We all want Victor to become a loving, functional member of the Braverman clan... but this scene is beyond annoying.

See how it all turns out tonight on Parenthood at 10/9c on NBC.

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More and more school districts are creating integrative programs to better engage families in the education process. If you’re lucky enough to have those kinds of resources available, get involved! If not, use the following suggestions to become a more involved parent on your own:

Approach teachers as expert resources in your child’s education

Children spend roughly 70 percent of their waking hours outside of school, leaving parents mostly responsible for their children’s education. But that remaining 30 percent is a huge window of opportunity, as is the opportunity to leverage the training and education teachers possess as professional educators to help you better support your child’s education goals. When approaching a meeting with a new teacher, outline ultimate objectives for the school year in broad terms, mention past successes of other teachers, and ask how they feel they can support you and your child. Make an effort to be open to new and different methods that this teacher may have to offer.

Identify the teacher’s rules and style and support them

Sometimes, the key element to a student’s success is overlooked — that the student is the one who ultimately has to succeed. Letting students experience the consequences for mistakes as well as the responsibility for resolving any issues can do more for their success than any grades they acquire. Meetings early in the school year are a great time to discuss a teacher’s typical consequences — does s/he allow retakes of tests if a student performs poorly? How many times does s/he hold a student after class for poor behavior before giving them a detention? What does it take to earn strong grades in this teacher’s class? Identifying a teacher’s discipline and teaching methods prior to any issues arising will better prepare you for these situations if or when they come up. Additionally, when you support a teacher who is invoking reasonable consequences, it shows your student that the teacher’s expectations are sensible and important.

Learn how to communicate effectively with the teacher

Another important factor to keep in mind is that you are one of many parents working with this teacher. Ask the teacher his or her preferred method of communication — for some, it may be phone calls; for others, email. Determine whether the teacher is able to respond during the school day or isn’t available until after school. Ask about a typical response time during a busy part of the school year — it may be up to a week. Try to keep any correspondence brief and limited to critical topics. Don’t be the parent who calls the teacher just to ask if they can check your kid’s shoe size while you’re out shopping. Do be the parent who emails with an update on improvement in study habits at home. Share with the teacher any information about your child that s/he may not have known otherwise that could be integral to improving the child’s learning experience. This could include aspects of your child’s learning style, tips for engaging them personally, etc. Work together with the teacher as a team.

Set an example by getting involved

Attend school plays and concerts. If the class participates in a science fair, make sure to show up or even volunteer. Bring in snacks for class parties. Organize or assist on field trips. Go to PTA and school board meetings. Vote in school-related elections. A parent’s example is a great indicator of what should be important to a child — if parents take education seriously and spend substantial time on it, so will children. Students need to be shown exactly how to go above and beyond. If time is an issue, even attending just three events per year can make an impact.

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Hilary Gan is a professional SAT tutor and contributing writer for Varsity Tutors. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The University of Arizona.

Kid phenomenon No. 12: No matter how close the closet is to the entry way or garage, kids will leave their junk scattered all over the floor. Raise your hand if you're a mom and you've spent about 20 percent of your life putting shoes in a closet that is inches from where your kids removed said shoes. It doesn't matter how many closets, hooks or expensive pieces of Pier 1 furniture you put in your entry way, your kids are convinced the floor is the best receptacle for shoes, coats, hats, mittens, boots, socks and backpacks. Here is what mothers really think when they are picking up these messes — "Surely God has a higher purpose for my life."

There are messes that make sense, and then there are just mindless messes that convince all mothers that their children think they are hired help. These are the squirrels' nests that kids leave in their wake because they can't be bothered to pick up one thing before they move to the next. These types of messes include discarded chip bags, empty soda cans, craft supplies scattered hither and yon and Legos piled in an indiscriminate fashion (that we typically discover after we've stepped on one, causing the nerve endings in our feet to scream out in pain).

These types of thoughtless messes are responsible for making grown, mature, rational women mutter under their breath, to no one in particular, "Really? Just really? Oh, OK. I guess the maid will pick it up. I guess you were too busy to pick up your own messes. Your time is more valuable than mine. You couldn't be bothered picking up this mess because you had to move on to the next dirt bomb. Thanks. Thanks a lot. Where's my corkscrew?"

This is what moms think — and what many moms say — when they have spent the day picking up aforementioned messes and their little lamb makes a request. "I'm hungry. I'm thirsty." Moms start to feel like they're watching What About Bob? when Bill Murray starts fussing, "Gimme, gimme, gimme, I need, I need, I need." It is at these moments that most mothers use "mom speak" to get their point across instead of lashing out at their kids, which is what they really want to do. A well-placed, "Do you have a piano tied to your butt?" or "Are your legs broken?" tells kids, "I know you think I'm here to play an elaborate game of fetch and see to your tireless needs, but you're wrong. Get it yourself." It's far better than, "You are the laziest, most ungrateful piece of dookey ever, and if I have to pick up one more of your messes I'm going to jump in front of the FedEx truck and end it all."

This is a mother's go-to statement when she's had all the mess-fun she can handle. This usually comes from a mom who has been picking up puke piles all day/. Her maternal sympathy got her to 5 p.m., but if she doesn't get some relief, things are going to get real. Never ignore a woman who says, "Where's your father?" It's a cry for help and a thinly veiled way of saying, "I'm covered in vomit and my gag reflex is exhausted. I'm losing it and for the safety of all involved, someone else needs to take over."

More on kids' messes

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Photo credit: DNF-Style/iStock/360/Getty Images

Ask any expecting couple what they're hoping for, and you will often hear, "We just want a healthy baby." Reesia and Adam Roth suffered through dozens of miscarriages before deciding to adopt. When they did begin the journey of becoming a forever family, rather than looking for the healthy happy kids, they began taking in the kids it seemed no one else wanted to take.

Discovering a horrifying world of abuse

Neither of the Roths ever considered themselves the type to adopt. Adam didn't think he would be able to love a child that wasn't biologically his, and Reesia had always imagined herself being pregnant and having babies. That all changed when miscarriage after miscarriage brought the realization that Reesia's body kept rejecting and killing babies before she could carry them to term, a fact that still brings her to tears.

As they began looking into adopting, their eyes were opened to the horrifying world of abuse and neglect that so many children experience from birth. One of the first children they adopted would scream, "Don't beat me! Don't beat me!" whenever he thought he was in trouble. Another, an infant, came to them in a full body cast because his father threw him around the room when he wouldn't stop crying.

Giving hope to hopeless children

As Reesia shares the background stories of each of her six children, her eyes fill with tears and it is clear that it deeply wounds her that anyone could have done such things to her babies. And nothing makes her blood boil like retelling the story of the social worker who told one of her boys, who was just 5 at the time, that no one would adopt him because he was too damaged.

But her tone changed from one of sorrow to pride, as she shared how counseling and an emotionally safe home life have helped transformed these "hopeless" children. The son who was told he was too damaged became a champion for another first grader after speaking during their class' sharing day about suffering abuse. Once sharing time was done, a classmate approached him to say that he was currently being abused. Her son immediately took this boy to the principal's office, telling him that you have to ask a safe grown-up for help.

Offering children a loving family

She admits that adopting children with special needs and severe emotional issues is incredibly difficult, but says, "We knew that God had been preparing us, and if we didn't take them, nobody would. They desperately needed a loving family."

When asked if they plan to adopt any more children, Reesia shared that the state of Washington only allows them to adopt up to six. Then her face lights up as she exclaims, "Unless one of their biological siblings needs adopting. We'd take them!"

Learning forgiveness and compassion

Reesia is quite active in the foster and adoption community, and encourages others to consider it. She also offers some words of wisdom for those who are newly considering fostering. "If you currently have kids, look at getting children who are younger," she says. "You don't know what kind of abuse or trauma they have suffered, and your older children will better be able to handle it, or to tell you if something is wrong."

She also shares some of the things that the Roths have learned and gained through fostering and adopting. "We've learned forgiveness, understanding and compassion, and not to judge. We've learned that we have a voice and can be a voice, and that we are also a little crazy. And we've learned that we are braver and stronger than we ever knew, and blessed beyond compare."

While Reesia acknowledges that adoption is not for everyone, she says there are lots of ways to be involved in the foster system. Her favorite suggestion is respite care. "You can take a foster kid, or kids, for a day, or a weekend. Go do something fun with them and it gives a break to the foster family."

More articles on foster care and adoption

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But it is an article about gay marriage.

Because as far as I can tell, there is no other reason in the world why two loving fathers would be denied the legal parentage of their own biological children.

Denied parenthood

Joe Riggs and Jason Hanna, a legally-married gay couple, were denied the right to be on their sons' birth certificates — even though each man is the biological father.

The situation seems a bit hard to wrap your head around, but it goes something like this. The couple was married legally in Washington D.C. and now reside in Texas, where the law does not recognize gay unions. In fact, under Texas law, no two men are permitted to be on the birth certificate together, and the only way gay couples can have children is to legally adopt each other's children. Gay marriage is outlawed and judges have the right to personally deny any gay couple's request to adopt.

Got all that?

But Riggs and Hanna were still shocked when they learned that a judge had turned down their petition to file as the legal parents of their twin sons, as many other gay parents in Texas have "worked around" the law, garnering judges who would legally permit them to be parents together.

In their case, however, that just didn't happen.

The proof is in the DNA

Now here is where I think the story gets a little tricky — the truth is, both Riggs and Hanna are biological fathers to one of their sons. Because the couple used a surrogate with donated eggs, they were able to each have one egg fertilized with their separate sperm. As a result, their surrogate (whose eggs were not used) is carrying one son from each father.

The two fathers had planned on having two separate birth certificates for each boy, adhering to Texas law that mandates that a man and woman be named on the birth certificate by also having the surrogate's name placed. And then, they planned to remove the surrogate's name (also a legal move done in the past with surrogates) and cross-adopting each other's sons so they were one big happy family.

And then they found out they wouldn't be allowed to legally adopt each other's sons, since Texas law mandates adoptions only occur for married couples, and doesn't recognize their marriage as valid.

And then they found out that not only would they not be legal guardians to both sons, but each father was also denied legal parentage of their own sons as well. The men's lawyers petitioned that if they couldn't cross-adopt as a gay couple to at the very least, have each father named on the birth certificate of his own biological son with the surrogate, but the judge denied that request.

In fact, the only person who the judge decreed could be legally named on the birth certificates is the surrogate mother —a woman with no biological connection whatsoever to the twins, and a woman who calls surrogacy her "part-time" job (she's carried four other babies for families). In other words, she doesn't exactly want legal guardianship of the boys either.

The right call?

I understand that the issue of gay marriage is a heated one, to say the least, and I'm not even going to try to pretend to take a stance on it or get into the complexities of recognizing gay marriage legally. But in looking at this situation? When each man is biologically a father to a baby and is still denied legal guardianship to that child simply based on his relationship choices?

Well, something seems a little off there.

Working in labor and delivery, I will say that I've seen a lot of interesting family situations and the truth is, there is no such thing as a "perfect" family. Fathers who will never be actual fathers are allowed on birth certificates every day, fathers who aren't biologically the fathers are mandated to be on the birth certificate (even if a woman has an affair, if she's married, her husband has to be named) and then you have circumstances such as this, when a father chose parenting — even went so far as to save money for his child before his own wedding — and yet is not deemed worthy enough to be a legal father.

Regardless of your feelings on gay marriage, don't you think there's something wrong with that picture?

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It's the unthinkable nightmare that only happens to other people, a perfectly healthy newborn baby stops breathing for no apparent reason. Stories like these make parents wonder how anyone can make it through such a tragedy.

Sarah Rico is a quiet young woman with dark curly hair, beautiful eyes and a kind and gentle spirit. To those who just meet her, or who only know her casually, she is simply a nice person. But to those who have walked alongside her since the death of her 4-day-old son, she is an incredible inspiration.

Difficulty conceiving

Sarah and her husband Cristian both wanted children, long before they ever met and got married. Sarah was one of those women who knew since she was just a little girl that she was made to be a mother. But when they decided it was time to start their family, it took them over a year to get pregnant.

"It was difficult." Sarah says, "I became very discouraged and began to wonder if maybe I wouldn't be able to get pregnant at all, if maybe I would never get my dream of carrying a baby and becoming a mom."

That discouragement turned to faith one Sunday, when her pastor spoke on God's promises.

"I went home that day, and I knew. I felt like God had given me his promise that I would have a baby someday, that I just needed to trust and be patient. Low and behold, about a month later I found out I was pregnant! I knew that my baby was a precious gift, and that he would have an impact on many, many people."

On Oct. 27, five days after Sarah and Cristian's third anniversary, their precious promise was born.

Meeting Zedekiah

Zedekiah had a full head of dark hair, perfectly chubby cheeks and long delicate fingers. He also had huge feet.

"His feet were so big that the newborn socks I had to bring him home from the hospital in were too small, and wouldn't stay on his feet. So he went home barefoot! With a blanket, but barefoot."

Zedekiah also loved to snuggle, a memory Sarah says she dearly treasures, because it was just four days later, their first morning home from the hospital, that he passed away in his sleep from unknown causes. The official ruling: Zedekiah died from SIDS.

Wrestling with loss

The loss of a child may be the most devastating loss a person can experience, and one that people struggle to make sense of. Sarah has wrestled with these same struggles.

"I don't understand why this happened, why to us or why it had to be this way. I don't understand why this precious boy who was so wanted, so longed for, is gone. Especially when there are so many children who aren't wanted, who aren't loved and properly cared for. It just doesn't make sense."

But Sarah is also a woman of great faith, and her faith does not seem to have been shaken, even after such heartbreak.

Leaning on faith

"I don't believe that God did this to me. So many people say things like, 'Well, God needed him.' Some probably even think that maybe my husband or I did something at some point in our lives to deserve this or to have caused it. But I believe in a just, loving God. It just doesn't work that way. We live in a broken world and broken, horrible things happen. That's just reality. I know that God wept with me and for me the day my boy died, and I know that he continues to weep with me, as any father would do watching his daughter in pain."

Sarah has wept as well. At home, in church, in Starbucks, at friends' houses and at the gym. She has also been seeing a counselor and journaling, doing all she can to try to work through her feelings, process the pain and live each day. She's not moving on, but moving forward. The one thing she hasn't done is become bitter.

"I felt God tell me, Sarah, let me redeem this. I know that this is awful. I know that you are broken and hurting, but trust me, hold tight to me and let me make something beautiful out of your pain and out of your precious boy's life. Let me show you how your boy's life and your heartbreak can have a beautiful, lasting impact on you and on many, many people."

A worldwide impact

Although Zedekiah lived just four short days, his story has affected thousands of people and stretched around the world. The day of Zedekiah's memorial, the entire sanctuary was packed with people, many of whom did not really know Sarah or Cristian, all there to show their support.

"It was an emotional, broken and painful day. Yet, after everyone had gone home and Cristian and I had finished reading through the cards and notes from people, I was overcome with thankfulness and a sense of how incredibly blessed I was. I was just in awe, realizing how many people love us and care for us, and took the time to come celebrate our son with us."

But the support did not stop there. Sarah and Cristian received notes, cards and emails from friends and acquaintances all over the world. They received flowers for weeks. A meal train was set up to provide them with food, and people dropped off books, magazines, puzzles and other gifts to help occupy Sarah's mind.

"Precious new friends came to sit with me, to laugh, cry and remember with me. To drink copious amounts of coffee and tea with me and to tell me that my roller coaster of emotions was normal. That I was not a crazy person. I was normal. All of these were ways that God said, "Sarah, see that I am good. See how I care for you."

Finding support

One of Sarah's greatest avenues for support has been the Mops (Mothers of Preschoolers) group she joined just a few weeks before Zedekiah's birth.

"The women at Mops have helped me to understand and accept that yes, I am a mother, even though my version of motherhood is a little different right now. It has been a place of great encouragement and healing for me. Everything from these women, from a hug, to the gift of magazines, to a meal, to coming to the memorial service or even just a simple text message to let me know they care, were some of the biggest ways that God showed me his goodness in those first couple months. These things may seem small or insignificant, but all of these little things are important and precious to someone who is walking through a tragedy."

Sarah also finds great strength and comfort in her husband.

"So many couples who experience a tragedy like this end up broken beyond repair. They end up in different places. People feel and process and grieve differently, but those first weeks and months were such a precious time for us of being broken and raw together. We weren't always feeling or thinking the same things, but we just experienced a whole new level of intimacy in our relationship as we held each other and began to walk forward together."

Handling hurt

While it may seem to some that Sarah has held it all together and is doing just fine, the reality is that deep grief is still a constant part of her life. She has been struggling with depression and anxiety, has difficulty sleeping, and sometimes has days where the tears and overwhelming emotions keep her from being able to accomplish anything. She has also had to deal with the painful comments of people who mean well, but may not have thought through the impact their words would have, such as the person who, just two days after Zedekiah's death, said, "Well at least you know you can get pregnant." But some people have had a response that's been even more painful for her.

"I have some close friends who have said very little, or nothing — their silence hurts so much more than the people who say the 'wrong' things out of love."

Regardless, the people in Sarah's life have been impressed with how she has reacted to people, even when they aren't helping.

"I have really appreciated Sarah's willingness to extend grace to others through the process," says Sarah's friend Abigail Engle. "She makes a special effort to see the helpful intent of someone's words, even when those words end up being hurtful. Only Christ in her could offer that kind of love in the midst of pain."

The power of choice

But the thing that helps Sarah survive, and live out each day, is the power of choice, and several friends pointed out the strength she has shown in making decisions to face each day.

"Sarah has seemed very intentional as she has gone through this," shared Barb Olander, Sarah's mentor mom from Mops. "It has been very difficult, but she chooses to do things that she knows are right and good. Things she knows God wants and things that she knows will help with her healing, when just running away and hiding is what she really feels like doing."

Sarah's own words confirm these observations. "I choose life each day. I choose to get out of bed. I choose to do things that are healthy and life-giving — things that move me forward each and every day, even when they are hard and even when I sometimes don't want to. I choose to accept the new joy that I've experienced lately, even though it sometimes feels wrong to feel so joyful, to rejoice and be thankful for my beautiful son and for the precious time I had with him. I choose to see the beauty and the blessings in the many ways that he has touched people's lives. I would give anything to have Zedekiah in my arms today and to never have to walk this path. But I can't change it. What I can do is accept what is and choose to embrace what God is doing in this and receive the good gifts he has to give me. What I can do is accept that I will never be the same and take joy in knowing that God will use this and use me for big things in the future if I allow him to."

How to help

As Sarah pointed out, everyone handles grief differently. While Sarah's faith has given her strength through this terrible time, it wasn't religious platitudes that brought her comfort or support — it was the love and thoughtfulness of people taking time to show they cared. If someone you know has lost an infant, the articles below can provide some ideas for showing them you care.

More articles on infant loss

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If you’ve ever had a bad roommate before, then congratulations — you’re ready to parent a toddler. Sure, you thought you were getting an adorable, cuddly companion when you gave birth to your bundle of joy, but that is far from the truth. Living with a toddler can be fun at times, but depending on the day of the week, it just might be hell on earth.

I know exactly what I’m talking about because I have two toddlers. My husband and I both work full-time from home, which is why we decided to have two sons close in age. They’re just 16 months apart. I promise you that I’m not crazy (since having two toddlers was a conscious decision on my part), though I just might be going crazy now after spending months with two unpredictable kids, a husband and two dogs under one roof.

Thank God I have my crash course in early-20s-roommate-living to fall back on. I wouldn’t say I was the model roommate. In fact, sometimes I was pretty inconsiderate and would like to formally apologize to my old roommates for using all of their cleaning supplies and not buying my own. (Sorry, guys! Dick move!) And, of course, I had my share of bad roommates. I also had my share of “bonus” bad roommates, aka roommates’ boyfriends who set up shop in our living room and decided to never, ever leave. Kind of like my toddlers.

Here are 12 ways your toddler is just like the roommate from hell:

1. Keeps you up sobbing late at night

Your roommate just broke up with her boyfriend and won’t shut up. Or, maybe it’s just your toddler who wants a drink of water at 2 a.m.

2. Pees the bed after drinking a lot

After your toddler gets that precious drink of water, he or she will promptly pee the bed. Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like my old roommate after a night of drinking.

3. Uses all the hot water

This is advanced roommate/toddler warfare. They will break you down slowly by making sure you never have a hot shower again.

4. Poops in the tub

If your roommate ever did this, you have my condolences. As a parent of a toddler… shit happens.

5. Never puts the dishes away

Both toddlers and roommates will never master this essential life skill. Parenting only extends your slave-like relationship to the dishwasher.

6. Won't let you change the channel, ever

Just like every bad roommate I’ve had, my toddler presses all the buttons on the remote and insists on watching a mind-numbing show for the tenth time in a row. Jesus, take the wheel.

7. Throws food on the floor

Messy roommates, messy toddlers = same, same.

8. Always takes the last Popsicle

Always, always, always.

9. Talks indecipherably for hours

The creepy roommate who slumps on the couch and mumbles nonsense is eerily reminiscent of my toddler whispering to himself while he plays with blocks.

10. Borrows your favorite things and never gives them back

Everything I once loved has been thrown off the porch by my toddler. The rest of the things that I loved now belong to my old roommates.

11. Never chips in on bills

My roommates used to be suspiciously busy whenever bill time came around each month. My toddler just stares at me blankly and tries to throw the utility bill off the porch.

12. Never goes to the grocery store

Your roommate “forgets” to buy milk on the way home from work. Your toddler drinks all the milk. Get used to it.

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I’m definitely not opposed to God, and I also have a very strong relationship with him. But I was more than surprised to find this little craft sent home from day care in my son’s backpack for several reasons.

First, my son’s name is Jonah, so this craft creeped me out right off the bat. I am very familiar with the Bible story of Jonah and the whale, so I get the quote. But I still found myself jumping when I first read it and then laughing out loud as I momentarily wondered if the message was written for my son specifically. I’m assuming it wasn’t. I’m assuming the craft is related to the story of Jonah and the whale, and the fact that my young son is also named Jonah is just a coincidence.

Second, I didn’t know we were using a Christian day care. Right now, we have my son in a temporary day care program until a spot opens up with his older brother at another day care. Jonah’s day care provider is absolutely wonderful. She is loving, relaxed and nurturing, and he loves going there every single day. But I had no clue it was a Christian program. Since I live in a smaller town in south Texas, this seems to be a given. Most people are considered automatically Christian and won’t protest a religious program in a child care setting. That’s just the way it is.

I’m a Christian, and while this craft reads as aggressive, I don’t have a problem with the overall theme. But I can only imagine how a non-Christian parent would feel, or even an atheist parent, when they read this same take-home message. They probably wouldn’t find it funny and random like I did. They would probably be offended.

My 16-month-old son Jonah is far too young to understand this Bible story yet, but now I know to keep my eyes open. I believe in God, but I want my kids to choose what they believe for themselves. Even as a Christian mom, I think this is too much.

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As someone who writes about parenting, every day I scour studies and headlines and attempt to determine which new information moms and dads need to know in order to effectively parent. In my own scientific research (which involves the meticulous action of making up a random statistic) 89 percent of the information I come across is totally stupid. Meaning that I refuse to believe so many of us are making detrimental and harmful choices in regard to child rearing based on what I read.

Just this morning I read a new statistic that claimed: 

Mothers who choose not to breastfeed are 'twice as likely to get postnatal depression because they miss out on mood-boosting hormones released by the process'

I think breastfeeding is awesome. I also think moms who chose not to breastfeed are awesome. And even though some of these studies do back up what they are saying with scientific research there are so many other factors that play into scenarios like the above. When it comes to parenting, the only headline I truly believe in (which I also just made up) is: 

Your kid will probably turn out OK

How can you determine if you are parenting correctly? Ask yourself a few simple questions.

Do you feed your child?

Do you clothe your child?

Do you talk to your child?

Do you hold your child?

Do you keep your child away from household poisons, sharp objects and loaded handguns?

Do you use a car seat?

Do you let your child sleep when they are tired?

Does your pediatrician tell you they are doing just fine?

Your kid will probably turn out OK!

Parenting is hard. There is no scientific method to raising some perfect child who will one day grow up to be happy and healthy and independently wealthy and bestow upon you a summer home in France. There is no scientific formula to this. Sure, if you want to raise a child who is one day someone who enjoys books, you read to them. But I cannot think of a single parent who flat out refuses to read to their child. If you want to raise a child who will one day eat vegetables, you feed them vegetables. But I cannot think of a single parent who reuses their child broccoli. You hold their hand when you cross the street and kiss them when they fall down and make sure they play outside and feed them when they are hungry and change them when they have a dirty diaper. That's how you parent. Which you already know.

So the next time you read some inflammatory headline that claims whatever you are doing is the wrong way to do it, look at your kid. Unless they are eating a broken lightbulb and playing with your collection of used syringes while triple X-rated movies play in the background, you are probably doing OK.

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It only takes a look around the carpool lane to see that most modern parents are stressed out and unhappy because of sleep deprivation, marital trouble and money problems. How depressing. But University of Michigan researchers swear up and down that parents can find happiness while raising crazy kids by following just nine simple steps.

1. Be old

Photo Credit: thefrisky.com/NBC

This is perhaps the simplest step of all. University of California Berkeley research states that parents 25 and younger have more stress when raising kids. Make sure that you are old but not too old, or your kids will hate you for that too.

2. Maintain eye contact during family dinner

Photo Credit: vgf.com/NBC

Having regular family dinner is parenting 101. Up the ante by maintaining constant eye contact with your kids during family dinner so that they get the most out of it. This will also prepare them for awkward future dates.

3. Maintain eye contact during family game night

Photo Credit: giphy.com/NBC

Family game night is just as important as family dinner, but rule No. 2 still applies. Don’t ever look away.

4. Take a vacation

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Preferably without your kids. They’ll probably hate you for this in the long run, but it’s totally worth it.

5. Choose to be happy

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Guess you can throw this entire list away because the secret to happy parenting is choosing happiness. Who knew?

6. But not too happy

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Choose to be happy, but don’t expect your kids to make you happy. If you’re both happy at the same time, bonus.

7. Do everything on your to-do list

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Psychology expert Christine Carter believes that this will make you feel accomplished and happy. It may also make you feel like your children’s slave, in which case you should refer to No. 5 as you spot wash piles of laundry and steam clean ketchup out of the carpet for the hundredth time.

8. Watch your baby smile

Photo Credit: gurl.com/FOX

Maintain eye contact while you do it.

9. Chase your kids around the block

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University of Michigan researchers found that parents are stressed about childhood obesity. Tackle this problem head-on by chasing your kids down the street after dinner every night. They will run faster if you don’t tell them why you are doing it.

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Viewers of the 2014 Primetime Emmy Awards were treated to all kinds of entertainment during the broadcast. From the cast of Orange Is the New Black posting selfies to Weird Al Yankovic and Adam Samberg teaming up for a number, it was one broadcast that fans won't soon forget.

One thing a lot of fans probably weren't ready for was having a huge spoiler dropped about one of their favorite shows. But that's exactly what happened when NBC aired a new Parenthood Season 6 promo video during one of the commercial breaks.

VIDEO: One wild Friday Night Lights and Parenthood crossover >>

The video was a quick promo celebrating the return of the series and in it, one of the biggest cliff-hangers from the Season 5 finale was revealed: Amber is indeed pregnant. She bought a home pregnancy test in the finale episode, but the results weren't revealed and fans were left wondering if there would be a new member of the family coming in the final season.

Other fans were surprised that Amber could even think she might be pregnant. It seemed like she went from having sex with Ryan in his hospital bed to immediately suspecting she was pregnant and buying the test. Could it be that there was some sort of sixth sense involved? If so, it sounds like her motherly instincts kicked in way early.

Is Parenthood's Amber seeking answers from her father? >>

Considering all that she's been through, it would be nice to see Amber happy. Could a baby bring her the joy that she so richly deserves? Fans will have to wait until the Season 6 premiere to find out. That is, unless NBC releases another spoiler-filled video that shows Amber and her baby starting a new and fulfilling life.

Be sure to check out the final season of Parenthood when it premieres on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 9/8c on NBC.