I didn't read through them all, and I bet I say a lot of the same things!
1. You will not always LIKE your child. You will ALWAYS love them. It's OK to have the urge to want to get away from them. If you take a break and NOT want to go back, then you have a problem lol
2. DO NOT compare your child to everyone else's, but it is perfectly OK to observe where other kids are at who are around the same age so you understand where your child's range should fall. Just like nobody else's kid is perfect, neither is yours. Remember that.
3. Same with the parents - my least favorite part of parenting over these 17 1/2 years is dealing with other parents. On the flip side, I'm sure I haven't been a joy to be around all the time either. Be mindful
4. We made the decision early on that the PARENTS (DH and I) get to dictate the baby's schedule, not the other way around. Naps, bedtime, eating schedule, etc varies according to what we had going on that day. We were not going to be the parents who had to leave somewhere so our little precious could be in his own bed by 7:03pm on the dot every night. Life varies, so our kids would learn to be flexible, too!
5. Discipline means to "teach and guide", so we started to discipline the FIRST TIME the baby went after the electric cords or the window blinds, etc. We set them up to succeed - redirect, then fix the problem if it was really a danger. But we didn't "babyproof" our house like Fort Knox - we taught the kids what was appropriate and what wasn't. A gate at the top of the stairs, a lock on the chemical cabinet, and common sense was all it took.
6. Nobody likes to hear a baby's ear-piercing scream. Not even if it's joyful. Teach volume control early.
7. Once your child starts eating food, remember that a toddler's stomach is as big as their fist. A couple bites of chicken, 5 peas, and a spoonful or two of rice will fill them up quickly. Most parents overload their kid's plate, then fight with them with the dreaded "2 more bites" game. It's a meal, not a battle! Don't make it one.