How to Handle Unsolicited Parenting Advice from Family (4 Grace-Filled Tips) Connected Families

Do you ever feel like your family is under the microscope at holiday gatherings? People you love can’t help but offer their own take on your parenting—providing you with parenting advice that’s both unsolicited and unwanted, and you feel judged; that your best efforts are not good enough. This can be especially true if you are working to parent differently than you were parented.

A coaching client, Denise, shared this story of raising a sensitive, intense child, “It was really tough when friends or family would criticize my child and then offer unsolicited advice. I even heard, ‘That child is just a spoiled brat, you just need to be tough on her.’”

Ouch! You may have even heard similar unsolicited parenting advice at various times. At holidays or family gatherings, the “advice” only adds to the stress of an already stressful event.

The New York Times reported, “Researchers asked 475 mothers of children up to the age of 5 across the United States about feeling judged for their parenting skills. Sixty-one percent felt that they had been judged, with most of the criticism… coming from folks within their own family…”

Another survey of parents of toddlers (ages 1-3) revealed that “nearly 9 in 10 parents across the board feel judged (90% moms and 85% dads), and almost half say they feel judged all the time or nearly all the time (46% moms; 45% dads).”

Your lively kids (in unfamiliar places, with disrupted sleep, lots of sugar, and cousins, and without their usual toys) often reflect the stress around them and offload their own stress! That means they may get loud, obnoxious, and argumentative. The icy stares or sidelong glances from relatives, especially your parents, can communicate, “That is so disrespectful and clearly needs some firm discipline.”

You may even receive direct comments like, “Aren’t you going to deal with that?” or, “You really shouldn’t tolerate that disrespect!”

Denise had that exact experience: “From some older adults in my life, I’d get comments like, ‘I just never would have tolerated that’”.

You are approaching parenting in more graceful, wisdom-building ways! You want to stay the course! But maybe you don’t know how to respond without sounding disrespectful to your critics, who may genuinely think they’re helping.

It’s normal to second-guess yourself and react in unnaturally harsh or firm ways with your kids, just to avoid the criticism. Unfortunately, this inconsistency and change in your parenting can make things confusing for your children and set them up for more negative responses.

It was really tough when friends or family would criticize my child and then offer unsolicited advice. I even heard, ‘That child is just a spoiled brat, you just need to be tough on her.’
Denise, a coaching client

This dynamic often creates a downward spiral.

See if you relate to this:

You feel anxious around the watchful, possibly critical eye of parents or other relatives.
You work harder to keep kids in line and are tougher on them than usual.
Your kids (who are already extra stressed) sense your angst and act up more.
Grandma or Grandpa (or others) intervene with good intentions, but not in an honoring way.
You feel embarrassed, undermined, and maybe frustrated or resentful.
Kids watch the power struggle between the adults and feel more stressed and insecure than ever.
Repeat.

So what can you do?

Stressed family members have conflict over parenting

4 Grace-Filled Tips for Handling Unsolicited Parenting Advice

Take these tips with you! Check out our printable PDF “cheat sheet” to keep in your purse or suitcase as a reminder.

1. Stand Confident in Your God-Given Parenting Calling

You know best what your kids need, so set clear boundaries ahead of time about activities and the length of stay. Know that, however you decide to parent, it needs to be with conviction that this is how God is calling you to parent.

You can determine in advance how you want to respond and even role-play with a spouse or friend so you are well-prepared with a solid, confident response.

Here are a couple of examples:

Short: “Mom/Dad, I value that you’re concerned for our kids and want the best for them, but I’m committed to growing wisdom by staying connected.”
Longer: “I am really trying to focus on building wisdom in our kids, and that’s a slower, messier process. I ask more questions. I try to help them realize when they have done something hurtful and guide them to sincerely make it right. Above all, I work to stay connected.” (You could think of a good example of when your approach was helpful and share it.)

Denise shared:

“A response that I used a lot, (sometimes out of exasperation) was ‘Tell me how? How exactly would you have handled that?’ And it put people back a little, to realize ‘Oh, I don’t know everything that is going on here.’ It allowed me space to take a breath and then say ‘I’ve tried a lot of things, and I am working really hard’. This response seemed to break the pattern of people offering their comments freely.”

If you’re comfortable, you can even share Luke 1:17, Ephesians 6:4, and/or Galatians 6:1. If they seem sincerely interested, you may even want to share with them our blog post on immediate obedience or “fake respect.”

2. Respond with empathy and affirm the good

Empathize

What we know to be true: When people feel out of control, they tend to get more controlling. Your parents (or other relatives) may simply be overwhelmed and therefore controlling, so start with empathy: “I understand your normally peaceful house can get pretty chaotic at the holidays. It’s got to be tough when one of my kids is struggling.”

Affirm intentions

Your friends and relatives care about you and your kids and may sincerely believe that “obedience or else” parenting is truly best for your kids. So what can you do to validate their good intentions without validating their unhelpful methods? Here’s how it might go: “Mom/Dad, I know you are concerned for our kids and want the best for them. I’m so glad that you care enough to express that.”

Affirm actions

Then affirm whatever they’ve done that is helpful (be prepared with an example). “I love how you… (have so much fun baking together, tell the best stories at bedtime, were really patient when…)“

3. Give Family Members Practical Alternatives to Harsh Discipline

People tend to get harsh or punitive when they don’t know what else to do. You can give practical tools and insights about your kids, which will help them engage when they see a problem, especially if you’re not around.

Here are a few examples:

You might tell your parents, “You don’t have to ignore kids’ misbehavior. But especially since we don’t see you every day, I want my kids to really enjoy their time with you.”

Consider giving your relatives these phrases to say to your kids when they’re struggling or misbehaving:

“It seems like you’re having a hard time. Do you need a hug, or do you need some help from your mom or dad?”
“Looks like there are some big emotions here. Why don’t you take a break and think how you might solve this in a way you’d feel really proud about?”

If your parents are genuinely interested in learning more…

You may want to send them our short ebook “Four Messages Every Child Longs to Hear” ahead of time and ask if they could read it to better understand what you’re trying to learn.
If you have a child with sensory needs, you could forward this article.
You can also help your parents understand your kids’ strengths and gifts better. For example, if your folks are frustrated with a particular strong-willed grandkid, how has that child used that strong will in a positive way?
Encourage them to read these testimonials about building community in extended families.

4. Prepare your kids to handle criticism from extended family

If you know your kids are likely to face some harshness or criticism during a gathering, be proactive to equip them ahead of time.

Focus on the opportunity

If you believe your parents’ responses will be damaging to your children, your kids will sense your anxiety. But if you view this challenge as a good learning opportunity to respond to different kinds of people, they’ll be more confident and less likely to view themselves (or their grandparents) as a problem to be fixed. Your positive perspective can make a big impact!

Talk about potential holiday tension

With a peaceful, light-hearted tone ask, “We sure love Grandma and Grandpa, and it can be a lot of fun to see them! But sometimes it gets a little stressful at their house, doesn’t it? What’s good about being there? What’s hard about being there?” Validate any difficult feelings without blaming anyone.

Help kids stand in the truth

Remind your kids, “Not everyone agrees with the way we want to parent you. So remember, even if someone talks to you in a harsh or critical way, you are still a valuable person. Those people love you, but when they are upset, sometimes they forget to treat you respectfully. Let me know if I can help you if this happens.”

"My child is not my report card." A truth to hold onto if you feel criticized by family members with unsolicited parenting advice

So when that smiling friend or relative hands you their totally unsolicited, critical parenting advice…

Just like your kids, you’ll need to hold onto what’s true! Your kids are not your report card, and they will misbehave in front of your relatives at some point. When relatives comment on your parenting or your kids’ behavior (despite all your great preparation beforehand), remember what’s true!

Above all else, you and your children can all keep these truths in mind that no matter how it goes:

We love each other.
We don’t have to be a perfect family.
We are learning and growing together.
Jesus came to a messy, sinful world because He loves us so much!

If you want a visual reminder of these 4 tips for how to respond to unsolicited parenting advice, enjoy this printable PDF “cheat sheet” you can keep in your purse or your suitcase as a reminder.