Parenting is full of love and joy, but it also comes with a few hard truths we’d rather not face.
In my 10 years as a pediatrician, I’ve seen the same patterns again and again: Parents who want the best for their kids but sometimes miss what actually helps them thrive.
Some of these truths might sting a little, but they’re not meant to shame. They’re meant to help us reflect and hopefully, raise happier, healthier kids.
1. If you’re not modeling an action, behavior, or value, don’t expect them to do the same.
Kids copy what they see more than what they’re told. How you speak, handle stress, and make things right matters.
If you want them to learn kindness and respect, show it in action. I try to model this in the small, everyday moments — how I speak to employees at the grocery store, how I apologize if I lose my patience, how I talk about people when they’re not around. Kids catch that energy, fast.
2. If you always rescue them from boredom, they’ll never learn to be comfortable being idle.
Boredom is the spark for creativity. When every moment is filled with entertainment, kids lose the chance to explore their own ideas. Give them the space to figure it out.
3. If you feel like your child is overscheduled, they are. Scale things back.
When afternoons turn into a relay race between soccer, piano, and playdates, it’s a fast track to burnout … for everyone. Downtime gives their body and brain room to breathe. Protect it.
4. Set the bedtime. Keep the routine. Sleep is a necessity.
Sleep powers growth, learning, and emotional balance. Toddlers usually need about 11 to 14 hours, preschoolers 10 to 13, school-age kids 9 to 12, and teens 8 to 10. But these are just ranges. What matters most is how your child functions: If they wake up rested, don’t nod off at odd times, and aren’t showing signs of poor sleep like irritability or trouble focusing, they’re likely getting enough.
5. Seriously, stop the excessive snacking. That’s why they’re not eating meals.
When kids snack all day, they never build an appetite. If they don’t love their meal, they’ll simply hold out until snack time. Planning snacks so they’re predictable gives kids structure and time to feel hungry again, which encourages them to show up for meals.
6. You don’t need fancy ‘immune-boosting’ supplements.
The real immune boosters? Sleep, nutritious meals, hydration, physical activity, and washing hands. There’s no powder or gummy that can compete.
7. Stop asking for antibiotics just because a cough lingers.
Most coughs after a viral infection last for weeks. Extra antibiotics don’t speed healing. They just increase resistance and side effects.
Often, time and comfort care are key. I usually recommend keeping the air moist with a cool-mist humidifier, offering warm fluids like honey water (if over age 1), using saline and suction for congestion, and letting them rest.
Of course, you should always check in with a pediatrician, especially if things seem to be worsening.
8. Don’t use screens or food to calm every meltdown.
It’s tempting to reach for quick fixes, but distraction isn’t regulation. Kids need opportunities to practice coping skills like naming emotions, breathing, learning that these feelings will pass.
9. If your child goes to an Ivy League college but can’t handle disappointment, you’ve missed the point.
Academic success means little if a child crumbles under stress. Resilience, the skill of falling, learning, and trying again, is what truly prepares them for life.
Parenting asks us to grow, too. These truths can sting, but awareness builds strong families. And again, it’s always important to keep a close relationship with your pediatrician and consult them before making any major changes to your child’s health routines.
Dr. Mona Amin is a board-certified pediatrician and founder of PedsDocTalk, a resource for modern parenting guidance. Featured in The New York Times, Time Magazine and NPR, she is known for helping parents navigate the joys and challenges of raising kids with confidence and clarity.
Black Friday sale: Want to up your AI skills and be more productive? Get 25% off our most popular course of the year, How to Use AI to Be More Successful at Work, with coupon code GETSMART. Offer valid Nov. 17 through Dec. 5, 2025.
