It started when you got pregnant and if you're sick and tired of hearing people's suggestions on parenting, then you're certainly not alone. How do you sift through it all without having a meltdown?

The secret is to look where the suggestions and advice have come from. Who is the source? Is that source reliable and somebody who would know or have handled a similar circumstance?

Deciding whose advice to take is a challenge. But when you examine the advice; take a look at who has given you those pearls of wisdom. When you get advice from parents who have been through the same challenges with their children rather than someone who never had kids or have an antiquated idea of how to raise a child, the choice becomes clearer. When you receive unwanted and unwarranted advice from someone who doesn't have a clue, it can be very hard to nod and take it without blowing a gasket. 

Unwanted advice will often be given over some of the following situations:

• Behavioural issues and how you discipline
• Sleeping habits and patterns
• Appropriate meals and snack times and quantities
• Milestones that may or may not be the same as other kids; such as walking, talking, school grades, etc.

It's difficult to hear advice and often will raise the hackles of a parent who is doing their best as a parent to make the right choices for their children. You will be a happier parent if you can tune out the words from someone who you know doesn't know the first thing about parents rather than snapping and losing it all over them. Look to your closers friends and family who share some similar experiences for advice. Most persons who respect you as a parent will not push you into a solution that isn't a good fit for your child or your home. All in all it boils down to respect. If the advice is offered in a respectful manner as opposed to a way in which you feel you are being judged; then it can make all the difference in the world.