Why do people without children find it necessary to give parenting advice?

I have no idea, but it's really aggravating when they do because they most often have no idea what they are talking about and have never experienced what we have as parents. I say until you have had kids of your own leave the advice giving to those that have kids.





Although I will say this, I know of at least one other person here who does not have kids that has given some great advice based on how they were raised as I have also met some parents here with some wacky advice. It's pretty interesting, but most of the time people without children shouldn't be telling us parents how to handle ours.Why do people without children find it necessary to give parenting advice?
Why not? People have babies all of the time and think that it is no big deal to raise them without any help. So why not advise others on how to raise their children. Having a child does not make you a person that can give ';good'; advice. It just means you have experience. Good or bad. Not everybody learns from their experience and may be giving bad info just because they don't realize that what they did is the reason their kid is messed up.





jWhy do people without children find it necessary to give parenting advice?
Amen, Sister!
Oh man, I know how you feel!! My sister (who has no kids, but is a teacher) thinks she's know everything about raising my son and questions everything I do with him and it drives me CRAZY!!!!
I don't have kids. I've helped my mom raise my sister's boys though. I feel that I can give advice about things that I've gone through. But I constantly find myself reading questions I don't have an answer for. I just go back and read more. If I think I can help someone, I'll answer their question even if I don't have children because I DO have experience with children.
i dont know but it gets on my nerves!!!!
they think they know it all.
Because before you have kids, you know exactly how to handle and discipline and teach them. When you actually get kids of your own, and they're all very different, you come to a realization that you dont have a clue, your expertise was simply an illusion....





Advise: Dont pay any attention to advise from people who havent been there in your same situation...
I don't know, I have a friend who always gives unsolicited (and bad) advice that is invariably from some psychology class or book she read. I guess some people will always have the need to feel smarter or superior over others to cover their own inadequacies.
Hmmm, I think Bob Barker should stick to spaying and neutering animals.


People LOVE to give advice even if they don't know anything about the subject. Or they THINK they do because ';I have a niece and I've babysat for years';. Or some other such nonsense.


There is this really funny blog type thing on ';how to prepare for becoming a parent'; which says:


Lesson 2: Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their: Methods of discipline. Lack of patience. Appallingly low tolerance levels. Allowing their children to run wild. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior. Enjoy it, because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.





I think that says it all.
I don't know, I guess because they think they are right or want their opinion heard, even if they have no idea what it is like to be a parent. I actually think on here there are a lot more crazy people that do have kids that give some very strange advice and could use a parenting class.
Because they think they know it all when they in fact know very little.
Not sure....I know I would not be able to give advice if I had not walked in those shoes....and if I find a question that I know nothing about, I read and learn, but dont answer!
I'm insulted by everyone's answers. I've been babysitting children for over 7 years now, and can't believe how some mothers let their children get away with murder. I've learned so much about being a parent from being a nanny while the mom's and dad's are away having fun. I know how to get kids to do anything- whether it's eat veggies, take a bath, get to sleep, go play outside... while most parents just let them sit on the couch and watch tv. Some people, such as myself, know how to give some good advice just from being a kid or babysitting/ nannying them.





Just because some don't have children doesn't mean they don't know how to be a parent. I will know much more than you may have once it's my time... just becuase of being payed to do your job while you're away.





Some mother's have children without having a clue how to raise them and they come onto Yahoo Answers to try and get help. I think that's more pathetic, don't you?
I think before people have kids they think they know exactly what they would do if they were a parent.....reality is you don't know until you've been there! Just realize that they are ignorant!
Because they think they know.....but I just think it is funny!
I have 5 children so I am unbiased in my answer.





I agree that they should not JUDGE people when they have not first hand experienced just how hard it is day in and day out to be a parent.





That said, I think that just because someone does not have children does not mean they do not have any knowledge or experience with children.





My sister does not have children but is an emergency department nurse, has 9 nieces and nephews and most of her friends have children... surely she has had enough contact with children to have an opinion and have seen what works and doesn't work.





We should be open to all answers, sometimes the best ideas come from the strangest places.
My aunt never had kids, but, MAN WAS SHE GREAT AT GIVING ADVICE!! her main reson was' '; well, i dont have kids for THAT reason there!!'; i dont know why, but my family often talks about how she is the greatest non-mother ever..


oh, and that was total sarcasm, she had NO idea what she is talking about 99% of the time.


i just say, ';YEAH'; and walk away when non-parent offer advice
because they think they know the answers to everything. just like my niece, before she was a mum she couldn't understand why there were hand prints on the windows, or cheerios on the floor..........why couldn't i clean up. ah ha she now has 1 set of twins and another little boy. she now doesn't pick up all the time either.


just wait until they have kids.........then it will change