Unsolicited Advice

So, this morning I took my kids to school. It's a new class for them, one they get to attend together. The class was pretty full and most of the kids/parents were people we hadn't encountered in past classes.

Well, about 10 minutes into class, one of the parents (actually one of the kid's grandmothers) decided to jump right in and offer me some unsolicited advice...about my kid's hair, of all things. My youngest has super fine hair and most mornings she wakes up looking like Albert Einstein stuck his finger in a light socket. Some days it's a little more tame than others, but by and large, the back of her head looks like a Brillo pad. And I'm perfectly fine with it. In fact, I think it's pretty cute. Besides, she's 2. Who really cares what the back of her head looks like? Honestly, I don't even care what the back of my own head looks like all that much.

So, this grandmother starts telling me that I should have Anni sleep on a silk pillowcase (this is the same child who stripped herself naked the other night and proceeded to go potty all over her pillow) and I could easily construct one out of an old slip (of which I happen to have a drawer full...or no, wait, that was my mom, when I was little. I've never owned a slip in my life!). She also instructed me to put a bit of conditioner in Anni's hair and then not rinse it out and that would really help with the "problem".

Now, I've never been a person to readily receive advice and I am pregnant and hormonal, but honestly, unsolicited advice drives me absolutely batty! If I ask for advice, by all means, dish it out! I'm willing to listen and retain. But if I didn't ask, why would you even bring it up? Why do you care what the back of my kid's head looks like?

I realize most unsolicited advice comes from a good place. People like to be helpful and they feel good helping other people. But for some reason, once kids enter the picture, it's like open season on the advice front and of all the seasons, Christmas is really my favorite. I try really hard not to offer advice, unless someone asks for something specific, and I'd enjoy having the same courtesy extended to me. I don't think that's too much to ask, do you?

How about you, readers? Gotten any "good" advice lately? Perhaps you had your kids 20 years ago and you still recall some advice shot your way?