Bill Belew has raised 2 bi-cultural kids, now 34 and 30. And he and his wife are now parenting a 3rd, Mia, who is 8.

Bum Parenting Advice

Most people who don’t have kids are experts are raising other people’s kids. They offer up tips for successful parenting.

Or parents who have little kids and are having good days, good spells, are pretty good at telling other’s how to raise kids, too.

I think people who have raised kids and seen their kids turn 25, turn 30 are the best place to go to get advice on what works and what doesn’t work, too.

Parents of kids who are old enough to have kids of their own or already have kids of their own can see how things turn out know things. No?

Here’s one bit of stupid advice.

Do as I say, not as I do.

I don’t know if that advice ever worked, but it sure doesn’t work now.

Kids look and act like their parents. And if they aren’t doing it now, they will when they are older.

Kids may cower and do what their parents say … for now. But when they get older the kids will start doing the stupid things their parents told them NOT to do.

I want to tell my mommy and daddy … if I can. Don’t tell me what to do or what not to do. Please show me how to live my life.

I want to be able to say, “I want to be like my mommy. Or my daddy.”

What’s the dumbest bit of advice your parents ever gave you?

Or the dumbest advice you ever gave your kids?

Talk to Bill and others about their experiences raising bi-cultural Japanese-American kids.