Of course parenting is all about trusting your own instincts, combined with a healthy dose of good luck (in our case), but there's nothing quite like getting advice from a parent who has already been there, done that and come out the other side alive.
As sponsors of the fifth annual Mum and Dad Blog Awards, Parentdish understands that parent bloggers can offer invaluable insights and advice to mums and dads no matter what parenting dilemma or challenge you're up against.
This September we'll be announcing the winners of the 2014 MAD Blog Awards, but in the meantime we have pulled together what we think are some of the best insights, tips and advice to be found on UK parent blogs.
Our round-up kicks off with 3 Children and It's very insightful round-up of the six phases of parenting and how to keep your sanity during each. Meanwhile, Eeh Bah Mum reveals the 10 things you will do as a parent that you won't like – how many of the list will you admit to?
Blogs provide ample proof that parents can raise young children and keep a sense of humour, check out this post from Northern Mum about trying out a new exercise video or how about this post from Man in his Pyjamas about being Darth Vader. It'll make sense when you read it, we promise!
Anyone who has ever tried to introduce a toddler to a new food (that would be all of us, then) will surely relate to this post from Hurrah for Gin: A Memo to Toddlers Re Your Diet. Or how about this post from Just a Normal Mummy about coping with the terrible twos?
Parent bloggers don't just capture the lighter sides of parenting – they can also offer invaluable advice and insight into situations that every parent faces. But Why Mummy Why approaches the tricky issue of what to do when your older child is having tantrums.
In an insightful and moving post My Two Mums explain what it's like to be a same-sex couple raising a child, while Skint Dad provides an honest and inspiring insight into living on the breadline.
When tragedy or illness happens, parent bloggers can provide a lifeline to mums and dads, confirming that nobody is alone. Sometimes sharing our worst experiences can provide a glimmer of hope to writer and reader. This moving post from Trying my Patients captures the terror and panic of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Gammon and Chips writes movingly about bullying and teen suicide on her blog, while this powerful post from Don't Say Sorry offers some advice on what not to say to a parent of a baby with Down's Syndrome. We also love this post from Spewing Mummy that provides a compelling insight into hyperemesis gravidarum.
The great thing about blogs is that they're as individual as the people who write them. That means bloggers can vent opinions that you might not find elsewhere – and this refreshing honesty is great fun to read, whether you agree or not. Why not try this open letter from Actually Mummy to Michael Gove for starters, or this letter from Make a Long Story Short to her sons, about why you should never treat a girl like a princess.
Frugal Queen is passionate about not wasting money and we love her rant about why we shouldn't feel guilty about not living up to TV chef standards – who wants to cook like a professional, anyway?
And of course, bloggers are there to capture the joyful moments of family life, too, like this lovely insight into the sibling relationship from Let's Talk Mommy. It might be everyday, but it's far from ordinary.
For another heartwarming read, why not try Coombe Mill's lovely post about happiness on the farm during lambing season, or Mummy Barrow's post about her amazing charity project, which she worked on with other parent bloggers? We can't think of a better way to showcase the amazing things that Britain's mums and dads are capable of achieving!