Matt P

Unasked for advice can go unheeded because it is so aversive to receive advice you did not ask for. Parents are flooded with advice all the time. It feels bad, and feeling bad does not make people receptive or put them in mind to hear what you are saying. Doubly so if you are the parent of the parent in question (and twice again if unasked for advice is part of your history).

You can ask for permission to weight in. Something like “It is so hard to help babies sleep! Can I share what worked for me/can I make a suggestion?” Crucially, you need to be ready for a no and not proceed if that’s what you get.