Let your children teach you as much as you teach them.

For me, I think it was realizing how much my children would teach me about myself. I always assumed I would be the one teaching them – but really, it goes both ways. They teach me things every day. Another thing I learned is that the best way to teach them is by example. They are watching every move we make, and so it is crucial to show rather than just tell children how to be. Showing love and kindness - that is something they see and repeat with their actions. -LA-based model-turned-lingerie designer TyLynn Nguyen with image by Nicki Sebastian

It all happens so fast.

All parents tell you children grow up in a blink of an eye, and at the beginning, you don’t realize that, as every stage seems to last. All of a sudden, though, you realize it is true – it flies by in a minute! 

- Laure Heriard Dubreuil, French entrepreneur and founder of iconic multi-brand luxury shop The Webster

Find the beauty in the chaos! 

Being a mom is amazing. And it is also, frankly, chaotic. If you are like me, you want to be everything for everyone at all times. You have this expectation you can be an amazing mom, friend, sister, wife, businesswoman, etc. But balls will drop – something always has to give. Perfectionism and motherhood don't work together. The house will be messier than you want, you won't be able to catch up with friends as you want, you will miss the workout you wanted to do, you will write a work email a day later than you wanted, you will miss the summer camp deadline (guilty!) – and, that's just this week! Your kids don't know a ball was dropped, but they do know you love them. At the end of the day, there is so much beauty in this chaos. Finding it is the key! Oh, and wine. -Devon Liedtke with an image by Fernanda Varela

Be kind and patient with yourself.

Old health routines may feel foreign especially during the beginning when you can’t stomach the idea of a salad or a workout. That’s ok! This too shall pass. Listen to your body and give it what it wants and know your days of green smoothies will soon return. I also swear by dry-brushing, Epsom salt baths and lymphatic massage to keep circulation going and minimize hormonal bloat. -Bonberi founder Nicole Berrie 

Be prepared.

I wish I had known that I would become a human napkin. I now carry multiple packs of wipes and a Tide-to-go pen everywhere I go. No more ruining clothes for me.

If you want a good kid, be a good adult.

That character isn’t something you teach your kids – character is something you show them. Children see and absorb everything. If you want a good kid, be a good adult. -Priya Shukla, Senior Vice President of Global Communications at Vera Wang

Seek balance for yourself–for your kids.

The importance of striving for balance. Self-care, quality time with kids, work, and your relationship with your partner are all important in their own way, and contribute to your overall quality of life — as well as your children’s. -Founder of the eponymous line Jenni Kayne 

Everday day is a new surprise.

I don’t wish I knew anything more than I know now. I love taking motherhood day by day and learning from Rose – what she likes, and what she doesn’t like. Every day is a new surprise and I love every minute of it! -Parisian-born jewelry designer and new maman, Aurélie Bidermann 

Be the captain.

It’s important that you’re always the captain of the ship. Try not to be a pushover – as hard as that can be sometimes! We do our children a huge disservice if we don’t give them boundaries. Don’t get me wrong – I’m by no means a strict authoritarian. Kids need to be wild and play like crazies, but that doesn’t mean all bets are off. -Supermodel-turned-supermama Molly Sims 

This too shall pass.

I got some great parenting advice from Kevin Bacon. I co-hosted an event with him about six weeks after I had Willow. We were getting to know each other, and I told him my husband and I were really in the thick of it, sleepless nights, exhaustion, the whole thing. And he said to me: "This too shall pass." And it did. But what he also meant was to treasure every moment. Not to worry about when they'd be potty-trained, but to focus on every step along the way. I always wanted to tell Kevin how impactful that advice was. And I finally got the chance – we recently did a film together. When I finally saw him, he had actually just written a song for his daughter who was going off to college. And of course, he called it "This Too Shall Pass." -Actress Michelle Monaghan

Be kind to yourself.

I wish I had been kinder to myself. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and what I quickly learned about motherhood is that you are going to have off days, you are going to have moments of desperation, you are going to feel like a total failure, and THAT IS OK. -Meredith Melling, co-founder of fashion line La Ligne.

Let them know you have their back.

The thing with my mom is that she's always just been there. No matter what I've done or how many miles separate us, she is there for me and us. Sometimes just knowing that someone has your back unconditionally is the greatest gift. I hope my own children will feel this way about me. -Rachelle Hruska, creator of highly sought after cashmere line Lingua Franca

Maintain a little mystery.
My mother taught me that the key to a good relationship is separate bathrooms. -Retail entrepreneur Lizzie Tisch

Learn as you go.
One of the best parts about becoming a mother is discovering things about life, and about yourself, that you never knew before having a child. I am so grateful to have had the chance to discover these things first hand, as they happened. -Designer Laura Brock of Brock Collection with photo by Sarah Noel

Trust your intuition.

When you have children – through any process – they pick you as parents or guides. I know it seems a little out there, but my parents were adamant about this idea. They believed that the answers for raising their children existed within them, rather than with someone else or in books. We are so quick to think something is wrong or want someone else’s advice that we have stopped listening to our own intuition and become disconnected from our own inner-knowing. It isn't wrong to feel confused or want help, but when you rely on your own insight you will be amazed at how it strengthens your connection with your child. I have tried to do this throughout my son's first 11 months. It has been crucial in navigating our relationship. -Writer and singer Skye Dyer 

Become a morning person.

I definitely wasn’t before having a baby and now that’s my favorite part of the day. Waking up before him starts my day off right. It’s our time to hang out before all the craziness begins. -Laura Kassan