Navigating parenthood is hard. It’s not just the responsibility of the mother, but also the father and other family members who step up to help out with raising children. While I’m sure that everyone has heard all of their friends saying “it gets easier,” this is rarely true in reality. Even if everything goes according to plan, raising children can still be a challenge for anyone involved.
However, if you’ve decided to become a parent—whether because it was something that was always on your bucket list or simply because you’ve fallen in love with someone else’s baby😅, the reason whatsoever, —you’ll need tips on navigating parenthood as both an individual and a team effort:
Prepare for the day-to-day.
- Listen to your instincts.
- Be prepared for tantrums.
- Know that babies need a lot of sleep, so prepare yourself for this reality and make sure you have enough time for yourself and your partner, who will also be dealing with sleeplessness as well. The cost of diapers and formula can add up quickly–make sure you budget accordingly!
- Prepare yourself emotionally. Parenting isn’t easy. It takes patience, love and commitment from both parents (and sometimes grandparents) who understand how much work parenting demands on both sides of the family dynamic.
Know that tasks take time, and don’t rush them.
It’s important to remember that you can’t do everything at once. You may feel like your newborn is crying and you need to feed him, but if there’s another task that needs to be done, don’t let it slide. It will take time for new duties and responsibilities to settle in, so don’t rush anything. You might regret it later on when it’s too late!
It’s also okay to ask for help when needed. Others in your family or friends may have experience with raising children older than yours. So even if they aren’t qualified themselves (or even comfortable with these kinds of situations), they may know someone who would be perfect for the job! Be open-minded about delegating tasks as well. Sometimes having someone else handle certain tasks helps make others easier or quicker too because those things aren’t solely yours anymore.
Talk about your feelings.
As parents, we can feel overwhelmed. We’re worried about keeping our children safe and healthy. We want them to have all of the things that we didn’t have growing up. Sometimes, it’s hard for us to realize how much time we need alone with our kids just so they know who you are as individual people. this is especially important when you’re raising them as teenagers.
It’s also normal for parents to feel frustrated from time to time. It might be because your child won’t eat his broccoli, or maybe he wants a new pair of shoes but doesn’t want anything else on his list. Or possibly even worse, your child refuses to take their bath altogether! But remember, this is how parenthood works sometimes–you’ll make mistakes too!
Here are some tips on how best to deal with these feelings while still remaining positive throughout every stage:
Find a support group if you need one.
If you find yourself feeling alone, it’s important to reach out for help. If a support group is the best fit for your situation, make sure to find one that will be supportive of both you and your child. Support groups can provide a great way to connect with other parents who have been through similar situations. They can give advice on how best to handle them as well as connect with others who are also going through hard times.
Practice patience.
- Expect your child not to be perfect. No one is perfect normally.
- Expect them not to do everything right all the time, and never for a second lose sight of that fact.
Remember that kids are still learning too.
It’s important to remember that your children are still learning. They may make mistakes, but they don’t know any better. They don’t understand the consequences of their actions or how they affect others around them. As a parent, you have to guide them in the right direction and teach them how to behave as an adult so that they can grow into responsible adults who make good choices for themselves and those around them.
You should never get mad at your kids for making mistakes; instead, guide them back on track by explaining why certain behaviours won’t work out well for either party involved (like stealing from grandma).
Being a parent is hard work, but it can also be rewarding if you’re willing to put in the time and effort.
There are many things to think about in navigating parenthood how much your child eats when they should sleep, what kinds of toys and activities are best for them–and then there’s just all the other stuff (like keeping track of their milestones or taking them out for ice cream).
The good news is that being a parent doesn’t have to feel like an overwhelming challenge. You don’t have to do everything by yourself.
Having a support network will help keep things organized. Make sure everyone knows what’s going on with each other at all times! The more people who are involved in raising children together, the better off everyone will be–even if it means getting some help from family members or friends who live nearby now (or even from strangers!).
In navigating parenthood, you’ve probably experienced some of the following;
- Your child says something that makes sense to adults but is confusing to them
- They cry when you’re not there and worst of all (for some)
- They ask questions about stuff that adults don’t want to talk about.
I hope you’ve found this post helpful. Let me know in the comment section if you’ve experienced situations like this.
1 comment
Well done