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Congratulations on becoming a parent! You’re about to embark on an adventure. While you’re raising a tiny, helpless person into an independent adult, you’ll learn more about yourself than you ever thought possible.
Your hard work alone deserves an award! When you’re a teen, your love for others will know no limits, and you’ll have to show that you can handle some pretty heated situations.
In the grand scheme of things, being a parent is a great job that you don’t always get praise for. We’ve also put together some helpful tips, including advice from parents, to help you become a parent since your baby won’t come with a parenting book.
A Beginner’s Guide to Parenting Tips
Being a parent will test all of your limits. Here are some parenting tips for new parents that might help you stay positive and think of ways to handle certain scenarios. Everyone will grow, not just your child!
1. Get Ready for the Adventure’s Ride
Parents who have been parents for a long time often say that their first year was like being on a roller coaster. It will be like that metaphorically because it will be a roller coaster ride in every way. Some days you might laugh and some days you might cry. One minute you might be searching the internet for “How to be a better parent” because you feel like you’re a great parent for getting something done. During this whole time, you may even be missing not being a parent. Get ready for both the rises and the falls. At first, all the changes may seem crazy, but you’ll get used to them quickly!
2. Listen to your instincts
You’ve probably heard this saying or a version of it a million times: “There is no manual for raising a child.” There’s always the chance that you’ll learn something useful by reading every book on “good parenting skills.” But don’t think you’re going to become a parent without doing a lot of studying first. You might not be aware of it yet, but as soon as you touch your baby, your instincts to be a parent will kick in.
It’s okay to feel like you don’t know anything at first. It’s okay to feel that way. As you practice being a parent, your skills will get better and your confidence will grow. And if you don’t know how to get ready for your baby, it’s okay to ask a healthcare worker, another parent, or a family member for help. You’ll figure out your parenting style and methods over time!
3. Exercise Patience
When you first have a baby, it will seem like all you do is feed, change, bathe, and soothe them. You should also be ready to do all of this with very little sleep. It may seem like there is no way out, but wait, it won’t last forever. As your baby grows, things will change, as will your daily routines. In just a few months, your life will look very different.
It won’t be long before your baby turns into a child, and you have to chase them around the house. It will all seem like a new adventure to them and you. You might even ask your parent friends for child parenting tips to try to figure out how things changed so quickly. You will learn to adapt soon enough. You can start new habits or bring back old ones. Soon, you’ll see that things won’t be as boring as they were in the beginning.
4. Be Open-Minded
You don’t have to make it impossible to be or become a parent. There isn’t a good mom. You are a person, after all. Not having any ideas about how or what you should do as a parent before you become one is best. You should avoid getting stuck in the gap between what you expect and what you get. It can cause you a lot of stress and worry. The keys to success are to keep an open mind and learn to change! Not everything needs to be solved right away, and you can’t handle everything at once. Do it one step at a time!
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
You’re not by yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask your family and friends for help. Your parents will probably be happy to help if they can, and it will also give them a chance to spend time with their grandchildren. Plus, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and best friends are generally free, which makes them better than a babysitter. No matter how you look at it, this is a great chance for you and your child to get to know other people they will grow up with. To get some much-needed alone time, you can ask a friend to pick up some food, run an errand, or watch your kids while you take some time to do something you enjoy.
Read More: How to Start Saving for Your Child’s Future in 2024
6. Tell yourself that even the hard times will pass.
Children go through a lot of different stages and behaviors in their lives, including the well-known “terrible twos.” Just know that your child will get through these stages because they are part of their growth. At this age, kids are learning how to talk to others and getting better at it. Toddlers often have breakdowns and temper tantrums because they find it hard to talk about how they feel. It takes time to learn how to help your child use words to talk about how they feel. Set some fair rules and limits, and make sure they are followed. Always praise your child for good behavior.
7. Communication
You’ve probably heard this a lot: talking to each other is important in any relationship, but it’s especially important between parents and children. It gives your child the tools they need to start talking to others. You should talk to your baby all the time, even if they can’t talk back yet. It might seem strange to someone outside of your family that you’re telling your baby what you’re doing, but it’s great for their growth!
It will be even more important to talk to your child as they get bigger. At this point, saying “no” might not be enough. You’ll need to explain things and talk about how you feel, and you should push your child to do the same. You should get good at negotiating now because there will be a lot of it.
8. Avoid Comparisons
Each child is unique and different. You’ll notice this in your kids more and more as you have more kids. Every kid is different; some are friendly and outgoing, while others are shy. Either your baby is calm and peaceful or they are very active. The amount of energy each child has will be different, and each child will handle things in different ways. It’s not about having a “good” or “bad” baby. Don’t compare your child to other kids’ kids. Instead, love your child just the way they are and learn to work with their personality and growth pace instead of against it!
9. Play Together
Playing is more than just having fun. When you play with your child, you show them that you care and help them learn many skills. For babies and young kids, play is the best way to learn and keep their brains healthy. It’s also a great way to make friends and build relationships. When your child plays with you, they will learn social and mental skills that will help them feel better about themselves. You won’t want to miss this kind of moment that brings people together.
The Bottom Line
Here are some parenting tips that we hope have helped you get ready, whether you’re going to be a mom or a dad. Of course, the more you plan, the better off you might be. But in the end, you might choose to ignore all the “best” parenting advice and go with your gut. And that’s also fine! Being a good dad can’t be done in just one way.
