Showing posts with label Parent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parent. Show all posts

New Parent? Here Is Some Advice For You

**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you choose to make a purchase.



So you finally home, and it’s just you, and your little one. Maybe you have a partner, perhaps you don’t. Either way, it’s a wild ride. The first few days, you’re being asked if the baby is 'good,' are they sleeping through the night, where do they sleep? You look tired. It’s an endless stream of well-meaning questions and advice. But in reality, a newborn baby sleeps, eats, and poops. They cry when they aren’t on you, and you’ve never been needed as much as this. You aren’t even 100% sure when to call your pediatric doctor!


It is hard but so, so wonderful too. The pressure we put on parents to have everything together from the moment the baby arrives is incredible. It’s hard to feel like you are failing, even when really you’re flying.


Here are some little pieces of advice, you can take it or leave it - just like everything, you know what is best for you and your baby.


Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Silence

Your baby has gone from living in your loud womb out into the world. And suddenly, we all start shushing. Tiptoeing around. And, actually, eventually, you might need to. But right now, they can take the noise of the hoover, you laughing with a friend, the washing machine and so on. Of course, if you want the peace too then indulge in it.

The Other Parent

Families come in many different forms now. But typically the person who gave birth will be the one that is parents A, but the bonding with parent B needs to be nurtured as early on as possible. If you happen to be breastfeeding, there are still many opportunities for the other parent to bond. Parent B will smell, sound, and feel differently than you do. So it is wise to start giving them time to get used to each other too.

Prep

Preparation will help you no end. Before the little one arrives, everything seems under control. However, when they appear, it can be whirlwind of diapers and babygrows. Help yourself out a little and have an ‘action’ bag. Pop it in the car - with two diapers, a thin pack of wipes, and a change of outfit. When you can predict the feeding times, get your partner to help make sure everything is ready for the next feed, or diaper change. If you don’t have a partner, then you will be your own best friend here and take care of the next feed prep as soon as you’ve finished the one you are currently on.


It will be busy, it will be emotional, and no one can prepare you for what is to come. You can devour book after book of fantastic information, but when it comes down to it, 3am can be exhausting and beautiful all at the same time. Try to take it a day at a time and remember you are recovering from bringing a human into this world. Be kind to you too.


“A new baby marks the beginnings of all things – wonder, hope, and a beautiful dream of possibilities.”

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An Age-Old Problem: Helping Our Children Understand Their Grandparents’ Failing Health

**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you choose to make a purchase.





While there is a lot of focus on children and their mental health these days, it can be a very difficult situation when we've got to have a heart to heart conversation with our children about their grandparents. Whether their grandparents aren’t doing very well or they have to go into care because they're too old, these issues can eat away at us until we decide to sit down with our children and have that conversation. But when it comes to this sort of thing, how can we help our children understand what's going on, but also help them to cope?
Prepare For The Conversation
You could chew away at every word permutation in your mind, but the best thing to do is to sit down and just plan how you intend on saying it. It's important that you don't sugarcoat the language so much that it becomes almost unreal what you're saying. It at the same time, the reality of the situation needs to present itself, and it's something that your children need to know. Ultimately, it can be a very difficult thing if you have difficulties in trying to speak to your children in the first place. On www.HuffPost.com, there are some handy hints for being a parent that your child actually wants to talk to. This is something that could tip the balance firmly in your favor. Ultimately, you need to break the news, but if you're someone that they don't really take seriously, or they just ignore, it can prove to be more of a shock when you do deliver bad news.
Be Open And Receptive
They may have a million questions or they may have none. Whatever their response, it's important to be open and honest, but also be receptive to any questions they have, no matter how grizzly the details they want. This can be a very difficult thing for us to go through as parents, but it's important that our children understand exactly what's going on. If they have only half the information, they're going to walk away feeling more confused. What's happening to the grandparents? Are they been taken away? Are they not coming back ever again? It's these sorts of things that need answering in the most straightforward manner. This requires openness and honesty.
Offering Them Ways To Help
Your children will want to see them, or they may want to help. Ultimately, if it's something like your parents going into a home, if your child is old enough to have some of the responsibility, you can give them things to help with so they can contribute. Something as simple as visiting www.PegasusSeniorLiving.com  can be a great way for you to give your child the time they need to adjust. This can mean that they may be able to process the news easier. If they feel they are far away from the situation, and you're not letting them get involved, this could very easily compound their anxiety.
It's never easy, and it's an age-old problem, but by discussing with your children these difficult situations, it's going to have a more positive outcome than you realize, no matter how long you have been putting it off.


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