Being a parent can be one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of your life. This is why you will experience so many different feelings and emotions when deciding to have a child. Before you jump into the deep end, or if you’re still uncertain if you want to take up the parenting mantle, make sure that you read these nine things that you should know before becoming a parent.
No parent is perfect
Yes, you read that correctly; no parent is perfect. No matter how they look on social media or for the hour you spent with them over coffee, things are never as they seem. Every child has their down moments, and every parent has their bad days. Furthermore, they won’t get everything right - no one does. We aren’t saying this to shame anyone, but to free you from the pressure that you’ll put on yourself to be perfect. You can only do your best, and that’s ok because you don’t need to be perfect.
You play a role in their relationship with technology
The parents of today have the unique challenge of managing how their children interact with technology. Thanks to the arrival of smartphones, tablets, and more, technology will be a big and inevitable role in your child’s life. The trick isn’t to try and hide them from technology, but instead, use it to your advantage. A great example of doing so is showing your children great free kid’s cartons that are both educational and fun!
You’ll need to get by on no sleep
Ask any parent how they’ve slept recently and they will respond with either a grown or a laugh and both will come from a place of exhaustion. Having young children is a recipe for no sleep. Babies will cry at random points throughout the night for food, changing or seemingly just to torture you. As they get older, you may have to help with bedwetting, bad dreams and checking under beds and closets. Long story short, once you become a parent, you can say goodbye to a regular good night's sleep.
Getting help is okay
You’ve probably heard the phrase “it takes a village”, right? This is because one thing that every generation of parents has learned is that they needed help, and you will too. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you need to do it alone. Take every offer of help. Trust us, you will need it and you will rarely regret saying no.
Parenting starts from pregnancy
Being a parent doesn’t begin when your baby arrives. In fact, it starts from the moment you get the good news. This is because there are so many things that you need to prepare and learn to be a good parent.
You will accidentally hurt your child, and it’s ok
You might accidentally walk into your child, bump them into a wall, or step on their toes. This doesn’t mean that you need to go to parenting jail. It also doesn’t mean that you’ve done something or that you’re a bad parent. These things sometimes happen, so as long as they’re accidental, you’ll be in the clear!
Your child won’t like you all the time
Unfortunately, your child won’t like you all the time. This is because sometimes you have to tell them no or send them to bed or make them eat healthy food that they don’t like. Remember when you hated your parents for doing the same thing? Luckily, kids are pretty forgiving, so don’t take these moments too close to heart.
Your relationship will be under pressure
Unlike in the movies, having kids doesn't always inject sudden magic into your relationship. In most cases, it actually does the opposite. Think about it. You and your partner will be sleep deprived, working, and trying to keep up with your new attention-seeking machine that is your child - does this really sound like the perfect environment for romance? Yes, you need to care for your child, but you also need to make sure that you continue to care for your partner and your relationship too.
You’ll buy shoes, a lot
Children grow rapidly, sometimes seemingly overnight. This means that you’ll constantly be swapping out clothes and shoes that fit their ever-changing bodies. Whilst it may be tempting and cute to buy them mini versions of brand name trainers, this gets very expensive, very quickly. Our recommendation is to stay away from these shoes until you think that you can get at least 9 months out of a single pair of shoes.
Conclusion
Being a parent is life-changing and deeply rewarding. However, you’ll have to search far and wide to find someone that will tell you it’s easy. However, now that you’ve read this guide, you’ll be better prepared for some of the challenges that parenting will throw your way!