The joys of Parenthood come with its share of mind-blowing experiences.
The joy of every married couple is to hold their newborn child in their arms. To feel their tiny hands and feet, watch them cry out in frustration as they are welcomed into planet Earth.
These parenting experiences mark the start of a new phase of life, a phase that will change the course of any family for life.
Amidst all this excitement comes doubts and anxiety, of whether you are fully equipped to be a parent or even ready to become one. The fear of being solely responsible for another human.
Like a building whose foundation is hidden from plain sight, preparing for parenthood should start as early as possible.
This can be begun when a couple has made the decision to have kids or immediately after conception.
This preparation doesn’t take away the challenges that will be experienced but makes you more equipped to overcome them. It also allows you to unlearn, relearn and get all the necessary things ready to excel during this period.
In this article, awesome tips will be shared to help you prepare adequately for parenthood especially if you are a first-time parent.
Tips to Prepare for Parenthood
1. Get Financially Fit.
Your financial muscles have to be trained and built to keep up with the changes that come from being a new parent.
This is the time to get serious about reducing or eliminating your debts as a couple and take proper budgeting and financial planning seriously.
Plans should be made to cover the basic items like food and clothing that your newborn needs. Furthermore, funds can also be set aside periodically to cater for the educational needs of your child.
This is not the time to be reckless in your spending or cultivate other bad financial habits.
2. Learn from the Experiences of Others.
Just like you were eager to learn about marriage from other married couples, you should also create time to learn about parenting from those who have experienced it firsthand.
The tips and advice they give can broaden your knowledge about parenting. Furthermore, these tips can be tweaked to suit your needs as all children will not be the same.
Experiences can also be gotten by volunteering to babysit for your neighbours, friends or family in your spare time.
This will give you hands-on experience of what it means to be a parent.
3. Make your Schedule Simpler.
The schedules of you and your partner are a big determinant of how successful you will be at parenting. This is especially true during the first few years of your child’s development.
Both parents shouldn’t have physically and emotionally draining jobs at the same time. One partner can opt to have a remote job or a hybrid one where flexibility during working hours is allowed.
This is very important, especially during the first few months after childbirth.
4. Train your Emotional Muscles.
Your emotional muscles have to be built to withstand the ups and downs of being a new parent.
You will experience an overflow of emotions ranging from self-doubt to anxiety and disappointment. These emotions can take you on a roller coaster if you don’t hold them on a tight leash.
Training your emotional muscles requires you to stay calm in the midst of tribulations, forgive easily and be more disciplined about your choices.
5. Seek and Accept Help.
Accepting help when needed doesn’t make you appear weak. There is no award given to the most stressed parent or the parent who has spent the greatest number of sleepless nights because of a child.
Know when to reach out to your parents, siblings, friends and neighbours when you need help.
Never forget that your child needs you to stay alive to create more memories together.
6. Trust your Instincts.
Your instincts have played a huge role throughout your journey in life, and this doesn’t change as you become a parent.
Listening to advice doesn’t mean you must use it hook, line and sinker. Knowing how to filter through every knowledge gained and utilise them effectively is the key.
7. Trash Unrealistic Expectations.
Having unrealistic expectations as you go through your parenting journey sets you up for failure.
This can be in the form of juggling too many tasks at the same time and trying to prove that you are an exceptional parent.
Make time to rest and don’t feel guilty about dropping off your child with a friend to enjoy a night out.
Conclusion
The journey through parenthood lasts for a lifetime and getting through your first few years of being a parent is pivotal to excelling as one.
Getting financially fit, learning from the experiences of others, trashing unrealistic expectations and training your emotional muscles can make this journey worthwhile.
Read Also: 5 Importance Of Responsible Parenthood
