When you’re a parent, no matter how old your children are, you worry. You worry about their health, their development, their friends, their school, their safety.
You just worry.
It’s perfectly normal and understandable to worry.
Worrying does little to help ease the day-to-day challenges that parenting brings.
No worries! We will now take a look at the 3 main stages in childhood that all parents worry about – and explore how to deal with each stage coolly, calmly and collectively.
The moment you hold that small, vulnerable, (screaming), little person you know it’s game over for you. You recognize that life really will never be the same again.
There’s not much you can do to convince a new parent not to worry. It’s almost hard wired within us.
Thankfully there are a range of gadgets constantly being invent to help ease worries.
For example, it helps to have a great baby monitor – one that is loaded up with clearness and visual range of Infant Optics.
And it helps to get a terrific adjustable stroller that you can easily take apart and use as a car seat.
Every year new inventions are announced and new studies come out about child development and the best psychological parenting techniques. With all this in mind, you might not want to always listen to the recommendations of older parents. They might not know what’s current. Be sure to google and read up what’s newly hot – and what’s now not.
If you’re reading this article because you know a new parent – please keep in mind to never offer advice to a new parent, unless they asked directly. Instead work on building up the parent’s confidence. Get them to trust their instincts when it comes to figuring out what makes their baby tick.
A very mobile and chattering toddler can be simultaneously very fun and very exhausting.
Yes, your life will be full of giggles and funny stories when your child begins to walk and talk.
But your life will also be full of food being thrown and tears being shed.
This is all normal and to be expected.
As a child enters the toddler years many parents get competitive with one another and often compare childhood development milestones.
Please know this now: Don’t get caught up in this milestone competition. Each child is unique – and develops at a different “normal” physical and mental rate.
A child who is slow to talk in the very beginning can ironically become a big time talker later on. Plus a child who is short for their age can wind up blooming very quickly into the tallest kid in their class.
Every child develops at their own pace, in his or her own good time.
If you do have a very deep concern about your child not reaching specific expected milestones, with language delay for example, please do not rely on google searches for your diagnosis. Instead, take your child to a health care professional you trust to be fully checked out.
As children start attending more advanced levels in school, they begin to develop a love/hate relationship with education – and with the kids and teachers in their classroom.
If your child comes home bemoaning school and complaining about their friends, teachers and the volume of homework, please know this is typical.
However if your child is exhibiting extreme levels of fear, anxiety and anti-social behavior, then it’s time to step in.
Specifically it’s time to find out if your child is being bullied – either verbally, physically or via online opportunities.
If your child seems withdrawn, prone to emotional outbursts or fearful to let you see his or her phone, take some time talk to them in a quiet, private setting about why they’re not willing to open up and share.
You also might want to talk to your child’s teachers or a school counselor to see if they’ve spotted a change in behavior. Plus consider seeking advice from psychological experts about how best to approach your child’s distress.
Being a parent is an amazing/terrifying experience – and one that needs a lot of support from everyone in your community.
Don’t be afraid to lean on others for help when need be- but also don’t get caught up in competing with other parents – or relying to heavily on advice from parents from an older generation when products and parenting research was not as advanced.
Also be sure to listen to your instincts – while also being open to backing up your gut feelings with professional insights.
Each day take time to appreciate how you are doing the best you can.
Recognize that a lot of parenting is simply about making sure your child feels as safe and loved as possible. So when you’re done reading this article, please take a moment to go give your child a hug.
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