what is the one piece of parenting advice I should know.......
A friend told me 20 odd years ago "we are not raising kids, we are raising adults"......saved me from killing them thru the teenage years.....
Get as much sleep as you want NOW
schusler wrote:
Ain't that the truth. Say goodbye to sleeping in for at least the next eight years.
Also, it's okay to tell your kids no.
Regularly.
At least you can always count on HD to be off the rails.
Get ready for a long time with no sleep!
Get that baby on a routine sleeping schedule as fast as you can.
My wife and I worked it in shifts. She would go to bed early, and I would stay up late, until like 3 am, the baby would sleep for about 3-4 hours, so she'd get up at 6-7am and I'd sleep in late. It worked out well for us.
A baby swing was the greatest investment we ever made! Our little one wouldn't sleep in the bed, but would pass right out in the swing. She slept in it until about 6 months old. Rechargable batteries are wonderful for them too!
Hope those help, our little girl turned 2 in June.
E
A swing or cradle is great as McBryde mentioned, but don't forget a good, comfortable rocker for mom as she is nursing.
Congrats!!!
By the time the child reaches one year old, you will realize that it always has a list of demands and no matter how much you cave in, it will always have a new list of demands.
Diaper backward spells repaid. Think about it.
The first half of our lives is ruined by our parents and the second half by our children. ~ Clarence Day
I told her "Yes, and it looks like a pig tail doesn't it? That's why this cigar is called a flying pig."
She studied it for a moment and said "Nah, it looks like a chicken turd." then wandered off to play with the dog.
You are not your child's friend you are his Father.
Here's the thing many parents haven't figured out. Kids crave structure and discipline. The more you provide them, not only are they better behaved, but the more they seek positive reinforcement from you.
My first child is due in three weeks...
murray80 wrote:
You decide the rules for your family, mine may have been different, but stay consistent.
My most important advice is this: love unconditionally, not only when he/she is good. They need to know that even when you are angry you still love them. They do not assume that to be true and it is so important they feel you love them even if they make a mistake...that is a learning opportunity, not a love loss opportunity.
Frank
When your kids are young and want you around, be there for them because sooner than you think, they'll want to be hanging out with their friends, and you'll take a liitle bit of a backseat for a while.
Around 22-23 or so, the impression you made on them when they were young will allow them to see you as a friend and not as just Dad. Thats what makes it all worthwhile.
