Thanks to everyone who commented on my first Q-Vid, again sorry for the missed post last week, it seems like at least one of every member of the “B” Family has been sick for the past 3 weeks, hope your families are staying healthy at least.
I’m excited to hear what you all have to say in response to this week’s question, so let’s get to it…press play and comment and I’ll be checking back to see what your thoughts are.
Thanks again for watching, and being so supportive, and don’t forget I’ll be highlighting a few of my favorite comments in the next Q-Vid segement.
The one piece of advise I would give a new parent, although it doesnt apply in probably the first year of life is… Choose your battles! If you dont, you will drive yourself and your children crazy! Not everything is a big deal and if you make everything a big deal then when the big stuff happens your children dont understand that, thats a bigger deal than all the other stuff!
Wow, my advice is kind of silly, but something I wish I would have realized.
I tell all of my pregnant friends NOT to waste money on a lot of cute/fashionable newborn clothing. Buy soft, white onesies. Lots, and lots, of soft, white onesies. You will realize quickly that comfort beats cute, and you can NEVER HAVE ENOUGH WHITE ONESIES!
Thanks for highlighting my response form last week.
I’m a first time parent. Ellie is 4 and I always laughing at myself. I can’t count the number of times I said “I will never let Ellie…” or “Ellie will never do…” I know look back and just laugh at myself.
Every kid is different.
Every Mom is different.
Every Family is different.
What works for me may not work for you. I try hard not to judge what other families do. Key word being try.
The only advice I ever try to give a new mom is “Relax, it’ll all be ok.”
My advice is to be OK with the fact that this is your first time. No matter how many books you read and how much you prepare, doing is always different than planning. Remember that you will be operating on less than optimal sleep, dealing with new physical limitations (for a time) and learning how to love and care for a tiny human. Take each day as it comes, accept all the help that is offered to you and don’t sweat the small stuff!
Ok.. wow..
The one piece of advice I come back to over and over again is don’t take it personal.
A month after my son was born my husband was deployed for 3 months. As a first time mom I was frantic. Every time my son cried and I couldn’t figure out what it was he wanted (mainly because I had already fed, changed, burped, etc) it felt like I had failed as a mother.
Finally, a really good friend/coworker sat me down and told me that I couldn’t take it personally. My baby wasn’t judging me. When I couldn’t figure out what it was he wanted, he wasn’t thinking to himself, “Sheesh, can I get a refund?” No, the most important thing was that he knew he was loved and that his mama was trying her hardest to give him exactly what he needed. That love permeated through him and because of that, there was no way I could fail him.
Never jump on an “extreme” bandwagon. You never know what’s going to work for you. Just be flexible!
I spent a lot of time with my first worrying about how others saw my parenting… my mother-in-law, my friends, my son’s teacher and his friends’ parents… DON’T. The only opinion that matters is your own and your child’s. The best gift you can give your child is YOU- not the version of you that you think other people are looking for. YOU are perfect for YOUR child.