An introduction to parenting
Being a parent isn't easy - and it doesn't come with a manual! I think we are led to believe that parents 'should' automatically know what to do ... so is this really true? Admittedly, some people find it easier than others, but we all could do with some support when it comes to parenting our children.
When we go to school, we learn essential skills to help us survive effectively in the world as an adult, but when do we learn how to become a good parent? Usually we learn parenting skills from our own parents, but what if our parents lacked certain skills – do we pass these deficits on to our kids as they did with us? Because of this possibility, learning new parenting skills is essential for everybody, so where do you start? There are many articles and theories around telling you what is good or not good for you and your child, how do you know which ones are going to be helpful?
Well, unfortunately I don’t have the answer (or a magic wand), so much research is ongoing, and what may be classed as being ‘healthy parenting’ today may prove to be ‘unhealthy parenting’ tomorrow … an example of this would be feeding on demand; not too long ago, this was deemed to be unhealthy for a baby, who may become clingy and too dependant on its mother, we now know that feeding on demand enables baby to get his/her needs met in a healthy way, form a bond with mother, and to complete the necessary developmental stages. The only suggestion I will make is to trust your instincts and to go with what ‘feels right’ for your situation.
Of course there is no such thing as ‘the perfect parent’ so don’t be too harsh on yourself and allow yourself to make mistakes … the important things to remember are that you are only doing your best and that you are not alone!
We are looking for some parenting stories and experiences to place on our website ... funny, sad, weird ... anything really, so if you have any ... send them in!
