The journey of a parent is filled with excitement and joyful time. Every day they get to see something new from their little bub and see them change and become a grown-up over time. Parenting is filled with changes, adjustments, and challenges, but it is a beautiful journey.
Even though every parent aims to become successful in parenting still, there are certain mistakes that they make. If you are a new parent, then you are bound to be confused and make minor mistakes which can be fixed and are completely fine.
When you become a parent, you won’t get any instruction manual that you will follow, and parenting will become easy. It is a natural process, and you will learn with time. So here are some common mistakes that parents make in their first year and how they can avoid it.
Mistakes Parents Make And How To Avoid Them
Here a few mistakes have been listed for you to avoid.
Following The Book Blindly
Do not consider parenting books as the bible. You can use it to guide yourself, but nothing will go according to the book all the time. There can never be a single approach for parenting a child because each of them is different, and you need different methods for handling each of them.
Try to provide a nurturing, safe, and loving environment for the baby so that they can grow as a healthy and happy individual instead of following any book blindly. By doing this, you can see how everything is falling into place.
Staying Awake When The Baby Is Sleeping
It is always advised to the new parents to sleep when the baby is sleeping. Some will instead fold the laundry or do some other household chores when the baby is napping.
In the initial few months, the parents will suffer from sleep scarcity, but if you can sleep when the baby is sleeping, then you can avoid sleep deficiency. It will make the journey more productive and happier for you.
Splurging Money On The Baby Clothes
If you are a first-time parent, then it is expected from you that you will go overboard when it comes to the wardrobe of your baby. Every parent would want their child to look cute and well dressed.
Unfortunately, if you keep on buying a lot of clothes, then the baby won’t be able to wear all of them for a long time as it is a period when they overgrow. The clothes won’t fit, and sometimes the baby might not feel comfortable in wearing new or fancy clothes. Dress up your child during rare occasions, but most of the time, keep them in comfortable clothes.
Overly Protective
Some parents are overprotective about their little ones all the time, which does harm their child. As a parent, if you are always worried, then your child will grow up and will refrain from taking any risk.
It is normal to make mistakes and learn from them, so teach your child how to take challenges or face them. If you want to keep your child inside the safety bubble, then you won’t be able to give them essential life lessons that will help them to get out of real danger.
Not Having A Schedule
Create a schedule for the entire family because you need to regulate the internal clock of your child. Initially, it will be mixed up, but by following a proper routine, you can prevent this.
Having a schedule will help to maintain calmness in your house. In this way, your baby will be able to sleep and have food at proper timing. Follow the schedule regularly to make them habituated with the pattern.
Staying At The House All The Time
After the baby is born, the parents have the habit of not leaving the house for several months. A newborn is indeed more susceptible to illness as their immune system is still weak, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot go outdoors.
It will be a wise idea to avoid crowded places, but sometimes sunshine and fresh air are healthy for the baby and family. Take a little walk in the neighborhood during the evening time or morning.
Accept Help When Offered
Some parents are very protective of their children, so they don’t trust anyone or accept their help when it comes to taking care of the baby. Sometimes the journey of the new parent can be overwhelming and exhausting, so you need to have a break. Accept help from your loved ones when it comes to taking care of the child.
Neglecting The Spouse
For every parent, their child is their star, moon, and sun. While taking care of the child, you might need to put in a lot of energy and focus, but your marriage life demands nurture as well.
The parenting journey is amazing, but the parents have to go through a lot of suffering due to sleepless nights, aching boobs, nappies, etc. So the relationship might lose the spark. It is essential to keep the magic alive by taking care of your partner.
Proper time with your partner is mandatory. This will help the family to grow in a loving and warm environment, which will be healthy for the baby as well.
Do Not Compare Your Child
Do not compare your child with any other baby because both of them are individual and have different development cycles. Some children can start walking when they reach nine months while some will take more than 15 months to start walking.
Do not make the mistake of comparing the child. If you compare the success of your child with other children, then it is going to put stress on you.
Vaccinate Properly
Immunization is essential for a baby because they are highly susceptible to life-threatening or dreadful illnesses. Research the vaccines and make sure that your child is taking them when they reach the right age.
Solid Food
Do not give the child solid food at the wrong time. The child needs to be at least six months old to have solid food. During this time, the baby will develop the coordination of an oral motor that will help them to swallow solid food.
If you start giving the child solid food early then they might develop problems like overweight, gastrointestinal problems, and sometime they might suffer from choking.
If you are starting late, then the growth of the baby will be affected, and some will suffer from iron deficiency.
Stool Of The Newborn
The newborn will poop frequently and will be of loose texture, but some parents make the mistake of comparing it with diarrhea. The symptoms of diarrhea are very different. If there is any abnormality in the stool then seek help from a doctor.
Panicking A Lot
Some parents worry about all the small steps in the initial years of the baby. It can harm the baby as they can develop anxiety when they grow up.
Instead of worrying too much, you can talk to an expert. One must focus more on enjoying the journey by being spontaneous.
Not Allowing The Baby To Cry
Do not think that you are making a mistake when the baby is crying. Sometimes a baby uses crying as a way of communication. The baby might cry even when everything is fine. You can cuddle or console them when they are crying but do not compare crying with any negative connotation.
Baby Suffering From Fever
When the baby gets their first shot of immunization or vaccine there will be a sudden rise of temperature. Fever that comes within the first three months can be serious, and you need to call the Pediatrician.
Exposing Them To Smartphones
Many parents make the mistake of distracting the child by using songs or videos or by giving them smartphones. Once you are introducing smartphones to a child, it won’t be easy to keep it away. Later on, it will increase the screen time of your child, and you will regret it.
Takeaway
Every parent is expected to make some mistakes, but it must not be a grave one. The first few years of a child is crucial, and parents need to watch every step they make. At the same time, you also need to enjoy the journey without stressing yourself. So do not believe all the things that other people are saying because everyone has their unique parenting style.
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Mother of Two children. I’m a former teacher with a background in child development and a passion for Good parenting. I understand child development and know how to develop activities to help children learn and grow. Spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, reading, and volunteering in my community.