Father to James.
"My in-laws came from overseas about a month after our son was born. They were a huge help to both my wife and me. "
What do your children refer to you as?
He isn’t at the age where he is speaking yet. He just points and yells. Sometimes “babababa” so he’s definitely onto something!
Please provide name(s) and age(s) of your children.
James just turned 1 year old
How did you support your partner in the early stages of becoming a parent?
Early on we did share the workload a bit more – nappies, baths and feeding. In the first few weeks, I did a bit of staying up in the middle of the night just to make sure he is sleeping alright which in turn allowed my wife to sleep a bit more peacefully – all part of the anxiety that comes with being a new parent (SIDS, etc.).
How were YOU supported and did you feel adequately supported in the early stages of becoming a parent?
My in-laws came from overseas about a month after our son was born. They were a huge help to both my wife and me. My family all live very close by too, so we have a lot of support from those around us. I’ve also been able to ask some questions to friends that are “experienced” parents and/or friends that are in healthcare which has been a huge help in calming any nerves and giving reassurance.
What is the best thing about being a parent?
When he sees you for the first time in the morning. The smile, he’s (almost) always happy!
What is the hardest thing about being a parent?
Learning on the job. He’s so active now; he’s literally finding his feet. He’s also very active and opinionated so sometimes feeding and nappy changes can be a bit of a task and we can be chasing after him. With that makes finding any sense of routine a bit tricky too.
Share your top hacks for being a parent.
Amazon/online shopping is so good for buying necessities. Having a subscription to frequently used items (nappies, tissues, wet wipes, bin liners, etc) saves so much time and effort having to continuously go out to buy them. Working out a good delivery interval/quantity means I always have a bit left before the next delivery arrives.
I remember hearing on a podcast (not specifically about children/parenting) that kids are the best in the morning because they’ve just woken up from a night of rest and it is so important to see them in the morning.
Look things up on the internet, but not too much and take it with a grain of salt. Everyone has their opinions, they’re not all right or suitable for your situation. Our parents (and their parents before them) made it work with a lot less.
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