THE PARENTING MANIFESTO PROJECT
From Monica Sakala:We’re all experts
There are so many experts in
the world of parenthood that it is completely overwhelming. I will admit,
when pregnant, I read every book on sleep training I could find, highlighted
sections and even took notes. It was as if I was studying for a final
exam. Sure, my type A personality was coming through but really, it
was just a coping mechanism because I was terrified. What in the world
was I going to do with this child when we brought the baby home from
the hospital? I’ve had no training, no tests, and no experience and
yet, my husband and I would soon be responsible for keeping a baby alive.
My faint memories of babysitting include gossiping on the phone and
eating their junk food.
How could this be? What have
I gotten myself into and are babies really all they are cracked up to
be, I wondered.
One day, a friend said that
babies are virtually indestructible. In the wee hours of the mornings
when our new baby was fussing inconsolably, I repeated that to myself.
Over and over and over again.
My daughter is now 13 months
and my how things have changed. I couldn’t tell you where the sleep
training books are if my life depended on it. Hopefully my copious notes
were tossed out with the trash. And so far, I would agree that babies
are virtually indestructible. Beyond that, I am certain of very little
in this world except these five things:
- Throw the books away and trust your intuition. Your gut actually does have a voice and it should be heard. You will get to know your baby better and build more confidence as a parent.
- Never ever play the “I’m more tired than you” game with your spouse. You are both tired. You both are working hard. You are a team and parenthood isn’t a competition.
- Your life is different the second your baby arrives into this world. Accept it, learn to adjust and enjoy discovering this precious new baby and the new you, the parent “you.”
- Babies don’t wait. They grow, change and develop faster than you can believe. Put away the phone, blackberry and books and give the baby your undivided attention.
- Take a few minutes every day to breathe, soak in your family and be grateful for what you have. Sometimes when life is so chaotic, perspective goes down the drain.
