I want you to think back carefully, very carefully. Around the time that you gave birth to your children, can you remember your midwife handing something to you? Maybe a piece of paper, a booklet, a dvd? No - Are you sure? No me either!
So where are our instructions? Our little book of parenting tips. Everything new comes with instructions, everybody knows that! Everything apart from these screaming little bundles that come racing into our lives, tugging on our hearts and changing our lives forever!
So how can you be a good parent? I can't tell you that and neither can anyone else (if they're being honest) All babies are different, they will act, develop and behave in different ways. That's why we don't get instructions! The one thing we do get is parenting tips. Tips are great, people will experience a situation with their child, and give you tips on how to handle it. Being a parent isn't easy, as you will soon find out!
The good thing about parenting tips is that you can try them out, and if they don't work, try the next. In time you may be giving your friends tips. When everything is all brand new and you really don't have a clue what your doing (like with your first baby) Parenting tips can be invaluable.
I tried for 3 long hard years to get pregnant with my first child. I read everything I could about conceiving, when I finally got pregnant I read everything I could about pregnancy. When my baby arrived... I was shocked! I had read nothing on being a parent. As each month went by, I experienced more and more new situations which I didn't know how to handle. Teething, crying, colic, the list goes on and on.
When your baby becomes a toddler and then a pre-schooler, and then a school child, the challenges start to get harder. How do you handle the tantrums? How do you get your child to listen when you say no? Why is your child so angry or so unbearably sad? And one more question that burns deep into any parents mind - 'How do we handle these situations when they arise?'
One parenting tip that I will give you, handle every situation with love and understanding. That may be hard, but think about how your child may feel when you are screaming at her like a big scary monster! (I'm sure majority of us have done it for various reasons!) Not only will you feel guilty after you've shouted, but the fear in your child's face will tell you that this is the wrong way to handle things.
Talk to your child, explain your feelings and let her explain hers. We all make mistakes when dealing with problems, the major point is to realise that you have made a mistake, and you can (and hopefully will) handle it differently next time.
If you don't make mistakes and you are 'the perfect parent', then congratulations. You have achieved a status that most of us can only dream about.
For some great parenting tips - compiled by me, Julie. A normal everyday mum, visit My top 10 parenting tips
I'm Julie, mum of two beautiful but very demanding kids. Raising children has given me an insight and a lot of great tips into every aspect of childcare. I'm hoping to share my experiences with you, and help you to enjoy your children as much as I enjoy mine.
You can join me at http://www.new-baby-and-beyond.com grab a cuppa and browse around, and hopefully gain some insights into the world of conception, babies and beyond.
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