What are your best parenting tips for new parents? | Personal Finance & Lifestyle | Yakezie Forums

All,

My baby girl was born on 1/20/2013 (Olivia Madison Brown)! She is awesome and I love her more than anything in the world. However, I'm a new parent and would like to know, what do you wish you would have known before hand about parenting?

A twitter follower of mine had some great advice to share with me and took the time to spell it out in an email. Let me know what you think of his advice and what would you add to it?

http://www.yourfinancessimplif…..w-parents/

Post edited 6:40 pm – January 28, 2013 by michael @ financial ramblings

Just enjoy the experience as much as possible. And know that the first six months are the hardest. I don't say this in an attempt to scare you or fill you with dread, but rather to empower you. If you're struggling at times during the early months it's not because you're doing anything wrong. It's just hard, but you'll get through it. Everyone does. Best of luck.

P.S. We have four, so I know whereof I speak. ;-)

Dominique Brown said:

…what do you wish you would have known before hand about parenting?

Oh man, I could go on and on! I wish I had known the little things no one ever tells you like eventually someone will sneeze in your mouth (LOL) and you'll have to change so many diapers and wipe so many butts that you will think it's no big deal to have someone else's poop on your hand. 

I wish I had known about all the things you don't need to buy for your baby – like a wipes warmer or cute diaper hanger. Oh and that 4 year olds talk A LOT. But then 5 year olds talk EVEN MORE. Like constantly. 

With that said, congratulations on your new little bundle of joy!! 

Christopher – You're about to make me cry! Now I feel silly for posting humorous advice. Can you tell my husband is traveling and I've had a long day? 

Dominique – For some reason I can't seem to edit my post, but I also wanted to say that I hope you're at least getting a few hours of sleep every day right now. When you're up over and over again into the wee hours of the night, just keep in mind that she will eventually sleep through the night, or at least 6 hours in a row.  Nobody ever told me that, and the first time I felt like I would never get any sleep again…ever. For me, it was at 12 weeks, 8 weeks, and 8 weeks, respectively, with occasional lapses during teething periods, sickness, etc. 

I would advise to force yourself to enjoy the time.  They are only this little once and the work involved gets overwhelming, so that you can get very caught up in the endless tasks that are involved with a newborn, so much so that if you don't take time to step back and enjoy it, you'll have a six month old and no idea of how you go there.  When the baby is crying, or waking up a few times at night or having issues, it's easy to hope for those things to get better, but just make sure you don't wish the time away, because that time that they're newborns goes by fast and a part of you is always going to want it back, no matter how difficult the individual moments might get.

Here is a tip.

If someone tries to "TELL" you how to parent your child, and you feel slightly offended, ask them for their telephone number so you can contact them 24/7 for more genius ideas. 

I have used this too times and boy is it a crowd pleaser. :)