Enjoying Babies First Year

Parenting

by Lamar Tyler | on January 7th, 2009 | 4 comments

We ran across an article on Parenting.com that explained 7 Ways to Enjoy Your Baby’s First Year. We thought it was a great idea because if you have kids you probably know it gets rough out there! Here are their suggestions:

1. Asking for help does not make you incompetent.

2. Babies don’t need as much new stuff as you think.

3. Getting a baby to sleep is worth the trouble.

4. Competitive parenting: not cool.

5. You and your baby don’t have to be joined at the hip.

6. The best baby stage is the one you’re in.

7. There’s no one else like you.

Our favorites were number 6 and number 7. Your kids grow up so fast that you really need to appreciate where they are in their development because they’ll never be at that stage again. You also can’t compare everyone else and their baby to your situation because every child is different, even your own.

We think the list they came up with is pretty solid. You can click on the link above to find out more details on how they came up with each pick.

Now tell us what you would add to the list? What would you tell a new mother about how to enjoy her first year?

About the author

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com . They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and Men Ain’t Boys that explores manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.

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Comments (4)

Harriet Wednesday - 07 / 01 / 2009 Reply

I love #1 and #4, along with 6 and 7. For #1, when we left the hospital with my son, I didn't know what to do. I felt like because of #7, I was supposed to know the hows, whens and whys of my child right away. I wondered where the instruction manual was for this little human being who was totally dependent on me. I tried to ask him what he wanted, but he didn't speak English! I learned how to call folks...quickly. Both my pastors were nurses before going into ministry full time. They raised four children, and I looked to them as an example. I blew that poor woman's phone UP! For #4, I realized because of #1, there were areas that I had insecurities about. So when our son started going to a babysitter part time, and the babysitter started saying how he's not doing this or doing too much of that, I started feeling like I didn't know what I was doing as a mother. It was frustrating and painful. I learned to call my pediatrician during those times, like the writer stated. All in all, motherhood has been a great experience. I think at times I made it harder than it had to be, though.
Nancy Wednesday - 07 / 01 / 2009 Reply

# 2 is my favorite. I have a 17 year old and a 20 month old. When I look at all the new gadets and do dads, and baby STUFF that are being marketed to parents, I'm amazed. You too can be a super consumer! You NEED a wipes warmer, a $400 designer baby bag, a $500 stroller, and all the other accoutrements that you see celeb baby parents using!! I have a friend whose daughter is 18 months older than my daughter and she passes bags of clothing and other items to me. I am so grateful. Anything else that we don't have or isn't in one of those many bags of STUFF, I go to the consignment shops in my area. Gently used baby stuff is wonderful! I'm considering opening a consignment shop in my neighborhood. It's interesting, I have to go to several very wealthy neighborhoods to find the kids consignment shops. There are not any consignment shops in middle and low income neighborhoods.
conseula Wednesday - 07 / 01 / 2009 Reply

#5 and #6 are my faves. With my first daughter, because I was in grad school and teaching only one class as an adjunct, I was with my daughter almost constantly (plus we did attachment parenting with her, which meant I was holding her or wearing her in a snugli almost all the time). I had a lot of anxiety about other people's ability to take of her outside of my presence (even though I had a terrific support network) and had to really learn, by being forced by my husband to go out in the world without her, that she could survive without me. I also learned that I would make a horrid SAHM, but that's another conversation. And I'm find that with my second daughter I'm much better able to enjoy her in the moment instead of constantly worrying about the next stage, as I did with the first daughter. conseulas last blog post..Kwanzaa with the Afrogeeks
Anna Sunday - 11 / 01 / 2009 Reply

conseula said: And I’m find that with my second daughter I’m much better able to enjoy her in the moment instead of constantly worrying about the next stage, as I did with the first daughter. ~~~~~~~~ With a first child you can't help but have the cam corder on and the camera bulb flashing at all times. The first kid can fall down and we can't wait to pick them up and kiss away the pain. With additional kids we forget the camera and when they fall we ignore it and in our mind say "man up and suck it in". LOL. It does not make us bad parents it makes us "non doting" parents. The worse thing that can happen to a parent is when we find out our little tike is old enough to leave the nest and start their own. We have to remember that they will always need love, guidence and a "free meal" and use of our laundry facility.