Navigating through the never-ending maze of parenthood can be hard sometimes. There I said it. Unless you are a self-proclaimed toddler whisperer, there is no such thing as an easy day being a parent. To make matters worse, our society has tricked us into thinking that our parental instinct will magically solve any problems that are thrown our way. I had a hard time asking for help because I felt like I should know how to handle every situation. It took me a long time before I learned not to have shame in my search for parenting secrets I felt like everyone else knew. Below I’m sharing some common questions about parenting that you might be afraid to ask.
5 Questions (and Answers) About Parenting
1. How do you balance marriage and parenting?
This isn’t something that parents really think about until after their children have already arrived. While your child’s demanding needs certainly have to be addressed in a timely manner, it’s important to keep your relationship with your spouse strong too. Here’s what we suggest:
- Make time for date night.
- Set aside 20 minutes for each other every day.
- Find something to do together that you both love.
- Make chores a shared activity.
2. What parenting style is best for my child?
Unfortunately, there is no one right answer. Your parenting style will likely change at different points in your child’s life. As you try to find the balance between the right amount of love and discipline, ask yourself these questions:
- What can you learn from your own childhood?
- What goals do you have for your child?
- What parenting styles do you admire?
- What do you wish your parents did differently?
3. Will working a job mess up my child?
Recently, a truly poor article came out stating that working parents weren’t as good. This is simply not true. In fact, a study conducted by Harvard Business School actually trumpeted the benefit of parents who worked outside the home, finding that children of working parents were more likely to become self-sufficient themselves.
Whether you work from home or outside the home, we believe that focusing the time you do get with your child is most important.
4. Does parenting get any easier?
The short answer: No. It just becomes different. While you might be longing to get out of the no-sleep infant stage, you realize that as your children grow, so do the problems that they have. It never really does get easier, but there is a silver lining. You will get better. You and your spouse will learn and grow, and the situations you found challenging will soon become second nature.
5. When can I start drinking?
Because tantrums and poop. No, really, we know that this is something that mothers have been wondering since they found out they were pregnant. While you’re pregnant, drinking is an absolute no.
Drinking while breastfeeding is a different story. However, new mothers should air on the side of caution. Alcohol consumption is absorbed into your milk the same way that it is in your blood. This could cause developmental issues and other problems with your baby. The safest way to steer clear of any issues is to wait until your child is completely independent from breast milk before partaking.
Share with us some of the questions about parenting you that were afraid to ask!
