There are those who get introduced to parenthood at a young age, They are considered as a young dad or a mom when they become a parent at the age of 24 or younger.
These people have either accidentally got pregnant or have found their significant others when they were still young. Society tells them that they’re too young to be parents, that they haven’t fully enjoyed their youth and have grown in their careers and now they already have another human they must take care of. But for these people, some or most of them, actually enjoy having to be a parent at a young age. They get to experience one of the greatest blessings in life: to be a parent, to take care of someone you love so much that you’re willing to give them your life.
But even if they do have their fun, parenthood is not a walk in the park. It is far from it. You don’t always get to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the sight of nature. You would get sleepless nights taking care of your baby who can’t fall asleep. You would have to say no to some, if not most, of your social engagements because you have to take care of the children. Your trips overseas would be limited. You would have to work extra harder because you have an extra mouth to feed apart from your own. The road won’t always be as smooth as you want it to be but at the end of every corner, every street, you would feel the greatest joy. You would feel extreme fulfillment when your kids show any gesture of love towards you. A simple thank you is enough to make your year.
Someday, you’d look back to where your youth went. You probably would mull over the things you weren’t able to do but happiness will wash away this feeling of regret. You’ll pat yourself on the shoulder for doing a great job taking care of your kids, most especially if you did it without a partner or you started when you were so young. Being a young parent brings about a different experience for the young dad and the young mom. Since Father’s Day is around the corner, below are some tips for those lads who became young dads.
1. Trust your gut when it comes to taking care of your kids.
You know your kids best. You are with them 24/7 since they were born, or most of the time in a day. You know them best about what’s comfortable for them and what’s not. Of course, it helps that those who have come before you will give you advice on what worked for them in certain situations. But you have to take advice from anywhere with a grain of salt. Every parent is different; every kid is different, and all of your work under different circumstances. This means every tip must be adjusted according to what works best for your baby or kid.
2. Do not allow your wife not to rest.
Since you both signed up to be the parents of your children, you are one-half responsible to take care of your kids. Yes, your wife is a great caretaker but it doesn’t mean that she is not human. For her to fulfill her duties as a caretaker in the best way possible, she also needs to rest. She will also enjoy taking care of your baby if she is energized and able to take care of her health. So you and your wife must take turns in terms of watching over your baby and other kids. Both of you must be well-rested and must have good health so that you can give your baby the best care.
Remember also to get up when your wife wakes up after a full night of rest. Do not sleep longer than she did and enjoy sleep that she would be deprived of. This will show her that you are one-half of the team and that she is not alone in taking care of your baby.
3. Shop mindfully.
You will have to be stricter with your budget now that you are a young parent. You will probably be surprised by how big the baby market is, having so many products sold in the market. Not all of these products will be of use to you so be mindful of what you’ll buy. Going back to our first point, you know your baby best so you should know what they need for you to buy for them. This is not the time to be spending loosely when you already have a responsibility to your newborn.
Take for instance buying ergonomic furniture. This is not necessarily for the baby but for yourself, so that you get to work efficiently and finish your tasks ahead or on time. You need to be very picky with what you buy because you’ll be investing money in it. You should go for trusted brands in the ergonomic space such as FlexiSpot because you’ll be guaranteed with great quality and fulfilled promises of good health, a more focused and alert mindset, and more movement in your daily life.
4. Focus on your baby when you’re taking care of them.
Leave your work in the office or in your workspace. By this, we mean, that once you step foot outside and have left your work post, your mind and actions should already be freed from work as well. Do not entertain calls that are outside of office hours except if it’s extremely important for you to attend to this correspondence. Your life did not end when you became a father. Yes, your job is important but you also have to remember your responsibility as a dad. You should strive to achieve a work-life balance so that when you’re at work or when with family and friends, you are able to focus on your job or focus on your bonding time without distractions. It’s easy to replace work but not your family.
