If you’re soon to become a Dad for the first time, the excitement of waiting for your son or daughter to be born will almost certainly be mixed with overwhelming feelings due to the sheer volume of information that you’re receiving left, right, and centre. Worse still, the tips from one person will often contradict the advice offered from someone else.
There’s no need to panic as you will find the routines and strategies that work best for your family. Still, it’s always nice to have some clear advice on how to unlock your full potential as a Dad. Here’s all you need to know.
Buy Essentials, Avoid Unnecessary Gimmicks
You’ve undoubtedly come across hundreds of products aimed at making life easier, and filtering the good from the bad is hard work. Practical items like bottle prep machines are great, but gadgets that merely look cool rather than serve a function are futile. Fall into the trap of buying everything, and your home, wallet, and sanity will all suffer.
Get Ahead Of The Game
It’s very easy to take the mindset of “we’ll do X, Y, and Z” once the baby arrives. The truth of the situation is that you’ll be extremely pushed for time as a parent. Decorating the nursery, buying the essential items, and generally preparing yourself for the changes that are about to come is crucial – this includes mental preparation.
Don’t Take Things Personally
Pregnancy is a stressful time for both of you, but things can get even worse during labour. Likewise, postnatal stress is very common, especially when you are both lacking sleep. Remember that comments said during arguments don’t mean anything. Stay calm, relaxed, and supportive as best you can. This will create a better living environment for all three of you.
Educate Yourself On Medical Issues
There are many aspects of parenting that will be a sense of trial and error – not least because all babies are unique – but their health is the one aspect where you can’t afford to make mistakes. Learn about symptoms of common illnesses and know when a temperature isn’t normal. Of course, the healthcare providers are only ever a call away, but it’s best to take responsibility too.
Socialise With Other Parents
While you will still maintain friendships with non-parents, you’ll soon realise that they don’t quite ‘get it’. This is no fault of theirs, and shouldn’t end the friendships. Still, you will crave that adult company from people that understand your concerns and new lifestyle. So, don’t leave the baby groups to Mum. Participate to form the new friendships you desire.
Think About Your Family’s Future
Protecting your family will be the priority for the rest of your life, but the desire to provide the best possible future for them doesn’t end when you die. While thinking about your death is the last thing on your mind as you embark on the most beautiful adventure of your life, taking out a suitable life insurance plan is vital. If nothing else, it’ll provide peace of mind. There are many providers’ online offering policies especially for dads.
Try To Establish Routines
As far s daily tasks and assignments are concerned, only you can find out what works well for your family. Regardless of the minutia and exact details, though, it’s crucial that you try to establish a routine. Failure to do this will be confusing for your son or daughter and frustrating for you. Persist with the winning formula, and life will become a whole lot simpler.
But Embrace The Crazy
While establishing routines is important, you must also accept that there is a need to relinquish some control. As a parent, you need to maintain a sense of authority. On the other hand, though, your life is going to be focused around the needs of your child from the moment they are born. If you think that everything will run smoothly and to plan, you’re very naïve indeed.
Stop Overlooking Your Personal Needs
It’s natural that you want to be your family first, and this will never change. Nevertheless, it’s imperative to keep one eye on yourself. From eating a balanced diet to maintaining friendships or pursuing career goals, those personal endeavours are key to being the best possible version of you. In turn, this will inspire you to be a better dad too.
Don’t Expect To Be Perfect
Last but not least, you need to relax and stop beating yourself up if you ever make mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and your family love you just as you are. As long as you are committed to your family and act in a mature and responsible manner at all times, you will be the best Dad ever. Better still, it’s the most rewarding thing you’ll ever do.