7 Habits of Highly Effective Parents
Let’s face it, parenting takes a lot of time and effort. Gone are the days of freedom, you are now shacked to a little human. Here is a short list of habits to be highly effective at parenting.
1. Enjoy being a parent
This habit is especially true during the early stages of parenthood. Hours can be spent worrying about everything and anything, and not settling down and taking regular moments to just soak it in and enjoy it. It is very true that your little one grows up so fast. Soon enough they will be getting into everything, making cute sounds and telling you when they are not pleased.
2. Take time and relax (and maybe take a nap)
I managed to take 13 weeks off work to stay home with my son. Often I would get consumed by trying to do get stuff done as soon as my son went down for a nap. Sometimes the best thing you can do is relax and do something you need to do for yourself. Self-care is a very important habit and some people find it too easy to push themselves. I remember days I would be exhausted while watching the clock until my wife came home to relieve me. Sometimes you need a break, so either ask your parent or a trusted caregiver to watch your little one so you can kick back and relax or even go get a massage or something, whatever relaxes you.
3. Make the most of downtime/naptime
This partially ties into the habit above, but it bears emphasizing. During downtime you can either relax, do chores, exercise, sleep or even stair blankly at the wall. It is all about striking a balance, sometimes it can take a little to find that balance. You can try setting a chore schedule so you have a goal and you don’t end up cleaning the whole house and getting burnt out in the process (if you are that kind of person). This could result in the opposite occurring, doing nothing and then living in chaos. Rather than waffling between two extremes, set reasonable, small goals you can accomplish.
4. Play
Having fun with your little partner in crime can be one of the most rewarding and elevating experiences of your life. Learning what is funny and what is interesting to a baby can really open your eyes to how they must view the world. It reminds you of how they see everything as new and exciting. A game of peek-a-boo has resulted in tears from laughing so much from my little guy. Creating the habit of turning anything into a game or play can help you release your inner child and give you the opportunity to be the “fun one” 🙂
5. Teach
You don’t need to get out a blackboard and chalk to teach. Nor do you have to get out flash cards. You don’t have to start teaching them the A.B.C’s. You do and should let them experience natural play. Give a variety of toys or objects with different textures, weights, colors, and sizes to play with. Remember everything is new, different and could be exciting for a young baby. Sometimes just walking around the house and showing off all the objects around the house can light up his little face with wonder. Where a good portion of teaching comes in is also from talking to you baby. Sharing language while doing everything mentioned above you is important for your child’s development. Start by explaining what your baby is looking at or doing.
6. Do chores when appropriate
There are only so many hours in the day and let’s face it, chores need to get done. Unless you are fortunate to have a maid, then finding the balance between doing chores and following the above habits is a chore in itself. The best way to do this is to incorporate some of the habits above into your chores, mind blowing right? You can, for example, do the vacuuming, strap your little one in with a baby carrier and vacuum away. Of course, there are a few safety considerations, maybe don’t cook, use a blowtorch 🙂 …etc.
7. Different Experiences and Vacations
A great habit to get into is to plan to go on vacations and get out of the house. It is important that you experience different things together as a family. These experiences could range from going to the park, attending local social events, going on camping trips, traveling in or out of state, or international if you are really brave.
Some of these you may find obvious, it is just worth mentioning and reminding because it is all too easy to get out of good habits.
