The Challenges of Being a Parent

By Ann Raish

The wonder of life has happened!  Anticipation runs wild with excitement and fear.  You are pregnant!  All of a sudden life has changed.  The life you knew has been altered in a split second.

You and your partner join together and look at how and where you live.  Many questions come to mind.  Do we have room for the baby?  You tell each other that you need to paint, get baby furniture, baby cloths….you wonder if your car will be big enough for a car seat…

The kitchen cupboards open, then the refrigerator.  You panic that the diet you have been eating is no longer a healthy choice for you and your baby.  You think to yourself, “Amazing!  My life has changed!”

You and your partner find you have become very protective and sensitive of the life growing inside you.  The miracle of life is truly happening.

Nine months later you and your partner cry with love and joy.  The baby has arrived!  You are going to be “perfect parents” and have the “perfect child”!  The car seat fits perfectly.  You and your baby are on your way home, now a family of three.

Family life begins……

You experience love and laughter, late night feedings, diaper changes, baths, frequent interruptions and less love-making (too tired and busy!).  Frustrations begin to set it.  Grocery bills have increased.  Medical insurance has gone up. You are now finding that you need to get a part-time job to help with the bills.  You and your partner are juggling schedules so you won’t need to pay for child care.

As your child grows you realize how society plays a role in your parenting.  Positive and negative influences are everywhere.  You wonder how you can instill your beliefs into your child when you feel suffocated by the pressures and influence of modern life.

Parenting is a bigger challenge than ever.  There seem to be so many “do’s and don’ts”, “rights and wrongs”.  You want to do your best but sometimes you find yourself questioning everything!  As your children older through elementary, middle and high school, more challenges will be knocking at your door.

Here are a questions and challenges you may be facing:

• I’m not happy with my child’s pick of friends
• How can I stop the power struggles in my home?
• My children won’t listen to me! They just want to argue!
• Homework is a BATTLE.  Sometimes I want to give up!
• I’m always being asked for MONEY and feel guilty if I don’t give in.
• My little ones love to scream and hit when we are in public places, I’m at my wits end!
• My kids actually say “NO” to me when I ask them to help around the house.
• I’m a single parent my children don’t take me seriously. What can I do?
• My child is so easily influenced by advertisements. They want everything!
• I feel lost with all the electrical gadgets that my child wants! I feel I have no control over all the video games and what they can do on the computer!
• How do I motivate my children to exercise and eat healthy?

HINTS TO HELP:

• Kids need to talk, just listen and don’t comment
• Show interest in what they are doing
• Give hugs, even if they push you away
• Make your home a comfortable, clean and relaxing place to live.
• Remember you are the adult!!!
• Sometimes the word “NO” is all you need, don’t argue!