We had an all-day "Healthy Babies" session today down in Barrie. It was good to meet other pregnant couples, learn about breastfeeding, talk about baby issues, etc.
During a discussion of what were the biggest worries or concerns about becoming parents, it was interesting that the top two issues for the group were: fear of the unknown (not wanting to make mistakes, not having any experience, etc); and concern that parents/in-laws/friends would be jumping in with uninvited advice and criticism.
I think it's really hard for family and friends to find that balance - when new parents are desperate for reassurance and useful tips but are also hyper-sensitive about having their parenting judgments second-guessed. And everyone is sleep-deprived, so possibly not on their best behaviour. I hope that our approach will be to try to soak up all the advice and input we can, and then to try to have the confidence to go our own way based on what we think is right. And I think parents have a better feel than anyone for what is right for their own kids.
1 comment:
Amen to your last comment! Just be yourselves and love those babies! You and Kate are going to be great parents!
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