| Welcome to the club and congrats. - Make time for your partner.
Both to continue nurturing your relationship, give each other alone time, and keep communication open (and on a relaxed tone). I cannot stress this enough. - Set routines early.
Even before our kids slept through the night, we started routines. You don't have to go crazy. Bath-time at Xpm, reading by Xpm, sleep by Xpm. Does wonders as they age. - Sounds silly, but understand every kid is different.
You'd be surprised how much their personalities seem formed even as tiny babies. What works for one kid might not work for another, even though you figure out strategies. (Ex. reverse psychology really does work at 7y for some reason). - No one gives you a blueprint. Don't beat yourself up.
Accept now that your actions will have unintended consequences. My wife and I are very intentional about our parenting because of bad upbringings. When you screw up, acknowledged where it was and what you can do in the future, but give yourself some leeway. It's not like they give us rule-books for this stuff. - Find a support ASAP.
Most parents I know have almost no support, and it shows. If your parents or grandparents or other family are there, speak up when you need help. Someone doing your dishes or giving you a night off is big. But cars will break down, you'll wonder how you're going to juggle everything. Find people you can trust. - Read early and read often.
Self-explanatory. Our kids are insane readers because we read to them constantly from the beginning. Whenever they wanted. |