Parenting can be one of the most fulfilling and also the most demanding jobs that a person can take on. It is a role that requires an investment in all areas of one’s life, but with this comes new challenges, responsibilities, and constant decision-making.
From the moment you give birth to a child, you are faced with an ever-evolving set of tasks and responsibilities. And while every stage of a child’s development is accompanied by new joys and fascinating stages, the reality is that with a child comes a whole new set of responsibilities and issues to deal with. As a result, every parent, no matter how long they have been at the job, can benefit from some practical tips.
Parenting Challenges and How to Overcome Them
1. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is one of the most daunting challenges new parents will face. It is difficult, if not impossible, to be on point, engaged, happy, patient, and calm if your brain has not been refreshed in several days. This is especially difficult for new mothers who have never been sleep-deprived before.
How to overcome it:
- Establish a bedtime routine: For your older children, it is recommended to set a bedtime routine with them (some reading, taking a warm bath, telling each other a few stories, etc.). This will help establish a habit for the years to come.
- Sleep changes: Share the load if you have a partner and take turns during the night. For older kids, try to encourage them to sleep independently with their own lullabies.
- Sleep-conducive environment: Make sure your child’s room is sleep-friendly (dim lighting, comfy bed, fresh air, and a quiet environment can do wonders).
To encourage sleep independence, ask your older child to lull themselves back to sleep if they wake up during the night.
Related: 10 Benefits of Co-Sleeping with Your Baby
2. Dealing with Tantrums and Meltdowns
Tantrums and meltdowns are a normal part of child development, but that doesn’t mean they are easy to handle.
How to overcome it:
- Stay calm and patient: This cannot be stated enough, but when your child is upset and experiencing a meltdown, one of the best things you can do is to remain calm and collected.
- Validate their emotions: Tell them you understand how they feel: “I understand why you’re angry. You can’t play with this toy because you had your turn yesterday, and it’s only fair to the other kids. That must be so frustrating for you.”
- Be creative with distractions: This works best for young children, so when they are about to start a meltdown, try to divert their attention with a different activity or a change of scenery.
As your child grows older, help them establish the words to express their emotions, so they can make their feelings known instead of exploding in a meltdown.
3. Balancing Work and Family Life
One of the most daunting challenges any parent will face is balancing the needs of their professional life and their family life.
How to overcome it:
- Set boundaries: When you’re working and spending time with your family, be clear about what times are for work and what times are not. During family time, don’t be available for answering emails or taking calls.
- Make time for your family: Block time to spend with your family in your calendar and make it non-negotiable.
- Delegate when necessary: Don’t be afraid to delegate and outsource parts of your workload or day-to-day chores when it gets too much.
Buy a digital calendar and use it to plan work meetings, family events, and me-time to get a better understanding of how packed your schedule is and avoid overbooking yourself.
Related: 5 Ways to Be an Organized Mom
4. Managing Screen Time
Screens are everywhere these days (phones, tablets, computers, TVs, etc.), and it can be very difficult to keep track of or manage how much time your child is spending on them.
How to overcome it:
- Set time limits: Set time limits for screens and stick to them (for example, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children aged 2 to 5 should have no more than one hour of screen time per day).
- Lead by example: If you want your child to engage in non-screen activities, limit your own screen time as well.
- Prepare alternatives: Don’t leave your child with nothing to do. Encourage them to engage in creative activities or outdoor play.
Use parental controls on your children’s devices to restrict access to inappropriate content and set screen time boundaries.
5. Dealing with Sibling Rivalry
Sibling fighting and rivalry are absolutely normal parts of growing up. After all, your children have to share space and attention with each other, which is a very challenging thing.
How to overcome it:
- Encourage cooperation and collaboration: Ask your kids to do some simple tasks together to make them work in teams, teaching them how to collaborate and share.
- Avoid getting in the middle: When your kids start fighting, stay out of it and give them an opportunity to resolve their conflict on their own (only step in if the situation escalates).
- Validate their emotions: Jealousy and frustration are normal, but make sure your kids know that it’s not acceptable to harm each other.
Design and ask your kids to sign a “peace treaty,” a simple document that lays down the rules on how to work out conflicts peacefully and encourages your children to come to you when they can’t resolve the problem by themselves.
Related: How to Raise Godly Children
6. Building Healthy Eating Habits
Encouraging your kids to eat their greens and develop healthy eating habits can sometimes feel like a battle royale.
How to overcome it:
- Fun-ify food: Present the food you want your children to eat in ways that make them curious about it (e.g., creating fruit faces on their plates or offering colorful veggie dips).
- Lead by example: You are your child’s most important role model. If you don’t eat healthy yourself, they won’t follow you on the healthy eating journey.
- Get your children involved: Let your child help with meal prep to make them more invested in what they eat.
Keep only healthy snacks at home and make them easily accessible (e.g., putting fruit within easy reach so it’s the first choice when they’re hungry).
7. Disciplining with Consistency
Disciplining your child is one of the most difficult aspects of parenting. We want our kids to be well-behaved, but when we are busy with other things, it’s easy to let things slip, which can lead to inconsistency and less-effective discipline.
How to overcome it:
- Set clear expectations: Make sure your child knows what’s expected from them and the consequences of not meeting those expectations.
- Be consistent: Sticking to the same consequences is the only way to ensure your child behaves. Once they know that misbehavior will lead to a specific consequence, they are more likely to reform.
- Stay calm and collected: Remember, your child is there to be disciplined, not punished. Even if you’re upset by their behavior, it’s important to remain composed and avoid shouting or hitting.
Positive reinforcement is one of the most effective methods for improving behavior. Reward good behavior consistently and apply consequences for misbehavior.
Related: How to Discipline an 18 Month Old
8. Managing Expectations of Perfection
For parents, perfectionism can be one of the most detrimental traits. Once we become parents, we often expect ourselves to juggle all responsibilities without a single mistake. This leads to stress, anxiety, and burnout.
How to overcome it:
- Stop striving for perfection: One of the best ways to prevent yourself from expecting perfection is to accept that, as a human, you will make mistakes.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help: Asking for support when you need it is vital for your well-being. Whether it’s from your partner, friends, family, or all three, don’t hesitate to reach out for help.
- Celebrate the small victories: Shift your perspective by focusing on small wins and positive developments, rather than dwelling on a single mistake that could undo a whole month of progress.
Schedule self-care time for yourself, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day. Taking time for yourself can help you recharge and manage stress.
9. Handling Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is something every child will encounter, whether it’s from friends or classmates. Peer pressure can lead to poor decision-making and risky behavior.
How to overcome it:
- Practice critical thinking: Teach your child to analyze situations and make decisions based on their values, so they can confidently resist peer pressure.
- Stay involved: Keep a close eye on who your child is friends with and what activities they are involved in.
- Encourage self-esteem: Make sure your child knows they can be proud of who they are and that their opinions matter.
Role-play different peer-pressure situations with your child to prepare them for real-life scenarios.
Related: 20 Things Kids Need to Hear To Feel Loved
10. Managing Your Own Stress
As a parent, it’s crucial to take care of your own mental health. If you’re under stress, it can affect your ability to help your child in the way you should.
How to overcome it:
- Take a break: Make sure to take some time for yourself, even if it’s just 10 minutes a day. Everyone needs “me-time.”
- Ask for help: Don’t be afraid to reach out to your partner, family, friends, or your community for extra support.
- Don’t sweat the small stuff: Parenting is a marathon, not a sprint. As long as you’re doing your best, there’s no need to stress over small, often temporary, bumps in the road.
Pro Tip: Build a support system of friends, family, or other parents who can be there when you need them. Don’t hesitate to lean on them for help.
Conclusion
Parenting can be an incredibly rewarding, but often challenging, experience. Hopefully, the information in this post has provided you with some new and helpful insights, as well as strategies that you can use to make your parenting experience a little bit easier.
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