Few things are as overwhelming as being responsible for a tiny human being who is totally dependent on you: for food, clothing, shelter, warmth, companionship, everything except the air God gives for free. Even with a great support system, there are still certain things first time mums realize they could have done differently, although it didn’t occur to them at the time. Here are just 5 common mistakes newbie mummies make.
Tag: daddy
Are You Your Child’s Best Friend?
We want our children to not just love us but like us too, and we want them to be able to confide in us, telling us any and everything. There’s nothing wrong with any of this, of course, but the hidden trap is that many parents in seeking this attempt to be their child’s best friend. This is a recipe for parenting disaster, because a best friend is a best friend and a parent is a parent. The roles are different.
More than friendship, your child needs you to be their parent. Read more…
5 Questions To Ask Yourself About Your Toddler’s Tantrums
Toddler tantrums can be a nightmare, especially in public. One minute everything is fine and the next, your little one is screaming her head off, crying and twisting and writhing. You’re embarrassed at this behaviour, and you’re wondering whether you’re actually raising a spoilt brat. Take heart; you are not alone. Here are a few questions that will help both you and your child navigate this phase. Continue reading…
5 Tips For Parenting When Mum And Dad Work
At a seminar I attended years ago when I was a single woman, a speaker told a story to buttress the point she was making about work-life balance that stayed with me.
A little girl whose mother had just started a demanding job was having a hard time adjusting. Before she woke up in the morning, her mum was gone, and she was usually in bed by the time her mum returned. One day, she left a note for her mother before going to bed. It read simply, “Mummy, long time o.”
The woman resigned that month, and who can blame her? Things are even more challenging in homes where both parents work and kids come home to caregivers with whom they spend most of their waking hours. What can working parents do to raise healthy, well-adjusted children? Read more…
12 Ways To Prepare Your Only Child For A Sibling
The story I’m about to share makes me chuckle every time I remember it. A few months ago, I had cause to take a pregnancy test and I didn’t want to go alone so I asked a friend to accompany me. We’re both mothers of one; I have a son and she has a daughter.
When we got to the health centre, I asked her to please just take a test too so I wouldn’t be the only one (you can tell I was really in need of that moral support, right?) and she graciously obliged. When the results came out, I wasn’t pregnant…but she was! Talk about a shocker! Whoop! Automatic godmother right here, people!
I’ve decided to start playing my role now by sharing some tips that can help prepare a toddler to be a big sister. This is for you, B! Read more…
What Parents-To-Be Should Know About Preeclampsia
A smooth pregnancy, free of complications, is what we all pray for. However, life happens sometimes, and it’s in the best interest of mum, dad and baby to be aware of possible complications in pregnancy, and how they can be avoided.
Before I got pregnant, I had no idea what preeclampsia was, or that a person could develop high blood pressure in pregnancy without any history of hypertension. By the time I had overcome preeclampsia, I knew more about it than I could ever have imagined. Here are just a few things every expecting parent should know about preeclampsia:
- Preeclampsia is the most common complication that can occur in a pregnancy, affecting 1 in every 20 pregnancies.
anafricandiva 