10 activities you can do to learn parenting skills before having a family

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10 ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO TO LEARN PARENTING SKILLS BEFORE HAVING A FAMILY 10 Activities You Can Do to Learn Parenting Skills Before Having a Family Having your first child is such a special time in your life. It’s so exciting, yet so scary at the same time. Your mind is likely swirling with worrisome thoughts like, “Will I be a good parent? What if my baby cries a lot – how will I know what’s wrong? I don’t even know how to change a diaper!” If you’re having worries like these, don’t despair! You can develop some valuable parenting skills before the little one ever makes an appearance. Take advantage of these strategies to learn positive parenting skills ahead of time: 1. Take a parenting class. A parenting class teaches you many parenting skills, including how to diaper, feed, and handle a child. It’s a good idea for both you and your partner to attend the class so you both have an idea of what taking care of a child is like. 2. Talk to other parents about what they do. Your friends and family members that have children can become a great resource for you. Ask them questions about how they have handled different situations with their family. 3. Take care of other people’s kids for a day or two. Offer to watch your niece or nephew for a day or two. Make time for fun as well as helping them with their homework so you get an idea of the different things that go into being a parent. 4. Visit parenting sites on the internet. The internet has hundreds of parenting sites, including blogs that relate real-life experiences and how the blog owner has found solutions for many parenting challenges. 1

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10 ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO TO LEARN

PARENTING SKILLS BEFORE HAVING A FAMILY

10 Activities You Can Do to Learn Parenting Skills Before Having a Family

Having your first child is such a special time in your life. It’s so exciting, yet so scary at

the same time. Your mind is likely swirling with worrisome thoughts like, “Will I be a

good parent? What if my baby cries a lot – how will I know what’s wrong? I don’t even know

how to change a diaper!”

If you’re having worries like these, don’t despair! You can develop some valuable

parenting skills before the little one ever makes an appearance.

Take advantage of these strategies to learn positive parenting skills ahead of time:

1. Take a parenting class. A parenting class teaches you many parenting skills,

including how to diaper, feed, and handle a child. It’s a good idea for both you and

your partner to attend the class so you both have an idea of what taking care of a

child is like.

2. Talk to other parents about what they do. Your friends and family members

that have children can become a great resource for you. Ask them questions

about how they have handled different situations with their family.

3. Take care of other people’s kids for a day or two. Offer to watch your niece or

nephew for a day or two. Make time for fun as well as helping them with their

homework so you get an idea of the different things that go into being a parent.

4. Visit parenting sites on the internet. The internet has hundreds of parenting

sites, including blogs that relate real-life experiences and how the blog owner

has found solutions for many parenting challenges.

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5. Check out books from the library. The library has many different books on

learning how to take care of children. Keep a folder handy for notes and ideas as

you read.

6. Talk things over with your partner. Set aside time to talk over different ways

that you would handle various parenting situations.

7. Reflect on your values. Do some soul searching and decide the type of family

you want to raise. What values would you like to instill in your children?

Consider different types of situations that deal with values and know how you

stand on them.

8. Remember your own childhood. What did you like about growing up? What do

you want to avoid when raising your kids? Thinking back to how your parents

raised you can give you answers to both questions.

9. It’s not too early to start creating family traditions. Creating traditions is

important for the future when you are planning for a family. Begin now to

create wonderful holiday and other special traditions throughout the year.

10. Take a part-time job at a daycare center to hone your skills. Working often

with children will give you a chance to develop and practice your parenting

skills. You’ll encounter many situations that will give you a chance to think

creatively about how you can apply love, understanding, and discipline all at the

same time.

Raising a family can be very difficult in today’s world. It makes sense for you to plan for

children ahead of time. Use these tips to find ways to gain parenting skills before you

have children. You’ll build confidence and peace of mind as you build your skills.

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