Parents’ Best Chance

Growing as a Parent

Your Parenting Dreams

You have wonderful opportunities to care for, nurture, and help your baby become happy and healthy. While you read the words of other parents, think about the kind of parent you would like to be.

I want to be a parent who:

is there whenever my baby needs me
feeds my baby whenever and wherever she or he is hungry
keeps my baby safe
keeps my baby as healthy as possible
plays with my baby every chance I get
helps my baby explore the world
listens to my baby
reads and sings to my baby
knows when to walk away and cool down
knows when to seek advice and help
makes time to look after my own health.

Think about your parenting dreams and write down a few goals you can use to guide your parenting. If you have a partner, try this activity together.

For more information on building an emotional attachment with your baby, click here.

Parenting Support Team

A strong support team is one of the most important resources you can have as a parent. It can help you be the parent you want to be. Once you leave pregnancy behind and start to care for and nurture your baby, you will find that you need new members on your health care and personal support teams.

For more information about health care and personal support teams, click here.

Taking Care of Your Relationship

Parenting a baby can be a very stressful time in a relationship. It is easy for parents to neglect each other because the baby can take most of the focus and energy of the family. It is important that you find time to take care of your relationship.

Here are some ways in which you can nurture your relationship:

Go on regular dates together. Write them on your calendar and have a babysitter or trusted family member take care of your baby.
Make mid‑week dates, even if it is just for a coffee. Use this time to reconnect.
Make time for a healthy sexual relationship. For more information about having sex after the birth of your baby, click here.
If possible, travel to and from work together.
Take an evening class together.
Plan and cook meals together.
Connect every day. This could be some quiet time before your baby is up in the morning or after bed in the evening. Even 10 minutes to talk about the day may work.

Parenting on Your Own

Being a single parent can be hard work. You may be struggling with increased financial pressures or with trying to juggle your time and energy between your many demands. You may be going to school or working while carrying the full load of parenting. You may find yourself having to work long hours, leaving little time for yourself and your baby.

Families of any description build strong connections by:

Creating a stable, nurturing home. Your baby will thrive in a loving environment with routines that are predictable.

Developing support. Build support for your baby and yourself through family, friends, and community. Try to find people who can provide emotional support, companionship, emergency help, child care, and other help and support.

Giving your baby quality time. It’s not just the amount of time that you spend with her or him that counts; it’s what you do when you are together. Try to support, encourage, and listen to your baby.

Finding time. If you are looking for more time with your baby, be creative. Maybe your employer will be flexible with your hours. Arrange to trade babysitting with other single parents. Join activities with other parents and their babies.

Taking care of yourself. Don’t forget about yourself and your own health. Eat a healthy diet, get exercise, and try to get enough sleep. Find ways to take care of yourself—whether it is taking a nap, playing a sport, reading a book, or learning relaxation techniques. For more information about caring for yourself, click here.