Our culture is one that promises quick fixes, from 6 minute abs (or is it 8 minutes? I don't know. I wait for cold season and hope I get a cough strong and persistent enough to get mine back on track) to "Thirty Days to a Happy Kid." It's become hard to see the benefit of putting in hard work for the long term. But as Jess Lahey points out in this essay for Motherlode, parenting is "a long haul Job."
Children dont take a direct path to adulthood; they wander. They are less concerned with our elaborate timelines and checklists than the fairy houses and climbing trees they spot along the side of the road.
Stop fretting about the progress of one week, or even one school year. Occasionally look back to see how far they've come and move forward with the knowledge it's all coming. (Especially if you've got a potty training toddler...)
Read the entire piece on the Motherlode: Parenting, Not for the Moment, But for the Long Haul
There's been a lot of change for dads in a short period of time. Today they work as many hours as previous generations, but do three times the childcare and twice the housework as dads a generation ago. In this interview, Scott Behson, PhD, author of "The Working Dad's Survival Guide" talks about how working dads can create a more balanced life of family, work, and self, and how employers can help make it happen.
With a few practical tips and strategies in place, you can stay on top of your other responsibilities so you don’t feel overwhelmed by too many changes at once.
Being a new parent can feel lonely. Here are some ways to get out there and make new friends - and nurture your existing relationships (even while exhausted).
ParentCo.
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