The week my son turns one, I feel a range of emotions. There is some grief that the baby stage must end, but there is also great enthusiasm for what comes next. I enjoyed the first year of my baby. I want to express my feelings regarding my baby’s first year. This article describes lessons I learned in my baby’s first year.
I am using his first birthday to reflect on the most significant lessons I will remember long after we’ve blown out the candle on his birthday cake in a year that has brought thousands of small and large lessons. Therefore, as we begin his second year of life, I pledge to remember the amazing lessons I learned in my baby’s first year.
Amazing Lessons I Learned in My Baby’s First Year
Each parent learns a lot of amazing experiences from their baby’s first year. The following are lessons I learned in my baby’s first year:
Each Child is Unique
It was challenging for me to remember that every infant and every child is unique, even as an early childhood educator. Suzy’s baby didn’t do this, I kept telling myself as my child cried for hours on end. I started to understand that my son was his person and that all I could do was get to know him and attend to his specific needs after I took a deep breath (which I also learnt to do a lot of).
Accept the Assistance of Family and Friends
We had close family and friends by our sides the entire time, from the moment my team of doctors decided to induce me and bring my little child into the world. No matter how much you might want to be a super father, it would help if you occasionally had a helping hand. It took a lot for me to ask for help, but those extra meals, hours spent watching the kids, and wise counsel meant the world to me.
No Longer Google Dr
Today’s new parents have the Internet at their disposal, which is both a blessing and a curse—3 a.m. You may do more harm than good when looking up information regarding your baby’s red skin on Google. I gave Google three minutes to diagnose measles, mumps, and scarlet fever in my son. I have discovered that I can tell when anything needs medical attention.
Rely on My Intuition
There are countless publications, websites, and even strangers that are eager to offer advice on how to raise your child. But despite how perplexing those various voices in my head can be, I have realised that no matter what, my husband and I are the only people who truly understand our child (and yes, this often includes friends and family). We have a few reliable advisors we turn to when we are unsure of anything. The opinions of others become background noise.
Each Day Brings a Fresh Adventure
In a year, babies go through so much growth and change. They show you something new every day. Every day is so fresh for them and you, whether they learn to crawl or fall asleep when you want them to. I discovered that just because something occurred, yesterday doesn’t necessarily guarantee it will occur again. Additionally, I have become more adept at going with the flow.
More Humour
My son has always enjoyed hearing me laugh since we first felt him moving about in the womb. He would wriggle and kick inside of me whether we were watching a movie or my husband was attempting to make me laugh. When he was in the newborn critical care unit, our laughter calmed him and helped maintain the ideal oxygen levels in his blood. My husband and I constantly remember to laugh over everything that comes our way after observing the effects of our laughter on our son. You are late for another family gathering. We find it amusing! Green beans that are mushy all over the carpet? We find it amusing!
It is Acceptable to Make Errors
Nobody is flawless, but I will admit I felt like I had to be when I brought my child home. I believed that any small error would have a long-lasting impact on his progress. I discovered that I would make errors as a parent, and that’s acceptable, with the support of encouraging family and friends (and caffeine) along the way. Small errors are OK as long as my son is content and healthy.
This is not a Race
I had no concept that the parenting industry was so cutthroat before I became a father. And one of the things I realised is that because social media plays such a big role in our daily lives, competitiveness is heightened by all the movies, images, and status updates our parents and friends post. Sometimes, checking my Facebook account made me wonder about my son’s overall emotional and physical growth. But I have come to understand that despite how it may seem at times, this is not a race, and there isn’t truly a ‘finish line’. Then I review lessons 2, 3, and 6 to remind myself that every child develops at their own pace, to believe my gut when deciding whether to seek professional advice and to chuckle at how upset I became after watching a three-second video of an unidentified infant taking their first steps.
Reduce Speed
Considering our busy lives, this is challenging, but I have learnt to slow down and appreciate every minute. We have attempted to tone down the craziness because, as a couple, our weekends were usually jam-packed with activities. We always make time for family and friends but also set aside time to spend together. I want to fully appreciate these stages because my little son will only go through them once.
More Self-Love
Self-love is one of the most amazing lessons I learned in my baby’s first year. I knew I was a role model when I saw my son’s ear-to-ear grin the first time he saw me enter a room. I was reminded to take better care of myself and to love myself more since I knew this new life was watching every step I made. Besides, I have noticed that I have been reflecting more on my diet (and the meals I make for him), how much exercise we get each day, and our general health and well-being. I have always valued living an active, healthy lifestyle, but now that I have a little child in my life who is learning from my decisions, I realise how crucial it is to continue on the right path.
The past year has taught me more about who I am, my family, and the world than I could have imagined. I feel incredibly prepared for the following chapter since I know from year one in my back pocket. Year 2, please; I cannot wait to see your plans.
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