I’m Talking to You!...First Time Moms 30 and Older!

I have my doctorate in early childhood education.  That in itself was backwards!  I pretty much raised my children first—and THEN got the doctorate! My doctoral courses and the textbook practices on developmentally appropriate activities  for stages of growth and development of babies to…blah, blah, blah…didn’t match up to what I experienced as a three time mom of two boys and a girl. 

And so it is with a heavy heart that I tell all of you first time moms to stop reading all those baby books-- you know the ones you have stacked sky high on your coffee tables! It won’t make you smarter, only more confused.  Thirty plus mothers quiver at the thought of making a mistake.  News flash:  Babies won’t break.  And someone should tell you that you’ll make most of your mistakes on the first child.  That’s why birth order matters.  If you could only start out with child #2!  With all the wisdom you’ve gained from reading that stack of baby books over and over, and with baby #1 as a reference point,  you might foolishly believe you’ll be more confident and –bonus—more relaxed in your child rearing.  Another news flash!  Baby #2 won’t be as perfect as you think!  And if you have 3 kids, kid #2 will most assuredly have “Middle Child Syndrome”!

Oh well, my first tip is to relax the first time around.  You’re going to find this tip hard, so have a nice glass of wine at night after baby goes to sleep, now that you are not pregnant anymore, or a favorite non-alcoholic drink with a twist of lime if you are nursing, and enjoy all that parenting coming your way. This blog should bring some sanity into your life and take some of the pressure off you.  I will be the voice of reason—at least with a doctorate you can make believe I am!  Remember, relax and learn to laugh at the shear craziness of parenting!  I know you’ll be reading this blog regularly—you’re too conscientious not to!!!