To the rad dad's (and mom's doing the work of two) I wish you a very special day filled with love and blessings... and a few laughs of course! To get you started, here are a few Father's Day gems sure to make you smile. Because you of all people know... Dad-ing without a sense of humor is a shitty way to to survive parenting's little up, downs and fuckinghellareyoukiddingmerightnows...
It’s an exciting time in your life when you’re preparing to welcome a new baby into the world. It’s a whole new experience when you’re a first-time parent, but what if you have a child or two already? This is another experience altogether. It’s important that while you’re preparing for a new baby that you remember to help your other child or children understand what’s going on. Welcoming another member of the family can be challenging when your little one (or ones) already like things the way they are. Here are five tips to help prepare a child for a new sibling.
1. Answer Questions Simply
Your child may have lots of questions about the baby, so be ready to answer them. Keep the answers simple and phrase them in a way your child will hopefully understand. Be as honest as possible, but you don’t need to go into details. It’s not necessarily time for “the talk” just because your three-year-old asked where babies come from. Let your child know he or she can ask any questions, and you will do your best to answer.
2. Explain What to Expect
Children understand more than many adults give them credit for, so don’t underestimate explaining to your child just what to expect. You can talk about what happens when mommy goes to the hospital (and if your child will be staying with a friend or relative) and what will happen when the baby comes home. This is good to start well in advance so your child knows what’s coming before it actually happens.
If you need to go shopping for baby clothes and other items or ready a nursery for your new little one, let your child help with the preparations. He or she can help pick some of the new clothes the baby will wear or assist (as well as he or she can) in setting up the new baby’s room. Your child might even feel a sense of pride in helping to get everything ready.
4. Introduce the New Baby Soon
As soon as possible after the baby is born, you should introduce your child to the new baby. As an added gesture of love, you can have a special big brother or big sister present from the baby to your child. If possible, maybe get mom, dad, and all children together alone for some bonding time with their new little family.
You can help your child adjust to the new baby at home by involving them with different tasks to help you. This can be something as simple as sitting with you while you’re feeding the baby or grabbing a diaper during changing time. Your child might feel special by contributing help for mommy and the new baby.
Every child adjusts differently to having a new sibling. Be sure to take the time to still let your child know you love him or her. Take it step by step, be patient, and listen to your child to address any concerns. It might “take some time, but eventually, you all should be able to effectively transition to your newnormal
NOTE: This is the conclusion to yesterday's post, The Mistake So Many First Time Parents Make, where I shared a back and forth email between myself and a reader exposing the ugly truths behind control-freak (first-time) moms, and dads either not sure what to do or are getting away with doing the minimum. Today's post is a continuation of the email exchange, and the magic that happens when you communicate with your parenting partner to create a better balance.
Now, where we left off yesterday was me telling Kate, "It's important to be open with Will about feeling overwhelmed, but also know you take on too much by your own accord. This is what happened when Kate talked to her husband: KATE:Guess what?! Hubby is currently upstairs putting George to sleep for the first time... Fingers crossed.
ME: Yaaaaaaaaaay!!! Bravo. Small steps. I'm so happy for you!! Let me know how it goes!
KATE:8:08pm, George is asleep, kitchen is cleaned up and I am sitting on the couch!!! Heaven!
I look back to the first year of parenting where I was a scared, control freak first-time parent. I was so full of anxiety, I couldn't sit down. I was constantly rushing around doing one thing or another to ensure my son was well fed, cared for and in a sterile safe environment. Then, at the end of the day, I would plop down on the couch exhausted, resenting the hell out of my husband for not helping me.
He insisted he would help if he knew what to do or I didn't bitch at him for doing things wrong. He also expressed frustration about me constantly standing over him telling when and what to do with his son because of the, "routine".
It's true, that routine was everything to me and having everything just right was important to me, too. Even though the new-parent anxiety was plentiful enough to keep me on the move, mentally and physically I was falling apart.
What's sad is that my husband is an exceptional father, and fought me every step of the way to prove that. I just struggled so much with how his ways were not like mine, and at the time, I thought my ways were the best. I was such a bitch! (Sorry, baby. I love you!)
Please learn from me on this one, if you resent your parenting partner because you carry the majority of the load, take a look at the reason why. Is it because you won't let your partner do anything? Or when you do, you critique everything to the point of berating their parenting ways? Or is your partner a lazy shit that needs a fire lit under their ass?
Regardless, if you are worn out and need help and it's sitting on the couch in the other room, speak up, step back, delegate. Something. Find a way to open the line of communication, like Kate did, to create a better parenting balance. Trust me, your entire family will benefit from you relaxing a little.
One of the hardest lessons for me to learn about parenting so far is the importance of standing back and letting FTD be a 'dad', even if I found his ways silly, unconventional, and down right obnoxious.
Starting the minute we brought our son home from the hospital, I stood over FTD's shoulder directing and correcting him whenever he tried to care for our son. I couldn't help it! I felt this overwhelming need to micromanage his every step. I was positive my ways were the best, and I don't mean that in a malicious I am better than him way, I was just sure that the natural gift of the mother's instinct made it so I knew things that he didn't. Well, it turns out, he had a father's instinct...
**This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gillette at Sam’s Club for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
When I met my husband, in a hotel in Vienna Austria, he took my breath away. So cute, so strong, smooth face... I was smitten to say the least.
Looking back, I can't say for sure if I would have given him a second look if he was burly and beard-y, because I was so smitten, but as a rule, I like my man's face silky smooth.
That being said, there are times when a bit of beard is OK. But that's pretty much only when no razor is in sight and I'm trying to find the bright side...
Smitten. I'm just smitten with him.
However, I still will always prefer a smooth silky face I can snuggle up to and smooch without being pricked by stubble.
You can imagine how freaked out I was when the Hipster's ushered in the beard-trend. I immediately threatened my husband that if he even thought about it, I would shave his face wheel he was sleeping.
Then assured him, that would be the last thing he wants.
Being that I am so open with my opinions about my husband' face and how he should shave, I do feel it is my duty to provide him with a great razor. I even went to far once, and got him a complete shaving kit, with the brush, soap and special razor.
HE NEVER TOUCHED IT!
My man insists that he loves his Gillette razors. So, I buy those.
That all being said, when I see a new 'latest and greatest razor com on the market, I buy it... Hoping, its the perfect razor for both of us! (Yes, I buy my own first, No sharing allowed, per my husband's rules.)
Yea, I use a man's razor. It works SO MUCH BETTER than a 'woman's'. Plus, it's a lot cheaper for us to sync up on razors, so I can just buy the refills for us to share.
When I was offered to the opportunity to let my husband test out the new Gillette Fusion ProShield, I jumped on it! I could tell my husband was bored with his old razor, plus, it was time to invest in new refills. I grabbed our pack of Gillette Fusion ProSheild razor and cartridges at Sam's Club for under $50. the pack included, one razor and nine cartridges! That's going to last us MONTHS!
I have to admit, FTD was a bit skeptical at first of the claims for lubrication before and after the blades. But I told him that was his only option and to try it; 5 blades, pivoting head and top-to-bottom lubrication.
Heck, I couldn't wait to try it!
Sure enough, it was magic. FTD said he got the smoothest shave, with no discomfort and "kind of easy and fast to use."
I'm sure just by taking one look at the Gillette Fusion ProSheild, you can see how quickly I fell in love with it!
If you are looking for a razor that will keep your man's face silky smooth, with little to no discomfort and lots and lots of softness, I cannot recommend enough checking out the Gillette Fusion ProShield.
While Gillette Fusion ProShield razor and blades is now available in stores everywhere, grab it at Sam's Club to save big bucks!
Or better yet, leave a comment or share this post for a chance to win a Sam's Club Gift Card and grab it for free!
