Stages Of Being A Parent That No One Talks About

By Tom Pearson 11 months ago

Before The Birth: The Nerves Are Too Much To Handle!

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Before your newborn arrives, you will be full of nerves and excitement. This is totally normal for both parents, as even if it isn't your first baby, you will still be wary of the unexpected. The nerves settle down quickly, and friend and family are there to help.

The Late Nights: They Take More Of A Toll Than You'd Expect

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Everyone tells you about the late nights, and all of the sleepless ones too, but you still don't realize how long and sleepless those nights actually are. At first they seem like they will drag on forever, but rest assured that one day you will sleep well again!

Curiosity - A Stage People Often Don't Anticipate

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The curiosity stage is the point in your new babies life when they really start to develop, and turn into a real small person. Your baby becomes curious about their surroundings and wants to know more about all the sights sounds and smells they are experiencing.

Grabby Hands: Keep EVERYTHING Out Of Reach

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Babies and keys seem like an unlikely duo, but you may have seen many young children totally enamored with shiny keys. In fact, at this stage in your babies life they will be interested in everything and using their new motor skills to grab at things.

Walking Stage: It's So Rewarding But So Difficult

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The walking stage is a big step in your child's life. This is the start of their journey to independence, and you will see them up and about a lot from this day forward. The walking stage is a monumental day for first time parents, and a great memory. Be careful though, now that your little one is walking, it's much harder to keep tabs on them!

Talking Stage: Watch What You Say Around Your Children, They Take In More Than You Think

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The talking stage is of course the time that your baby finds their voice, and they love to use it. You may find your child rambling on and on about everything presented to them, and they always decide to pipe up at the worst possible and most embarrassing time.

Shouting And Screaming: It's SO Taxing!

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The shouting and screaming stage usually comes very shortly after your baby finds out how to speak. Keen to show off their new skills, your baby will want to shout as loud as they can for as long as they can, wherever and whenever they get the chance.

Crying: It Will Probably Be Worse For You Than Your Baby!

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Crying is actually a good sign when your baby is first born, as it shows they are telling you that something is wrong with them. Your baby might start crying more as they enter the toddler years, as they will start teething, which is a very painful process.

The Toddler Years (The Terrible Two's!)

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The toddler years is the time that your baby gets to put all of their new found skills to use, all at once. When your baby hits two or three years old, they start to wander around independently and tell people exactly what they think... all of the time!

Discipline Stage: Your Children Ar3en't As Perfect As You Think!

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Everyone is guilty of looking at their child with rose tinted spectacles, but as they become more confident you need to show some discipline. Telling your child off when they are naughty is a good way to tell them that they have done wrong and should apologize.

Going To School

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As your child has lived in your presence for their whole life, then it is understandable when they get upset at you leaving. Leaving your child for their first day at school can actually be upsetting for some parents too, as it shows how quickly they grow up.

Learning From Others

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When your child goes to school, or meets some new friends, they are going to learn skills and behaviors from them. The good skills and behaviors should be nurtured and nourished, and the bad or unwanted behavior should be rectified as soon as possible.

First Stage Of Independence

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There comes a time in your child's school life that they begin to become fully independent. They begin to cook for themselves, walk themselves to school and generally look after themselves, showing you that they are becoming a responsible young adult.

Beginning To Care For Themselves

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Caring for themselves totally is a scary point for a lot of parents. This time can feel like you are becoming more redundant, but rest assured that whenever you child is in need they will always come to their parents for advice before speaking to anyone else.

Coaching Them

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When your child becomes more independent, they don't learn as much, but do need more coaching in life. Coaching is different from teaching, as rather than telling them what to do, you simply point them in the right direction and let them learn for them self.

The Arguments

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As your child grows up, they begin to develop their own opinions on how things in life should be. Just like any other person, they may have opinions that differ from your own, and this is the source of many arguments. Get ready for these years to be tense...

The Pre-Teen Years

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Ages 11 and 12 are a tough time for parents more than the children. Your child is quite happy to become their own person, but it can be tough for parents to allow them to develops, as it seems as though your babies are slipping away from who they once were.

Friends Over Family

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As your child is becoming a fully fledged teenager, they begin to be out of the house a little more and would rather spend their time with friends rather than family. Many children grow out of this stage and develop a healthy balance between the two.

Moody Teenager

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We have all been there, and every child will go there at some point. From around age 15, and for the next three to four years, your child will seem moody and distant. It seems nothing you can do is right for them, and they will throw things back in your face.

Coming Out Of The Teenage Years

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Your child will slowly leave the teenager years behind and begin to seem like.... well, a normal person. Everyone looks back at their teenage years and cringes a little, as we really thought we knew it all. Thankfully, everyone develops and moves past this stage.

Becoming An Adult

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As your child enters their twenties, they become a fully fledged adult and begin to act and look like just another twenty something person. You no longer need to care for your children as they are their own person with deep seated life views and opinions.

The Friends Years

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Now that your child is an adult too, you actually become friends with them rather than just their parent. This tends to make a lot of parent child relationships stronger, and you will find that you and your child barely ever get into arguments any more.

The Childish Fun

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As your child is grown up now, you can reminisce with them about the days when they were a baby, or tell tales of memorable events that happened in their life time. This is a great time to look back at all you have both come through, and a special moment.

Helping Them Into Adulthood

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Helping your child become a responsible adult is very necessary for some parents and totally not needed for others. Some children grow up and can look after themselves with no outside help, whereas some adults need a little bit of guidance along the way.

Moving Out For College

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When your child moves out of the family home to attend college or another form of further education, it can feel like that first day you sent them off to school. The nerves will by high for both parties, and you may actually feel sad when they leave.

Finding A Partner

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Every parent only wants the best for their child, so seeing them settle down with a partner that you like as well is a bonus. No parent wants their child to get into a bad relationship, so if you end up bringing another child into your family then that is great!

Settling Down Away From Home

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With their new partner, your child might decide to move out for good and settle down away from home. Settling down further away can seem scary at first for both the parent and child, but thanks to modern technology it is easier than ever to keep in contact.

Helping With Money

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A tense talk often has money at the heart of it, so be prepared for your child to come to you one day due to issues with cash flow. They may need to borrow just a little to get out of a pinch, or a lot to buy that dream home. Either way, they will come to you first.

Getting Married

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An emotional day for parents and children alike, the day you see your child get married is a special moment to be a part of. This is usually a once in a lifetime event, and your child wants you to be there more than almost anyone else at the wedding.

Becoming A Grandparent

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Becoming a grandparent is just like becoming a parent all over again. Only this time, you know all of the tricks of the trade and are able to help your child through the process. You get to re do all of your parenting mistakes and become a great grandparent!