| "A new baby is like the beginning of all
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| | Parents, leave your old baggage!
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| things--wonder, hope, a dream of
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| | Do not pollute your new life with your
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| possibilities." (Eda J. Le Shan)
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| | spouse and children by bringing in old
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| The Transition to Parenthood
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| | pain and luggage from the past. Instead
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| Becoming a parent is a major lifestyle
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| | promote healing and closure for your new
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| change that can be very rewarding yet
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| | life ahead of you.
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| very stressful. Consider the following
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| | Parents, no deposit, no return
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| advice on how to make this step more
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| | It is important to work on your emotional
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| easily in your new job as a parent.
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| | I.Q. You need to make an investment in
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| Parenthood is a step into a new lifestyle
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| | yourself. You are like a tank of gas in
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| It is important to be aware that you will
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| | your car. If all you do is drain your
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| be challenged to make changes in your
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| | tank of gasoline (or in other words your
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| life of being single and may be resistant
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| | energy source) you will run out of gas
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| to those changes. Welcome and embrace the
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| | and end up emotionally bankrupt. Taking
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| change as a challenge to your new life as
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| | care of yourself, is taking care of
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| a parent.
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| | others. By investing in yourself you will
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| Parents need to recognize the importance
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| | have more to give your children.
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| of a mother and a father in a child's
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| | Parents, make time for your spouse
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| life
| |
| | Nurture your relationship with each
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| Even though mothers usually tend to be
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| | other. It is important that you have an
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| the primary parent in the child's life,
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| | occasional night out alone together. If
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| fathers have a very important role in the
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| | you cultivate your relationship with your
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| life and identity of the child. A study
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| | spouse, you are giving a wonderful gift
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| on parent-infant attachment found that
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| | to your children.
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| fathers who were affectionate, spent time
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| | Parents, remember children replicate what
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| with their children, and overall had a
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| | they see
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| positive attitude were more likely to
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| | If kids are exposed to tension, strife,
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| have securely attached infants.
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| | confusing, fighting or anger they will
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| (Cox, 1992)
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| | replicate the behavior as well as
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| In a 26 year longitudinal study on 379
| |
| | internalize it. Kids echo was they are
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| individuals, researchers found that the
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| | subject to, whether positive or negative.
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| single most important childhood factor in
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| | Putting it all together
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| developing empathy is paternal
| |
| | Look forward to a new life of hope,
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| involvement. Fathers who spent time alone
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| | challenges, love, nurturing, interaction
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| with their kids performing routine
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| | and change. You will be truly amazed at
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| childcare at least two times a week,
| |
| | what your growth, learning and
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| raised children who were the most
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| | enlightenment as a new parent!
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| compassionate adults. (Koestner, 1990)
| |
| | "We never know the love of a parent till
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| A new Cincinnati Children's Hospital
| |
| | we become parents ourselves." (Henry Ward
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| Medical Center study points to the
| |
| | Beecher)
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| important role fathers play in their
| |
| | References
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| children's emotional and behavioral
| |
| | Cox, M.J. et al. "Prediction of
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| health. The study shows that a father in
| |
| | Infant-Father and Infant-Mother
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| good mental health can substantially
| |
| | Attachment." Developmental Psychology 28
|
| reduce the negative influence of a
| |
| | (1992): 474-483.
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| mother's poor mental health on a child's
| |
| | Khan, R., Brandt, D., & Whitaker, R.
|
| behavioral and emotional well-being. "If
| |
| | (2004, August 8). Combined Effect of
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| a mother and father are depressed, the
| |
| | Mothers' and Fathers' Mental Health
|
| odds that a child will have behavioral or
| |
| | Symptoms on Children's Behavioral and
|
| emotional problems go up eight-fold,"
| |
| | Emotional Well-being. ARCHIVES OF
|
| according to Robert S. Kahn, MD, MPH, a
| |
| | PEDIATRICS & ADOLESCENT MEDICINE, 158(8),
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| physician / researcher in the Division of
| |
| | 1.
|
| General and Community Pediatrics at
| |
| | Koestner, Richard, Carol Franz, and Joel
|
| Cincinnati Children's and the study's
| |
| | Weinberger. "The Family Origins of
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| lead author. (Khan, Brandt, & Whitaker,
| |
| | Empathic Concern: A Twenty-Six Year
|
| 2004)
| |
| | Longitudinal study." Journal of
|
| In another study According to a Gallup
| |
| | Personality and Social Psychology 58
|
| Poll, 90.3 percent of Americans agree
| |
| | (1990): 709-717.
|
| that "fathers make a unique contribution
| |
| | Gallup Poll, 1996. National Center for
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| to their children's lives." (Gallup,
| |
| | Fathering. "Father Figures." Today's
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| 1996)
| |
| | Father 4.1 (1996):8.
|
