The day of labor has come and gone with your new baby girl or boy being brought into the world. Now, you are a father, which means someone else will depend on you and his or her mother for all of its needs. This moment can be both the most enjoyable moment in one’s life as well as the scariest as the same time. Having a child is one of the greatest gifts of mankind, but with a newborn comes responsibility that many do not understand. However, becoming a father is not all responsibility, late nights, and dirty diapers, but it is a chance to give someone the ability to create a life for him or herself and enjoy all of the wonderful opportunities that abound in life. No matter what the sex of your child, you can always enjoy activities for both sexes although one should keep in mind to not attempt to live your child’s life for him or her based on what you like. By keeping a few things in mind, you will be able to create a household that will hold many years of family enjoyment, trials, tribulations, and memories that will last for a lifetime.
Be Prepared
When it comes to your newborn baby whether it be boy or girl, you can never be too prepared. Creating an environment for your child before he or she comes home from the hospital is always suggested. This means that the nursery should already be painted, the crib and bedding should already be purchased, and anything essential to the infants health should be at the ready. Bottles, wipes, powders, toys and any other items that are necessary to create a comfortable setting should be in their right place. It may sound odd or hokey, but preparing yourself by acting out small emergencies can be very helpful. For instance, the baby had a bowel movement that leaked through the diaper onto your brand new carpet. What do you do? Having certain cleaning supplies in a separate closet can be very helpful although one should always keep these supplies separate from any type of baby supplies to ensure there is no mix up. Rehearsing this event may involve walking to the supply closet and pretending to take out the carpet cleaner, spray the area, place the cleaner back in its place, and take the baby to the proper changing area. When prepared, it will only take about thirty seconds to treat the stain and get the baby to the changing table, which is a negligible amount of time for baby to have a dirty diaper.
Accept Your Mistakes Before They Happen
Although practically every father will pledge on his soul to be the best parent he can possibly be, mistakes are inevitable. Mistakes are a way of life and are necessary to grow. It is best for one to realize that he is or never has been perfect. Mistakes are a valuable way of life teaching father’s what to do and what not to do. For instance, a father may want to never let his child leave his line of sight. However, eventually the father will have to learn that he cannot protect the child each and every minute of the day. Upon realizing this, the new father will have to come to terms with accidents and other negative consequences that could arise and know that these things can’t be avoided. Although it is natural for a father to be overprotective, the day will come when that same father will understand that he cannot live the child’s life for them. The best thing to do is realize he can learn from mistakes and help his child do the same. There are no fool-proof methods to becoming a father. However, by following a few guidelines and paying attention, you will become the best father you can possibly be.