Parenting a Newborn with Your Partner: How to Get on the Same Page
First, let’s take out the parenting part and just focus on getting on the same page. Before that new arrival even gets here, everyone needs to know that life itself is about to change. It's not about your baby fitting into your schedule — it's about you fitting into theirs. Everyone from the parents to the pets have to be willing to readjust. It's all hands on deck! Change is coming so buckle up and get ready for this amazing ride.
The key to getting on the same page is communication. I'm not talking about talking at each other. I am not talking about a quick, on the fly conversation. I'm talking about an uninterrupted, distraction-free, we are both in a good mood, we have all the time in the world, conversation. I am taking about speaking and listening with understanding. Communication is just as much about listening, if not more than speaking. I'll put it to you like this....the same way you sit down and discuss major life decisions such as purchasing a home together, is the same way you should sit down and discuss what life is going to look like when this new addition arrives.
Being on the same page doesn't just stop with you and your partner. Once the two of you have a game plan, then it's time to fill in the village. This includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, etc. Making sure they are on the same page as the two of you is just as important as making sure the two of you are on the same page. Your village is your support system. They're there to lift you up, encourage you, and lend those helping hands when needed. Explain their roles to them, and the need for their support. This could range from them respecting your boundaries, to scheduling times when they’re available to lend a helping hand.
Your baby is going to come with its own manual. However, the only way you'll be able to understand that manual is if you have some level of clarity. Being on the same page isn't just about the dos and don’ts of parenting. It's about saving your relationship with your partner, family and friends. Most of all, saving your sanity. If you don't digest the top portion of this blog and take it to heart it's going to be a hard, uphill battle. Listen to your Nanny Connie so you can enjoy this amazing new journey together.
This post was written by "The Nanny Connie Way-Secrets to Mastering the First Four Months of Parenthood" Author Nanny Connie Simpson
Nanny Connie has been taking care of children for over 30 years. Her upbringing and education gave her the tools needed to help families of all backgrounds. Now she is on a mission to share her knowledge through various projects including a nanny and parenting resource website, a product line, and a book, The Nanny Connie Way. Connie began working as a baby nurse for two professional parents who desperately needed help with their newborn. Through word-of-mouth, she was soon a sought-after nanny and was hired by powerhouses in the business world. From there, she became one of the most in-demand baby nurses to many different celebrities including Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel, Emily Blunt & John Krasinski, Jessica Alba & Cash Warren, Brooke Shields & Chris Henchy and Lucy and Matt Damon.