3 Practices Every New Mom Should Start as Soon as Possible

Every new parent has a list a mile long of things they know they’re planning to do as their children age. Their family has a lot of fun to look forward to! It can be complicated to figure out how to establish those things as children age, though. What kinds of practices should families begin, even as they are just beginning? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Create Traditions

Families love to establish traditions, especially for holidays. This can get overwhelming, of course, as you mix things which each partner’s birth family did growing up. It’s perfectly fine and normal to get rid of any traditions which no longer suit your home. You don’t have to, for example, always have to make hundreds of cookies to decorate, unless this causes you joy! If something else like getting Thai food on Christmas Eve rather than decorating cookies brings you more joy, do that instead! Traditions are made to serve YOU, not the other way around.

Set Up a Daily Routine

Setting up daily routines for hygiene and bedtime will help your children immensely. According to Stellar Family Orthodontics, poor oral health during childhood is one of the leading causes of crooked teeth in adults. Likewise, you want children to go to bed on time and with the least amount of stress as possible. Establishing routines can be complicated for non-neurotypical children, and it’s important to not be angry at yourself if you have problems with bath times or potty training. Routines occur bit by bit, and need tweaking to fit the needs of each family.

Establish Boundaries and Consent

According to Evolve, establishing healthy boundaries and encouraging body consent with children helps both them and you considerably. When they have choices in what they eat, wear, and do to a certain extent, small ones feel more confident and securely attached. Likewise, when they learn they have the right to refuse kisses, hugs, or other contact as toddlers, this knowledge continues when they are teenagers and adults, which you very much want!

Look: you’re not going to do any of this “correctly,” but there is no perfection in parenting. Do your best and regroup when you must. Traditions, routines, and even boundaries don’t need to be done perfectly to make your world better!

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