Time, Stress, And A Baby
|
The main thing we noticed since having a baby is that time is a more valuable good. We do not have enough time for many things or time is really tight to accomplish certain tasks before the next feeding time has come. Think about feeding. The little one needs to be fed every 3 hours. Take approx. 15 minutes for the preparation, diaper change, cuddling, etc. before the actual feeding. Now take 30 minutes for the actual feeding, burping, holding and interacting with the baby. This really leaves you with approx. 2 hours and 15 minutes (if all goes well, the baby goes to sleep and does not wake up, etc.)
So, what can you really in a little more than 2 hours? Think about it. If you have to go somewhere you have to dress the baby, put him in the car seat, pack a diaper bag, etc. and you lose even more time. Shopping 15 minutes away from home suddenly becomes a challenge because your available time is suddenly less than one hour. Did you ever wonder why you see so many Moms speeding on the highway? Well, there you go .....
After realizing how much (or better how little) time a new parent has available it can be a good thing to time certain events and use the results to plan your day or week with the timing results. A well planned week with plenty of options to switch items around will reduce the stress level significantly. Always keep in mind that the baby sets the rules and that things take twice as long as they used to do before you had the baby. Planning daily and weekly events gets important in areas like buying food. Usually it does not work very well to push the grocery shopping from Monday morning to Friday afternoon the same week.
Writing down the tasks and appointments for the next week every Sunday might be a good option for you if you feel really stressed during the week. Try to combine shopping and other errands you need to run. A 5 minute extension of driving distance to a second store with a 15 minute extension of shopping time can save you a complete trip the next day and take out all the trip preparation from your schedule. Instead of rushing to run errands the next day you could have one trip (which most likely stresses you out anyway) with combined tasks. This tactical approach can result in less wear and tear on yourself and on your baby. It actually can save you money and resources (gasoline, wear and tear on your car, etc.).
All parents (including myself) often tend to forget these simple things when it comes to planning the day ahead. Get back some time for yourself and spend it on things you enjoy.
About The Author
Christoph Puetz is a successful Entrepreneur and international book author.
Websites operated by Christoph Puetz are Pregnancy Announcements and First Time Pregnancy as well as Marketing Help.
This article can be published by anyone as long as the resource box (About the Author) is posted on the website including the links. These links must be clickable.
|
|
|
The Most Innovative New Approach For Adhd, A Natural Remedy
What's new and effective in the treatment of Attention problems? A powerful intervention that is clinically tested with computerized testing, not merely parent reports, has been available to the public since 1997, but is little known.
It is an ov...(related: Parenting)
Over-focused Adhd
The least flexible character in all of the stories of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin has got to be Rabbit. Oh, he can get a lot of things done, and he's the one character who will be prepared when winter comes, but he has a very hard time shifting from one activity to another. He is absolutely "task oriented" and is focused to whatever that task might be.
The person with "Over-Focused ADHD" is much the same. He has trouble shifting attention from one activity to another, and he frequently "gets stuck" in loops of negative thoughts. He can be obsessive, and very inflexible. He can also be oppositional and argumentative to parents. He may be like a "bull dog" and not give up until he gets his way, or until his worn-out parents finally say, "yes," to his 100th request for something. His p...(related: Parenting)
How To Parent Your Teen Effectively
Maintain CommunicationEven though teens need to separate from their parents during adolescence, they also need to know that the safety net of home and family is always there for them. If the lines of communication are shut down, they are not yet capable of surviving emotionally; they need support and input. Let's take a look at a few guidelines for keeping the lines of communication open between parents and teenagers.1. Pay attention to the small things along with the significant things. If you are generally a good listener, your teen will be more likely to talk to you.2. When your teen talks to you, pay attention. Don't be doing something else.3. If you can't pay attention right at the moment, explain...(related: Parenting)
Defrazzle With A Hearty Guffaw
"The best blush to use is laughter: It put roses in your cheeks and in your soul."Linda KnightWe all know the old adage that "Laugher is the best medicine" - but what does that mean, actually?Well, research has shown that laughing can help in:* Lowering blood pressure* Reducing stress hormones* Increasing muscle flexibility* Boosting immune function* Triggering the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers* Producing a general sense of well-being.
Guide To Choosing Educational Toys For Children
In the last few years, parents started getting more and more interested in choosing all sorts of educational toys for their children. Because a parent wishes the best for his child, a toy that is labeled as educational is very likely to be bought easier than others. But what is an child educational toy?Well, there is no definition of the term "educational toy" from what I know. However, what I do know is that an educational toy is a toy that helps a child learn something good, something that will help in the future. Play is the most important activity of any child.Learning thru play is a reality; it can and it is done unknowingly every time your child plays. The parent must however control the play so that it remains on an educational course. There are also toys that aren't exactly educational for children ? Toy guns and o...(related: Parenting)
Guide To Choosing A Computer System For Your Child
Before going further into choosing computers for children, I believe that you would like to know the answer to the following question:Why do children need computers?The easiest answer for this one is: "A child needs a computer so that he can play computer games". ...(related: Parenting)
Parents --- Homeschooling Can Take A Lot Less Time Than You Think
The time you will need to teach your children the essentials - reading, writing, and arithmetic - is much less than you think. Let me quote author and former public-school teacher John Gatto from his wonderful book, Dumbing Us Down:"Were the colonists geniuses? [i.e., why did our colonial forefathers have literacy rates close to 90 percent?]. No, the truth is that reading, writing, and arithmetic only take about 100 hours...(related: Parenting)
Going Out To A Restaurant With Kids
Dining in a restaurant with kids can be very enervating and embarrasing. Not only that you have to desperately try and keep your wiggling toddler seated and silent, you also have to manage the disapproving looks from other (non-parent) guests.The root problem here is again boredom. So before you decide to eat out, observe your child's mood. If i...(related: Parenting)
You Want Whaaat???
Not too long ago my teenage daughter approached me with a very special request... one that not every father gets from his loving daughter. I was sitting in front of the TV after a hard day at work and while I was fidgeting with the defective cable company-provided remote (the one the kids only know how to operate) trying to find a movie I hadn't yet seen ten times already on cable, she blurts out, "Dad, can I have a breast reduction?"Now, if you're a parent then you know there exists a certain 'conditioning' that occurs over the years when responding to questions from our children, especially if your at...(related: Parenting)
Calming Tips For Hyperactive Children
Parents of hyperactive children know the "Would you please just settle down?!" phrase well, and likely use it on a regular basis.There are a number of tips to help parents settle their hyperactive child down. These quick tips and relaxation techniques take the same amount of time as yelling and scolding but produce incredibly different results in hyperactive children.Quick Calming Tips:Try quick tips to calm a hyperactive child down during temper outbursts or unusually rowdy days. These calming tips are not novel to adults by any stretch. How many times have you hear...(related: Parenting)
Teaching Kids The Value Of Money
My husband and I have a 12-year-old daughter who wanted to go to a winter retreat with her church youth group last year. Price of trip ? $45. I told her I'd talk to her dad about it. "HOW much is it?" he asked, "didn't she just go somewhere with the youth group?" "Yes," I replied, "and also to two friends' birthday parties. Another one is coming up this weekend." We both agreed that was a lot of money for us to spend for our daughter to have fun with her friends.But the retreat was a church activity. So we should have forked out the money for her go, right? Well, maybe. In the past year or so our daughter had made a lot of new friends and had been asked to be involved in a lot of new social activities. Last summer was the first year we could afford to let her ...(related: Parenting)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved. | Parenting