Frequently Asked Questions
Q- How do I keep up with the high expectations on me as a parent?
A- You may feel pressured to keep up with other parents. But this is unrealistic, you can only do so much. Nobody is perfect, and you don’t need to be a perfect parent either. Focus on the things that are important, the things that make you and your child happy, and the things that will prepare them for life. And you will be a good parent. And that’s good enough.
Q- What if I’m not the parent I imagined I would be?
A- That’s okay. You may not be the parent you wanted to be, but you are the parent they need. Life is not predictable, and children are certainly not. From a young age their own personalities shine through and each day you’ll find yourself adapting or failing to keep up. But there is always hope, we need to be optimistic and believe that tomorrow will be better. And if it’s not, well then there’s always another tomorrow after that.
Q- Why are other children doing things my child can’t do yet?
A- Don’t compare your child or your parenting to others. Because when teachers look at their students, they don’t see their milestones, they see the work and love you put in to them. Teachers can’t tell who crawled, walked, spoke or who was toilet trained early. They can’t tell who was breast fed or bottle fed, or who co-slept or learnt how to self-soothe. They see your child as a person, they know who they are through their words, thoughts and actions. Teachers hear how you speak to your child by how your child speaks to others. They can see which families have good routines, value reading, manners and kindness. These are the things you need to focus on. And if in doubt, refer to the Developmental Milestone charts on my home page as a guide to what your child should be doing at each age. If you still have concerns, talk to your GP.
Q- Can’t my child learn all they need to learn at school anyway?
A- No! By five years of age your child’s brain capacity is already at 90%! They are more responsive to learning in these first five years of their life than any other time in their lives. Yeah, no pressure, these early years, they are the most important in their learning journey. Surely you want to prepare them as best you can, so they can be confident during their next 14 or so years of school? Parents play an important role in how successful their child is at school. You need to have a positive attitude towards school and instil this in your child from an early age. Your transition to school is just as important as your child’s.
