Being a parent: The opportunities and challenges

There are many opportunities being a parent, such as:

• The birth of a baby is exciting and parents love the attention and delight a newborn brings to the family.

• Parents grow closer as they share in the experiences that their child/children have.

• It enriches the parents' lives as they turn from a couple into a family and this can give a sense of completeness.

• They may look after themselves more as a way to improve their own health and lifespan to look after their child/children.

However there are also challenges being a parent, such as:

• The mother may suffer from postnatal depression which will effect how she feels about herself, her self-confidence, self-esteem and her relationship with both the baby and the father.

• A lack of sleep/crying baby/illness can cause stress for the parents that can build up into arguments or disagreements about many issues if they do not talk and discuss how they feel.

• Sometimes the father may feel jealous or left out as the mother cares for the demands of the baby and he does not feel he is playing his part as the father

• The mother may have feelings that she is unappreciated, resentful, envious, or even scared which may cause arguments or disagreements between the parents.

• A lack of money and feelings of concern/worry and stress may affect the relationship between the mother and the father.

Check out the CCEA GCSE Learning for Life and Work Second Edition Textbook to find out more or check out: My Revision Notes: CCEA GCSE Learning for Life and Work: Second Edition

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