If you are a parent, you certainly know the pleasures and pains of raising kids. Parents also know the challenges that come with the experience of becoming first-time parents. New parents need all the help they can get. Parents helping parents can be a good thing. Even if you are not a parent yourself, you can certainly appreciate the work that goes into bringing a child home and the adjustments and challenges that come with it.
Here are some ideas to help out new parents:
Run errands for new parents
New parents are very busy. Imagine trying to adjust to a new life event while low on sleep! For a new mother, the first few weeks of parenting can be even more challenging as her body is recuperating and she hasn’t slept well (or enough). Parents helping parents run errands can be one of the most helpful things for those who are new at parenting. Simply ask them if they need urgent groceries or baby products. You can offer to pick up dry cleaning or help with any other errand they need. If they have pets, you can offer to walk or feed them.
Cook food for them
One way to offer parenting help is to cook food for new parents. You can drop off some healthy dinner meals to your neighbors or friends who have become new parents. You can ask them what they need in terms of food and cook it for them if it’s possible for you. If cooking full meals is not feasible for you, there are other ways to help with food. You can buy healthy food ingredients and drop them off at their place. Or you can do some meal prep work at their home while visiting. Boiling pasta or chopping vegetables are tasks that are easy to do but require time.
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Take them shopping
New parents may need some assistance with shopping tasks especially if they don’t have a babysitter. You can offer to babysit. Or if your friends want your help for shopping then accompany them if you can. You can manage the cart or the baby while your friend checks out stuff. Perhaps your friend wants to shop for new clothes that fit her better. You can watch the baby while she tries out clothes.
Offer practical advice
If you have good parenting tips up your sleeve, don’t hesitate to offer them to new parents. It is about experienced parents helping parents who are new to the experience in meaningful ways. If you are close to a new mom, you can offer parenting advice on breastfeeding or treating sore breasts. If you have any solid advice for new parents that can make their lives easier, don’t hesitate to offer it. You can provide them simple hacks for organizing the house or cleaning baby stuff. You can offer help for single parents by giving them suggestions for hired help or babysitting. Single parents may need to get back to work sooner than they would like. So, any advice on managing schedules can be useful for them. It is all about parents helping parents in ways that can build a community; people who can be there for each other when needed.
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Ask them what they need
You will help out new parents as you see fit. Perhaps your friend requires help with something else. It can be a good idea to ask new parents from time-to-time what they need.
Parents helping parents is a novel idea. Every little gesture counts when you are tending to a newborn on low sleep and high stress levels.
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