 Parenting
The "Curse" of Perfect Parenting
Understanding the Problem
As everyone knows, having children can bring about changes in a
person's identity, lifestyle, relationship, and career that seems
cataclysmic. While everyone has some advice for "how to be a good
parent" there are only a few publications written specifically for
new parents, particularly younger couples.
There is little recognition that a variety of unforeseen problems
can occur as parents adjust to this new beginning. In fact, when
you tell people you are the parent of a newborn -- or a one-year-old,
or even a three-year-old -- a common response is a nostalgic smile
and a request to see pictures.
Society promotes the idea that new parents should be experiencing
a wonderful and blissful time -- all the time -- making difficulties
that do arise with new parenting invisible. The overall message
seems to be: "only problem parents have problems with parenting,"
which of course keeps parents from talking about, and connecting
with universal fears, stress, and worries.
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