ADJUSTING AS A COUPLE

Managing new roles  Pressed for time and with less energy, couples sometimes disagree over duties and philosophies.  Even couples that thought they agreed may find their ideas changing with actual practise. Household work? Income-producing work?

Managing work and child care  How do you care for a child when you have to work?  Maternity/Paternity leave  Depending on financial situation, their values and career goals, and the needs of the infant here are some options 1) Working different shifts to eliminate the need for outside child care 2) Arranging with an employer to work at home, or starting a home-based business

 3) Using in-home child care ( nanny)  4) Using an infant or child care center. (Daycare)

Child Care options

Adjusting as a Single Parent  Face many of the same challenges as couples, but don’t have 2 people to share the duties.  Time and energy are often stretched thin for single parents.  Need to learn to combine tasks. How could they do this?

Adoptive Parents  Because they have no arrival date to rely on, adoptive parents may postpone buying supplies and equipment.  Uncertainty may be frustrating  Feel worries that birth parents don’t. What might some of those be?

 Birth parents may try to regain custody.  Guilt if they have moments of impatience or anger  Friends and relatives who might treat adopted children differently from birth children.

Getting an older sibling ready!  What are some of the concerns parents might have when bringing a new baby home to an older sibling?  How can we help older siblings adjust to a new baby?

 1) Involve child in baby’s care. Helping aids self- esteem at a time when children feel insecure.  2) Spend quality time alone with child. Neglecting rituals or time spent together often breeds resentment in the child.  3) Tolerate some babyish behaviour while drawing attention to child’s more mature actions

 4) Encourage child to talk about her feelings toward new baby, accepting even negative responses.  5) Tell child frequently how much she is loved. Remind her that she is very special person in the family.