September 2023 Parenta magazine

Supporting
this in the past and we must now learn
from the lessons. If delivering a top-down,
one size fits all approach doesn’t work,
then working alongside families and
communities to break down barriers to
support might.
Dr. Helen Simmons
In recent years, we have seen a rise
in awareness of the critical period of
development that occurs within the first
2-3 years of a child’s life. Those working
in early childhood welcome this attention,
to finally shine the spotlight on our
youngest children. This period of life is
fundamental, a time to be nurtured and
not simply a stepping stone to the school
years. However, this recognition has also
brought with it as much attention, even
pressure, on parenting and on family life.
Recommendations in government reports
are bursting with parenting intervention,
parenting programmes, and parenting
education.
The experience of becoming a new parent
is like no other, the love and feelings of
new parents
Listening to the real experts
protection for this new life are exceptional
but it can also be very scary. Parents can
feel overwhelmed, they may feel out of
their depth or frustrated, or even that they
are losing a sense of their own identity.
All these feelings are natural but when
coupled with unreachable representations
of perfect parenting (particularly in the
media and on social media) it is little
wonder that parents may find it difficult to
be open and honest about how they are
feeling.
The transition into parenting often includes
difficult decisions about feeding, sleep
arrangements, routines and all other
aspects of home and family life. These
decisions can seem, from a societal
perspective, rather mundane, even trivial.
But anyone who is pregnant or who has
a newborn knows, the fear of ‘getting
it wrong’ can be all-consuming and
overwhelming. Parents can face a huge
amount of pressure as they navigate
the bumpy road into a new reality. This
includes lots of decisions about managing
the changes to home, family and working
life. Building effective partnerships with
parents and carers in early childhood is
therefore essential. Trusting relationships,
a space to be honest and open and to
share experiences may make all the
difference to a new parent.
It is so important, therefore, for those
practitioners to understand the daily
realities of becoming new parents,
and to provide meaningful, inclusive,
and respectful support to families, not
imposed targets or measures. With many
opportunities to support parents and
families, early childhood practitioners
can reflect on their role in providing this
support.
This can begin with the following
questions: