Unexpected pregnancies happen, there is no getting around it. Precautions aren’t always taken, and it often produces a baby and, in the process, young parents. The problem is that young parents can mistakenly be identified as not that good of parents. Whether the pregnancy is planned or not, it does not mean that parents should be labeled as bad or good based on that information alone. If you are a young father and wondering if you are doing everything correct, here are a few tips to make certain you are doing things right near the beginning of your child’s life.
Be Supportive
Sometimes young parents are not married. It is just a hard fact of life. But if you are a father to a newborn and you are not married that doesn’t mean that you can’t be active in the life of your child. Either way, married or not, you have to step up and be supportive of both the child and the mother of your child. Perhaps there is a chance that the mother and yourself are not even together anymore. However, the child is yours as well, so don’t leave them out in the cold.
Plan for the Future
Young parents frequently do not have much money available to them. Young people in general do not have much money, but once you throw a baby into the mix, everybody needs to tighten the belt a bit further. If you can, it is important that you start some sort of savings account for your new child. Being able to deposit even ten dollars a week will leave close to $500 in the account after a year. Doing that for 18 straight years will lead to the child having a bit of money to further their education once they graduate from high school. Or perhaps they will choose to do an apprenticeship after high school, and then the money can be spent on a vehicle for them.
Don’t Forget Yourself
If you are a young father, there is a good chance that you have not chosen a career field yet. Do not let having a new baby stop your dream of succeeding financially in life. It is too easy to take a factory job once the child is born and then stay in that same position the rest of your life. Always have an exit plan to move up in the world. Night or online classes are available if you push yourself. Plus, you will be making your child and your family proud.
Ask for Advice
Even young men can be stubborn enough not to ask for advice even if they have no clue what they should be doing. The key is to swallow your pride and ask for help if you feel like you are in over your head. If you aren’t sure what vaccines the baby needs, ask the doctor. If you have never changed a diaper in your life, ask your mom for a bit of assistance. She changed your diapers not long ago, and she probably has not forgotten how just quite yet.
Use this as an Opportunity
Having a child invariably brings a family closer together. As a young father, use the birth of your child to form stronger relationships with your own parents. Your whole world has just changed, and this is when a family grows closer as everyone bonds over the experience. Do not close yourself off from your loved ones because of petty squabbles in the past. Everyone deserves a clean slate and a reset button now and then. Let go of any hard feelings from your own childhood and prepare for your baby’s childhood with open arms.
Set a Good Example
Good role models are not an easy thing to find. Rather than having your child look to others for an example on how to live his or her life, you should be modeling how to respectfully behave and conduct yourself at all times. The old saying that the apple does not fall far from the tree is true. If you lead a life making questionable decisions, the sins of the father will haunt their children. Keep your head on straight and realize that little eyes are watching you at all times. Ready yourself to become a productive member of society that will make those around you proud.
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This blog is part of Fathers Incorporated‘s Drive To Five campaign. The campaign design seeks to reduce father absence by engaging dads at the early stages of their child’s development, which makes them more likely to continue their involvement through all of the stages of their development. For more information visit www.drivetofive.org
