Whether you’re a first-time parent or you’ve been a parent several times over, parenting is a particularly difficult job. Experts on parenting might give you scores of tips to be a great parent, but even they go through many challenges while parenting their kids.

Top parenting challenges: These are the top challenges to parenting, according to mothers:

• Mothers don’t find enough time during the day for themselves and for their careers.
• Disciplining children is difficult.
• Guiding children to become independent in a dangerous world.
• Being able to bear the cost of bringing up children.
• Getting enough support since you’re a single parent.
• Making sure your children receive a good education.
• Having very high expectations of children.
• Dealing with bedtime problems.
• Steering clear of what’s advertised in stores.
• Steering clear of the influences of technology.

How to manage parenting challenges

Read on to find out how to manage some parenting challenges and make it a fun and rewarding aspect of your life:

Learn to have enough trust in yourself: Those women who have already parented their children have already developed notions on this subject. Anything they tell you by way of advice can make you feel an inadequate mother or even confuse you. Instead, just listen to what they have to say and do what you think is right for your kids. Trust your judgement.

Value yourself: Parenting your child is no easy job. So, be prepared to put in a lot of effort right through the day, whether small or big tasks. Instead of complaining about all that you have to do every day, try new ways of doing them and cheerfully.

Take care of yourself: At this stage in your life, you need to remember that you’re a person first and then a mother. So, don’t expect too much of yourself and that of others. Instead, find things you can look forward to.

Accept the way you feel: It’s normal for you to have mixed feelings at this time. When you undergo stress or there are changes in the family, you can have a range of emotions.

Are there any tasks that make you feel good? Is there at least one task that you do each day that makes you feel good? Take the help of a friend or relative who can stand in for you while you spend time on your own doing what you want to–having a manicure, bubble bath, going for a walk, or have a chat with a friend.

Review your situation by speaking to yourself: How you come across when you talk to yourself in relation to your problems will react very differently than when you innocently ask yourself what’s happening to your child.

Be smart, get help from those you know: If you need help, ask for help. It’s certainly not a cry for help that failures ask for, but it’s a smart thing to ask for. And for all your asking, you’ll get the help you want.

Don’t set yourself up for failure: Don’t set yourself up to fail or you’ll make the parenting experience half as enjoyable. Instead, have realistic expectations of yourself, your partner and children.

So, when does parenting become easier? Parenting does get better when your children start adjusting to their environment. For some parents, their seven-year-old children become more logical and easy to persuade. They do as you tell them to without tantrums, fuss or bother. They even start doing small things on their own.

How you can make parenting easier: If you haven’t had the above experience, here are some ways by which you can make parenting easier:

• Take it slowly: If your children still haven’t reached an age where they are obedient, accept social behaviour and empathetic to others, you can lessen your burden by taking things slowly. Then, you realize that all your duties are not back to back, you do have time between two chores.
• Don’t overdo the mom role. It isn’t necessary to be a supermom to be an efficient mother. So, stop it, don’t overdo your role as mother. Take a break and join the gang of mothers who live carefree lives.

Conclusion

Stress is part of parenting and this is something you will always experience. However, you can reduce your stress levels like building a support network, getting out and enjoying yourself with your partner and kids and doing deep breathing exercises.