Читать книгу Dad's Guide to Pregnancy For Dummies - Sharon Perkins - Страница 26

Bad habits are hard to break, but when you have the added stress of a baby, those habits can be even harder to conquer. That said, you’re about to have a child — a sponge that will soak up your every word and action — so it’s time to clean up your act. Following are a few lifestyle alterations to consider making so you can lead by example without reservation:

 Control your anger and censor your potty mouth. Kids learn how to treat and interact with others at a very young age. Start revising your behavior now and get used to swearing less, before your kid picks up some foul-mouthed communication habits.

 Develop routines. Be it running errands, cooking, making phone calls, or paying the bills, get systems in place to ensure that everything gets done with the least amount of stress. Knowing who does what when keeps you on track when baby throws a wrench into everything.

 Eat healthier. Your partner needs to be extremely diligent about eating pregnancy-positive foods, so use this time as an opportunity to get your diet in order. Soon enough, you’ll be cooking for three, and if you’re already in the habit of preparing healthy foods, you’ll have no trouble providing proper nutrition to your child.

 Lose weight. If you’re considerably overweight, you’re more susceptible to illness and a shortened life span. Furthermore, children of obese parents are more likely to be obese. Kids learn nutrition and lifestyle habits from their parents, so set a good example and give your child a fair shot at a long, healthy life.

 Organize and de-clutter your home. Create a safe, livable place for your new addition, which also helps decrease the amount of stress in your life.

 Quit smoking/drinking too much/taking recreational drugs. Secondhand smoke increases the risk of illness for your child and the likelihood that she’ll become a smoker as an adult. Frequent overconsumption of alcohol makes you less likely to be a responsible parent capable of making good, safe decisions for baby. In fact, alcohol and drugs often lead to harmful and neglectful decisions that can land you in legal trouble and your child in the foster care system.

 Spend less money on nonessential items. Teaching kids fiscal responsibility is just as important as teaching them social responsibility. Plus, kids aren’t cheap, so stop spending $50 per week on lattes and comic books and start banking your savings to provide a sound, secure future for your family.

 Start an exercise regimen. Physically active, healthy parents get less run down and are less susceptible to illness. Plus, you want to live a long life with your children.