Having a Newborn is Like Running a Marathon, You need Your Pit Crew.
___
As a runner it took many races and training miles until I learned the subtleties of running a marathon. I’ve finished 12 marathons and I’m still learning. Patience, experience and good coaching are useful—a little luck doesn’t hurt either.
Having a newborn is a little like running a marathon when you are blind, and you cannot hear. That is why you need a Baby Whisperer.
Shortly after my son was born I learned parenting coaches exist, Baby Whisperers. Like my running coach, they offer wisdom and guidance to inexperienced parents. Not sure if you know one—sure you do—she’s the aunt or family friend found at a party or family gathering with a baby in her lap. Whether the baby is her grandchild or the neighbor’s child is irrelevant.
Why You May Need a Baby Whisperer?
My wife has an aunt who is the Baby Whisperer prototype. Whoever yours may be, they are invaluable.
- They pass on wisdom. Baby Whisperers have been helping new parents since the dawn of time. Multitasking, a Zen-like calm, and an encyclopedic knowledge of all things baby are just a few traits they possess. Hungry babies, cranky babies and diaper blowouts are dispatched as easily as breathing.
- They help in the hospital. Meeting us at the hospital when our son was born she instantly put a pair of anxious new parents at ease. Within minutes she dispensed wisdom as she cradled my son, she even brushed his hair into a Baby Mohawk.
- They teach you to breathe. Instinctively offering a breather when you needed one. A crawling toddler getting into everything doesn’t faze her at all. She’s mastered the ability to cook dinner as the baby crawls around the kitchen.
- They provide you with your newborn education. Throughout my life, I’ve been a few steps behind the pack—running my first marathon at 44, getting married at 46, and becoming a father at 50. Most of my friends were married and had kids in their 20s and 30s. I was late to the game and our Baby Whisperer got me up to speed in no time.
- They may come from unexpected places. We have new Baby Whisperers now that our son is a little older: single use sitters, grandparents and friends. Everyone who looks after our son and passes on their experience is one. Perhaps you too are a Baby Whisperer, passing your wisdom to the next generation?
- They are your pit crew. Grandmothers are often the ultimate pit crew helpers. Never underestimate the value that the Baby Whisperer Emeritus can offer.
◊♦◊
For exclusive Good Men Project content, including ebooks, webinars on writing, editing and building an online presence, and other content click on the GMP link below.
Photo by The Narratographer