Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Became Parents

Before we became parents in 2008, I thought I was well-prepared for motherhood. My primary job during my teens had been babysitting. I even babysat entire days for a homeschooling family with four kids, ages ten down to 8 months. I helped the kids with their school, made snacks and lunches and suppers, and played with them all day.

Then Sunshine arrived. I was completely unprepared for my postpartum exhaustion and loneliness. I didn’t know taking care of a newborn baby, with her all-hours needs, could be so tiring. I was the first of my friends to have a baby, so I had little support. Babysitting an 8-month-old was nothing compared to being mom to an infant.

Now, as a mom of four, I look back on those days with a bit of a laugh. I was so naive. And yet I got through it. I learned and grew as a mom. I hope my blog can inspire and encourage other new moms—whether you think you’re prepared for motherhood or not! That’s why I was also excited to see Dr. Gary Chapman’s new book just for new parents.

In Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Became Parents, Chapman and Warden share wisdom gained from raising their own children and from the many families they’ve counseled through the years. While much of the book focuses on parenting, Chapman and Warden also spend a chapter focused on marriage, encouraging couples not to put their marriage on auto-pilot when the kids come.

Topics included in Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Became Parents includes potty training, boundaries, emotional health, social skills, expenses after kids, differences between siblings and more. I skipped around through the book, approaching it as a manual rather than reading it cover-to-cover. This paperback is a slender volume, encouraging and readable, and perfect for newlyweds who are considering having a baby.

Dr. Gary Chapman is an author, speaker, and counselor who has a passion for people and helping them form lasting relationships. He is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 5 Love Languages® and the director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. Gary travels the world presenting seminars and his radio programs air on more than 400 stations. He and his wife have two children and several grandchildren.

Dr. Shannon Warden is an assistant teaching professor at Wake Forest University where she teaches in the graduate counseling program. She is also the director of counseling and director of women’s ministries at Triad Baptist Church in Kernersville, NC. As a professional counselor, Shannon has counseled children, families, young adults, women, and couples since 1998 and has served as an assistant to Dr. Gary Chapman since 2003. She and her husband have three children.

What advice would you give friends about parenting before they become parents?

I received this book for review courtesy of the publicist; all opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.