By: Natasha Archary
There will be many milestones you will miss as a working parent.
The best bit of parenting advice I’ve received as a first time mom is that you shouldn’t sweat the small stuff. Like missing all your child’s firsts.
Yes, we want to be there every step of the way as they discover the inner workings of the world but we all know that’s not practical and once we accept that, we forgive the milestones we miss. Instead, celebrate their milestones in your own unique way and when time permits.
First solid food
If your baby is in daycare or with a nanny, chances are they’ve been introduced to solid food already. You may request that this doesn’t happen until you give the go-ahead but as most care facilities work with a routine schedule it’s a tough one to control.
Nothing stops you from introducing your baby to his first solids at home, but if it just so happens that you miss this, re-create the moment at home. Be there with camera in hand as your baby splashes their first puréed veggies or fruit you so loving made and enjoy the moment together. Worry about clean-up after this special “first” is captured.
First playdate
Daycares offer a solid environment for socialising your child. You may be missing the interaction between your child and other kids whilst at work and that’s part of the working parent territory.
Plan a playdate with your mommy friends and their little ones so you can watch your little one engage with his/her peers. It will be one for the record books and you could eternalise this with a video or framed photo which can then sit proudly on your bedside table.
Also read: 3 Tips for parents to reach the perfect work-life balance
First steps
As parents there will be a number of milestones you will miss, some of them are difficult to let go off and others catch you completely unaware. If parents could, they’d probably go everywhere with their camera ready to every candid moment.
One such milestone, is baby’s first steps. This usually happens around the 10-month mark, but some children only start taking their first steps around a year old. If you find out your baby started walking in your absence, capture the moment at home by coaxing your little one towards you or a favourite toy.
It may not be the same but their excitement when you proudly applaud their wobbly steps is still a moment you will never forget.
First word
Babies start making gurgling sounds from about six months or so. Encourage this behaviour and before your child is a year he/she will most likely utter their first word. It may be incoherent at first but parents will be able to distinguish between a cooing sound and an audible “mama”, “dadda” or “no”.
Try to get your baby to repeat this on camera or voicenote which you can then send to grandparents or the parent who misses this milestone.
Missing your child’s milestones as a working parent, doesn’t take anything away from you as a parent if you miss a few along the way. Find inventive ways to celebrate them when you can and when you are present for the milestones along the way.
Also read: Celebrate your child’s milestones – Part 1
