Being a parent is probably one of the most enjoyable yet hardest experiences an adult could ever go through. Unfortunately, kids don’t come with instruction manuals and most parents struggle to be the best they can be without any real training or proper help. 

Being a parent means finding your own way, and getting a feel for what’s right for your child. Remember every child is an individual, and you need to feel comfortable changing the rules as needed. 

But there are so many times when we just don’t know what we’re doing or we don’t know what’s best. How are we to know if our action will have a positive or negative effect on our child?

One suggestion is to turn to other parents for help. Preferably parents who have already “been there, done that”. I’m a big fan of learning form other people’s mistakes and parents who’ve done it before can give you good advice. 

Where do you find such experienced parents? 

The easiest way to get parental help is to turn to your own family. It may be your mom, your dad or a brother or sister. These people may not have the opinions of an expert, but nothing beats learning from other people’s experience. Not only that, but turning to family for parental help will also strengthen your bond with your family. People often find that asking mom for help with the kids is the beginning of a session including good story-telling and old photo albums. 

Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t necessarily go to family for help unless you believe they have the experience to contribute REAL help! 

If your family is far or you just need another source of help, you can enroll your child and yourself in a mommy and me class, also called a “mom’s group” in many parts of the world. I like this for three reasons. First, you get to spend more time with your child in a different environment. They get to learn something new, and they get to do it with you. Second, you get to meet other parents who I’m sure are having the same problems as you. Third, these groups often bring in professional speakers who have lots of parenting experience and can offer you support or advice. 

If you’re hesitant to ask other parents for help, consider this: Think back to school. There is a reason why students are formed into groups for school projects. Ideas come out through brainstorming, and sharing ideas and experiences with other parents is brainstorming at its finest. 

For medical cases such as ADHD or bipolar disorder, there’s no better person to turn to for parental help than your medical professional. They are the best qualified to help you with whatever intervention is necessary, whether it be medical or other. If the problem is beyond your control seek professional help!

Getting parental help may seem like a very big thing, but it’s not as hard as you may think. Just be brave enough to talk to other parents, make new friends and share child difficulty and problems with them. There’s no need to feel anything but totally comfortable asking for help. You’re NOT the only one dealing with this problem, that’s for sure.

If you enjoyed this article you’ll also enjoy this free audio lesson for parents. I teach parents how to use language effectively to eliminate tantrums, bad behavior, and parenting stress!