Support Network

Keep Your Friends, Family and Community Close

You may have a ready made support network in your partner and family. Maybe they jump in and help with the kids without you even having to ask.

Sadly this isn’t the case for everyone, and even if it is, you will always benefit from having range of people and organizations to help out.

Often when you have children the support network you enjoyed beforehand changes dramatically.

You may lose some friends, see others less than you’d like. Maybe your own parents become closer, maybe not.

Don’t let yourself be so busy that you lose touch with everyone.

Here are some ways to increase your support network:

• Ask your health clinic about New Mother’s Groups in your area.
• Join a Playgroup.
• Hang out at your local park and chat to the other parents there.
• Check out council run day care facilities.
• What childcare centers are in your area? Can they do half days and occasional care as well as whole days?
• Do any of your neighbors have children of a similar age?
• Are any of your neighbors the sort of people you’d feel happy leaving your kids with for a couple of hours?
• Are any of your family members close by and able to help?

We All Need Friends

If you find it hard to make new friends you will have to work at this. Luckily having children gives you admission to the secret club all parents automatically belong to.

It’s amazing how easy it is to find opportunities to talk to people when you have a child with you. Don’t pass up these opportunities. Even if you are shy make eye contact, smile and take a risk. You may just have met someone to add to your network.

You never know when you will nee someone to watch one child when you take another to the Doctor, or you are on the other side of town and have a child that needs to be picked up from school. Or you become ill and need HELP

Now Get That Network Working!

• Find out whether the grandparents or other family members can take the kids while you have some time out.
• Start a babysitting club with some other parents.
• Do you know any mature teenagers that can be trusted to baby-sit?
• Find out about childcare centers in your area to see if they suit.

We move away from our families and friends to follow work opportunities or partners. Sometimes our families and friends move away.

Work on your network just as you work on feeding your kids their veggies and teaching them the alphabet.

And remember, your network is a tool as well as fun.

It can help to really enjoy being a parent.

Don’t let your life slide by. Kids grow up. The fun is happening right now. Don’t be too hassled and fed up to enjoy it. You can’t rewind it later

Return from Support Network to the Good Parent

Return from Support Network to Better Living Ideas