Hello guys/gals. names Fern. i belong to the NJ chapter of FTE. well as the title suggests i will be a father for the first time soon. due date is May 1st. i really cant wait. very existed to be a dad. dont care if its a boy or girl. (we aren't finding out to leave it a surprise).

Well i just wanted to start a thread to see some tips, do's, dont's, comments, advices, experiences and stories on parenting and childcare and basically anything related to this subject...

hope this will help future moms and dads and anyone with children for that matter.

Thanks in advance. Fern

 

first i want to say condrads im also am having my first child which is a boy just wanted to say good luck we are going to need it

 

Congrats! Do you have names picked out yet?

 

thanks, good luck and congrads nice1960f250


thanks Matthew ya (mind you this was her mostly she just asked if i liked them or not.. that was my roll)

Boy: Lucas Manuel Pavon ... like the racing brand
Girl: Lea Mikaela Pavon

 

I like them. My mom told me that she tried to pick a name for me before I was born but couldn't so she had to wait until I was born until she could pick a name for me.

 

ya thats a cool story happen like that with my little cuz too.

 

im naming him after me so hopfully i will have a jr
and oh yeah i meant to say your due date is may 1(i think that wat u said). mine is to be born may 4 and my birthday is the 6 of may so im hoping
he is born on my birthday that would be cool

 

Ya that's all cool. We should have our kids grow up together liking trucks ha! I always though that would be nice to share a birthday with your child but. Then bad at the same time.

 

First off congrats! Life as you know it is about to end.

I can offer advice but it really won't matter. Each parent and kid is unique and your experience will vary. It's a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants experience. One that will bring you both loads of joy and times of utter frustration. Don't look for the manual because there isn't one.

That being said, here's a few thoughts...

Buy a camera and/or video recorder. Capture the moments. They will be gone before you know it. I was lucky enough to be able to take photos in the OR (C section). I had taken almost 400 photos within the first 2 hours of birth.

Personally I liked the first 4 or 5 months best. Put the kid someplace and they stay put. Once they go mobile, it's all over.

Childproof the cabinets, doors and outlets now! Make sure anything dangerous is out of reach of the little Houdini. Anything they can reach goes straight into the mouth. Not always the best thing.

Invest in a good car seat. You wouldn't want to ride around in a cheap plastic shell with little or no padding so don't put the kid through it. Pay more, buy once and be done with it. Look for something that will convert to a booster later on so you aren't buying twice. If you have 2 cars, buy two seats. Constantly switching between cars gets old fast!

Invest in a good stroller too. Remember that it's not just about hauling the kid around, but all the crap that goes with one, and your stuff too. I highly, and I can't stress highly enough, recommend going with an "all terrain" model. The ones with large pneumatic tires. Try pushing those cheap 5" plastic wheels across a gravel parking lot with a loaded down stroller just once and you'll know why. Just as with the car seat, it's an investment that will be with you for years. Do it right the first time.

Bibs. Lots of bibs.

The clothes are cute but they don't last long. Kids grow fast.

There will be toys and bodily function accessories everywhere.

Start with colors, letters, numbers etc. right away. You will be amazed at how fast they can pick that stuff up.

Potty training... lets just say Cheerios in the toilet do help with the boys.

Teenagers suck.

As they say, you spend the first 2 years trying to get them to walk and talk, and the next 16 trying to get them to sit down and shut up. It couldn't be more true.

I have a 21 y/o son and an 18 y/o daughter from my first marriage. I now have a son with my second wife who will be 3 in July. Crazy I know but I couldn't be happier.

If you take one piece of advice let it be this... take in every little moment! With the first two I was young and really didn't realize the scope of it all. With the 3 y/o, I'm relishing in all the little stuff much more.

Good luck and don't forget your helmet.

 

Congrats to the Dads to be!!! As Dave said...life as you know it is about to end...in a mostly good way!!! I only have one thing to add to what he said...buy plenty of duct tape...those kids will be much easier to watch!!!

 

Good luck to all the future Dads...

 

Thanks everyone, ken, dave wow awesome results for this thread. It helps a lot out when you hear out other people and their knowledge. It really does. I know everyone has their own thing and unlike my f100 there isn't a manual available but you guys are helping out more then you think. Like I didn't think of the stroller with the "off roading" wheels. And now you have steered me in a better direction. I will def let me wife know.

Duct tape awesome idea btw ha ha!

 

congrates guys i have two kids myself,imho the boy is easyer to take care of he wines less,and like the others said life as you know it is over.

 

Congrats to you both and good luck. You will need it...lol

I have two kids, a girl that's 16 and a boy that's 19.
There so much fun when there little! Not so much anymore. So enjoy there younger days and prepare for teenagers.
My boy is a total PITA right now but my girl is a little angel.
Oh,,and Ive been a part time dad for the last 13 years and love it...lol

 

Congratulations, if I had the chance to do it over, I would rid this home of the television. Best, CB