Everyone already knows about International Children’s Day but did you know that parents also have a special day of the year? It’s called Parents’ Day and it falls on the 24th of July, combining the concepts of both Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day.
Parents are the ones who raise the next generation and provide an example for their children. They finally have their own day of the year when their importance is celebrated. The idea of Parents’ Day comes from the U.S. where, in 1994, president Bill Clinton signed a resolution for “recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children”. Parents’ Day is a fairly recent holiday and not widely known about in Slovakia and some parts of Europe. Did you know about it?
A few facts about parenting
It’s probably no shock when we tell you that the age at which women have their first child is going up. Some say that it’s the result of the times – we live faster, women study at universities and then focus on their careers. Only after they’ve established a professional career and satisfied their work ambitions do they focus on building a household. The traditional role of women has changed, too. Women are no longer seen as housewives that have to get married until a certain age, else they’ll stay alone and lose the chance to have a family. Women these days can study, travel, establish their own businesses. Overall, they have more ways to realize their dreams than they’ve ever had before. According to recent statistics, the average age at which women have their first child is around 29,6 years old. This age is still lower than the European standard. Many European countries have their statistic higher than this average, for example, Italy (30,6), Spain (30,4) or Luxembourg (30).
Dads on maternity leave?
The model of the traditional family keeps changing and traditional parent roles change with it. Many partners have adopted the idea of shared parenting and raise their children together. Many modern dads easily handle housework and childcare, want to be present during the birth of their child, and don’t oppose the idea of spending some time on maternity leave. Did you know that men may also go on maternity leave and gain the same benefits as women? Both parents are eligible for parental allowance until their child reaches 3 years of age. Of course, they can’t receive allowance both at the same time. In Slovakia, only 3% of men have applied for this benefit.
A beautiful but hard task
What’s it like to be a patent? New parents usually rely on advice from their families, friends or articles that offer advice on parenting. The golden rule here is to not believe everything you read on the internet. From all the available information, pick and choose that which suits you. Don’t forget that every child is an individual with their own personality and what worked with your first child doesn’t have to work with the second one. Being a parent is beautiful but it can also be very hard. If you’re doubting yourself, you’re probably doing it right.
10 tips for enlightened parents
- Let’s try to understand a child’s world.
- Listening is the key.
- Let’s teach our kids to never leave things unfinished. Don’t go to bed with things on your mind.
- We can’t try to own a child in the name of love.
- We should give our children facts without fear or greed.
- Teach them how to be responsible.
- Awaken their intelligence, passion, and creativity.
- Never sow the seeds of self-doubt.
- Electronics are a tool of learning, not for killing boredom.
- Give our children food to enjoy, not as a means to fight their emotions.
Source: Uvedomelé rodičovstvo – Nithyananda Slovakia
