Welcoming your first born into the world can be an exciting yet daunting time for every mum. There is so much to organise, so much to prepare for, but it is important not to let the major changes taint the experience of becoming a mum.
Every expectant-mum has her bad days when you feel overwhelmed by the reality of welcoming your baby boy or girl, however, there is something that can help you get through these intense days.
Thinking about all of the traditions you’re going to start as a family is the perfect way to lift your spirits. Every family is different, but there are five traditions that you just have to start when your tiny tot arrives.
1: Creating a memory book
Nowadays most of our memories live on our mobile phones. We don’t get the same enjoyment out of looking back on old photos as we did years ago. Creating a scrapbook for all of baby’s special milestones that you never want to forget is the perfect tradition to start once they’re born. You can take photos from the day they’re born to their first day at school.
You can take notes of how you felt when they came home from the hospital and how happy you were when they said their first word (even if it was dada.) You can put photos of them with their grandparents, tickets from your first trip to the zoo and their first report card from school in the book too.
2: Discover your special song
You know that feeling when you hear you and your mum’s special song on the radio? Make sure your little one experiences that exact feeling by discovering your special song. It doesn’t matter what genre it is.
You might realise this when you’re dancing around the kitchen to Elvis with baby in your arms. Perhaps you’ll discover it when you’re driving to the park for the first time and Ed Sheeran will start playing.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a cheesy song from the 1980s or Taylor Swift’s latest chart topper. What matters is how content both you and your little one will feel when you hear the song. It’ll instantly remind you of one another, no matter how old you are.
3: A family day
Doesn’t it feel like we are busier than ever these days? The public seem to be zipping by like there’s no tomorrow and we’re failing to slow down and just live in the moment.
We’re working longer days and spending far too much time on our phones, when we should be investing in family time. Picking one day to catch up with your loved ones is a perfect and achievable tradition that will also teach your little one about the importance of family time.
Whether that’s a Wednesday trip to the grandparents or going for coffee with your fellow mums on a Saturday morning. Having a designated family day throughout the week is a tradition every parent should stick to, no matter how hectic life gets.
4: Keep a postcard from every family holiday
Going on your first family holiday is something you’ll never forget, but when baby is tiny they’re not going to remember it all too well.
A perfect way to capture these memories is by buying a postcard from every place you travel together as a family and write a sweet memory on the back for your little one. When they’re old enough to read they can look back on the collection of postcards and read all about your adventures. You can continue this tradition even when they’re all grown up.
5: Give them a copy of your favourite childhood book
It is known that reading to your baby can help strengthen your connection, even though they won’t understand the story when they’re small. A great way to make story time a little bit more sentimental is by buying them a copy of your or your partner’s favourite childhood book.
They’ll treasure this special book as they grow older and they can then pass it onto their own children in the future. To make it even more special, write a message on the inside of the book and then each mum in the family can do so as it is passed on from generation to generation.
