Being a parent can range from being stressful to amazing but new research from Pampers and NCT shows that what parents want most for their children is for them grow up happy and healthy.
Parenting on Female First
Pampers and NCT have found that the fundamental elements to making this happen are love, play and sleep.
Based on primary research, they have found some interesting truths throughout these areas.
Love is a large part of a child’s development and it was found that 60 per cent of parents said that it was love at first site when they first saw their child.
This figure rose to 80 per cent when parents said they felt the bond in the first few days.
Grandparents also play a large part. Parents said that they were the best support for themselves, and the best support for their baby after themselves.
Babies also need a lot of love from siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends to get the best early development.
Getting their child to sleep through the night is seen as a major milestone for 35 per cent of parents and makes them feel a sense of accomplishment as well as making them feel like a good parent.
A fifth of parents believe it is impossible to teach a baby to sleep through the night and believes it is all about luck, whereas 65 per cent believe it is possible when following certain techniques given by experts.
Jo Tantum, the Pampers Love, Sleep & Play sleep expert, says, “Sleep is an integral part of a baby’s development and every baby’s sleep pattern will differ from another’s. It will take time to get into a routine, but parents will learn what works for their baby in time, and baby will learn techniques to self-settle without distress.”
When it comes to play, 55 per cent of parents believe it is integral to their children growing up healthy and happy.
Despite the rise in digital technology, half of parents still believe that traditional forms of play are better for their child such a reading, singing and clapping.
However, 29 per cent of parents believe that new forms of technology can stimulate their child’s minds.