Parenting together
Photo : Cynthia Ladouceur
Parents have complementary strengths and preferences. That’s why it’s good to work as a team!
To be a good team, it’s important to recognize each other’s needs and strengths.
The birth of a child can bring new meaning to a couple’s life. In addition to your relationship as partners, you now have a new relationship as parents: this is what’s known as co-parenting.
As parents, you share the responsibility for caring for your child and guiding her through the different stages of her growth and development. Together, you will also decide how you go about providing your child with a safe and caring environment.
Parenting together isn’t just about sharing the duties and chores. It’s about recognizing your respective strengths and the contributions you each make to your child’s life. Each of you can meet your child's needs and be involved in your own way. And each of you can provide the same care to your baby, but not necessarily in the same way.
As parents, each of you needs to step into your role and feel respected and valued in the way you care for and educate your child. This helps strengthen your commitment to your child and to your role as a parent.
Talk to your partner about the values and attitudes you consider important in your children’s education. Look for common ground when you disagree. Listening to and respecting each other's opinions can help strengthen your relationship as parents, but also as a couple.
Children need love and support, but they also need rules and boundaries. As parents, you provide love and affection, but you also act as educators who set rules. Together, you will learn how to balance these different roles.
Keep in mind that children feel safe and secure when parents apply consistent rules.