New Parents
Why in the world don't new babies come with instructions? Fortunately, here in Orange County there are quite a few resources available to help. Here's how to find them:
1) Visit your local library and ask the Reference Librarian to direct you to the "Orange County Social Service Rainbow Resource Directory" by Glenda Riddick (often referred to as "the rainbow book".) It has an entire section devoted to "Parenting Resources / Education"; the 2002 edition has over a hundred entries in that section. Before looking through all the listings, spend a moment and read the introductory article written by Susan Johnson; it provides an informative perspective on the process of finding the right parenting resource for your particular needs.
2) In addition to the resources listed in "the rainbow book", parenting classes are also offered in a number of other settings throughout the county. Suggested places to look include: hospitals, local churches and synagogues, adult education centers and community colleges. With all of the resources available on this subject, you're bound to find what you are looking for if you take a little bit of time to look around.
3) Check out the Familyhood Education Foundation's website at
www.familyhood.com for a wide selection of resources, including free parenting classes and seminars.
Besides the organized classes, there is one very important thing to remember. The most important thing you can give your child is a strong marriage for yourself. So don't neglect your marriage for the sake of your child; in the long run that approach will not pay off for you, your spouse, or your child. Studies show that the level of Marital Satisfaction often falls when a new child enters a household. Protect against this by acting proactively. One resource we strongly recommend is a book entiled "Becoming Parents - How to Strengthen Your Marriage as Your Family Grows", by Drs. Pamela Jordan, Scott Stanley, and Howard Markman. Here is a description of the book:
"Not just another parenting book - "Becoming Parents" teaches newborn parents to take good care of each other! Based on cutting-edge research on the experiences of men and women as they become parents and what makes happy healthy marriages, "Becoming Parents" is truly a survival course for couples. Within these pages expectant couples will discover the keys to taking care of themselves as individuals, taking care of their couple relationship, relating to their baby, and dealing with the many ways becoming parents impacts their lives".
