Although having a child is not statistically extraordinary, it is still an experience that is as intense as it is, in most cases, demanding. Knowing how to keep up with the tasks to be done to offer the little one everything he needs is not easy.
These are the most frequent forms of discomfort in fathers and mothers who must adapt to the need to raise children for the first time
1. Stress and fatigue
Fatigue is very common in new parents who are trying to adapt to the pace of raising and educating a child (in combination with other responsibilities), and this It also has a reflection in the state of mind Added to this discomfort is stress, born from that dynamic in which fathers and mothers become accustomed to always being alert in order to support and protect their son or daughter. As we will see, both stress and fatigue produce a chain effect that feeds the appearance of other problems.
Facing the challenge of motherhood or fatherhood for the first time is something that absorbs from the first moment, which means that If the use of time is not optimized, the hours that should be dedicated to deep sleep are affected For example, the accumulation of tasks can cause us to go to bed late, and even if we technically go to bed when it’s time, the activation of our brain prevents us from falling asleep properly.
3. Fear of doing it wrong
The fear of the possibility of harming our son or daughter is another source of psychological exhaustion to take into account Now, although the idea that children are physically and psychologically delicate is justified in many cases, in others it is based on myths and unfounded fears. Therefore, it is important to be well informed and have supervision on issues of parenting and support for the development of children.
4. Lack of sexual desire
The mixture of tiredness and lack of time can take its toll on a couple’s sexual life which is often displaced by the emergencies of everyday life.
5. Different educational styles
Differences in values and priorities when raising a son or daughter can lead to discussions that you have to know how to handle It is important that this situation does not become an ego fight.
6. Asymmetries in the distribution of household tasks
Differences in taking care of household responsibilities can easily arise in couples with little experience raising children; At first it is difficult to have a global vision of everything that needs to be done and to reach a balance point of the effort that both must make.
Cognitive behavioral therapy has proven to be an effective tool in overcoming the problems we have just seen. It is a very useful type of psychological intervention to adapt to the challenges that come our way throughout life, both from the establishment of new behavioral patterns and from the creation of new ways of interpreting reality and managing the emotions.
Through weekly sessions, fathers and mothers who have problems adapting to their role with a first son or daughter develop skills in emotional management, dialogue and consensus building, time management and goal setting and priorities, in addition to promoting psychologically healthy lifestyle habits.
Are you looking for psychological assistance?
If you are interested in having the professional support of a psychologist, I invite you to contact me My name is Tomás Santa Cecilia and I am a psychologist who is an expert in the cognitive-behavioral intervention model; I work helping individuals and professionals both in person (in my office in Madrid) and online by video call.
