There are so many important conversations to have with your partner before your baby arrives. Bringing a tiny human into the world is a HUGE milestone to experience and it comes with a whirlwind of emotions, learning curves and LOTS of decision-making. In the midst of it all, what’s most important is being honest with yourself, and your partner, about the challenges you might face. When it comes to parenting, creating a plan to manage the potential challenges is essential for maintaining a strong and healthy relationship throughout your parenting journey.
If you aren’t quite sure where to start, here are 4 things you should discuss with your partner before baby arrives:
Communication
Making sure open communication is maintained between parents creates a cohesive parenting experience that is crucial in building a solid foundation for your family.
Discuss how you each prefer to handle disagreements and how best to communicate your needs and wants. You could also think about pro-active approaches when discovering new communication skills such as couples therapy or other educational resources.
Establishing effective communication before diving into parenthood will greatly benefit the family’s well-being, encouraging a nurturing environment where everyone can flourish and grow.
Finances
Honest and realistic discussions about your finances are vital for parents to build a trusting relationship around money that will transfer over to your children in years to come.
Once baby arrives, there will likely be a shift to your income so it’s important to financially plan for a baby. The added expenses of a growing family, coupled with one of the parents spending a significant amount of time away from work to care for baby means less money coming in and more money going out. This means budgeting for maternity or parental leave is crucial.
Delving into topics such as who will cover which expenses, childcare costs, whether to maintain shared or separate bank accounts, and deciding on a goal-oriented budget for leisure activities ensures that financial resources are allocated wisely, relieving the pressure caused by abrupt or unexpected decision making.
It’s also wise to create a ‘Plan B’ just in case the back-to-work plan turns into a prolonged or permanent stay-at-home-parent plan.
Lastly, it’s never too early to start saving for your child’s future expenses and education. Speak to one of our experts to learn more about how we can tailor a savings plan to your needs and budget.
It's Never Too Early to Get Started!
Roles
When you’re planning on expanding your family, it’s time to re-evaluate the roles in the household. Regular tasks like meal preparation, cleaning and maintenance will need to be reconsidered since your time will be spent much differently with a baby added into the mix.
From late-night feedings to diaper changes and doctor’s appointments, there are many new responsibilities that emerge once you become parents. Consider who will take charge of specific parenting duties and discipline strategies, and how you can accommodate unexpected changes that might occur.
Knowing your role as a partner and a parent makes the transition into parenthood a little easier to navigate and can be comforting to know how you will be supported and how you will show up as a supportive partner.
Expectations
Sitting down with your partner and writing out your expectations is a great way to get clear about what you want and need from your partner, and possibly friends and family too.
Start off with your birth plan, followed with everything you could possibly think of from types of childcare available and who will stay home from work when the child is sick to how much leisure time you will each have, boundaries with loved ones, social media dos and don’ts and everything in-between.
Be sure to discuss any non-negotiables when it comes to raising your child. Some examples of this could be ‘What kind of food will they eat?’ ‘Where will they sleep?’ ‘Who’s allowed to visit after baby is born?’ or ‘What parenting styles are preferred?’
Recognizing that both partners will experience changes and adjustments allows for mutual understanding and support. If you can embrace open communication, teamwork, patience, and a shared commitment to growth, parents will not only strengthen the bond they share with each other, but also create a nurturing environment for the entire family to thrive.
Remember, parenthood is a journey best traveled together.
Embark is Canada’s education savings and planning company. The organization aims to help families and students along their post-secondary journeys, giving them innovative tools and advice to take hold of their bright futures and succeed.
