What Does a Parent Do? A Journey of Love and Care

What does a parent do? Oh, where do I begin? In most cases it will depend on the parents style of parenting. However, I will cover the general role a parent play’s in their child’s life. 

In all fairness, the question itself seems pretty simple on the surface but in reality, there are a multitude of things a parent must do in a child’s life. 

From the moment a child comes into this world until the day they decide to spread their wings and go off on their own journey, parents are there every step of the way, loving them unconditionally, guiding and nurturing them.

Now let's answer the question: "What Does a Parent Do?" Or "What would you be responsible for as a parent?" 

Infancy (0-2 years)

What does a parent do during infancy? Hmmm, everything! 

From the first time that a baby enters into this world and takes their first breath to those moments of soothing cries in the middle of the night, you are the comfort in your child’s life. 

1.  You Provide Nourishment: You will make sure that your baby receives the nourishment that they need in order to grow and thrive, through breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. 

2.  You are on Constant Diaper Duty: Keep your baby clean, dry and comfortable making regular diaper changes a part of your daily routine.

And I don’t mean, change them every couple of hours. I mean they get changed every time they need to be changed and that is more some days than others. A lot!

3.  You Offer them Soothing Comfort: Babies may need to be rocked to sleep or gently patted on the back because they are experiencing colic. Doing this provides soothing comfort to your newborn.

4.  You Attend Medical Check-ups with Your Baby: You’ll be seeing your child’s pediatrician regularly to ensure that your baby is healthy and reaching all of their developmental milestones.

5.  You Offer Endless Cuddles and Kisses: There's no shortage of affection as you shower your little one with cuddles, kisses, and whispered lullabies.

6.  You Create a Safe Environment for Them: You will need to baby-proof your home. Making sure that every corner is safe for your child’s explorations.

What Does a Parent Do for Their Toddler (2-4 years)

As our babies grow into curious toddlers, your role as a parent must change to meet your child’s needs and independence.

1.  You Encourage Exploration: From stacking blocks to finger painting, it is your job to encourage your toddler's curiosity by providing opportunities for exploration and discovery.

What Does a Parent Do for Early Childhood? (4-6 years)

In the early years of childhood, you will continue to play an important role in your child's development and their future growth.

1. You Support Learning: Whether it's practicing letters and numbers or exploring nature, you need to support your child's learning journey at home and in school.

2.  You Foster Independence: From teaching them to tie their shoelaces to dressing themselves, it will be up to you to help your child become more independent and self-reliant.

3.  You Promote Healthy Habits: Through nutritious meals, regular exercise, and proper hygiene, you can promote healthy habits that will benefit your child's physical and mental well-being.

4.  You Celebrate their Achievements: No matter what your child has accomplished whether it's a new skill that they have mastered or a milestone they have achieved, you should celebrate it, improving their confidence and self-esteem.

5.  You Provide Emotional Support: As children deal with the ups and downs of early childhood, you will find that you are offering a steady source of love, encouragement, and emotional support to your child.

6.  You Encourage Socialization: Playdates and outings with other children provide opportunities for socialization, helping children develop essential social skills and friendships.

What Does a Parent Do for Middle Childhood? (6-12 years)

As children enter the middle years of childhood, you will continue to play an important role in their growth and development, guiding them through the challenges of school and social relationships.

1.  You Support Academic Success: You will help your child with their homework, provide resources for learning, and communicate with their teachers to support your child's academic success.

2.  You Encourage Extracurricular Activities: A good way to discover what their interests and passions are is through extracurricular activities such as music, sports or art.

3.  You Teach Responsibility: By giving your child chores and tasks to do around the house teaches them the value of responsibility and the importance of contributing to the family.

4.  You Navigate Peer Relationships: You offer support and guidance to your child as they learn to deal with friendships, peer pressure, and conflicts with classmates.

5.  You Promote Problem-solving Skills: When you provide your child with good communication skills it will help them to learn how to solve problems on their own and they will gain the strength to face life’s challenges.

6. Teaching Right from Wrong: Children learn about ethics and morality primarily from their parents through their everyday guidance and interactions. Lessons that are learned by enforcing the difference between right and wrong that will guide children throughout their lives.

What Does a Parent Do for Their Adolescence? (12-18 years)

5.  You Communicate Openly and Honestly: You and your teen will experience open lines of communication, encouraging trust and understanding as they get through the hardships of adolescence.

6.  You Offer Unconditional Love and Acceptance: Through the highs and lows of adolescence, you offer unconditional love, support and acceptance.

You should provide a safe place for your teen to express themselves and grow into a confident adult. 

Final Thoughts

Sounds like a lot, right. It is or can be.

From the moment of infancy to the life-changing years of adolescence, your role as a parent is constantly changing and can be very challenging and best of all, very, very rewarding.

For example: We always made our own play-dough together and I finger-painted, did crafts along side them. 

I took them to never ending practices and to day long games which were always in other towns or cities, usually 1-2 hours away.

They were in gymnastics, dance classes, karate, soccer etc. and not just my kids, the foster kids too. 

Doing things like teaching them to tie their shoes or ride a bike can be fun and rewarding when they accomplish the task.  

Having a partner to share in the festivities is helpful or you can ask for help from family/friends.

So, what does a parent do? You enter into a lifelong journey of love and caring, moving alongside your children every step of the way.

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