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Parenting as a couple. If you are a couple with a baby, you're already
doing a good thing for your child by both staying involved. In fact, both you
and your baby are likely to have a happier, healthier, and even wealthier
life if you can stay together as a family. So if you're together now and
starting to raise your child together, good for you! Whether or not you are
now married, being a mom and dad together is a great way to begin helping
your child.
It's not always easy. Parenting as a couple can be great for kids and for
the couple, but it also can be tough. The challenges of parenting can be a
real strain on romance, and can make it harder to feel close and solve
problems. And if you are young, or new to baby care, or unmarried, or still
working to get settled -- or all of the above! -- it may be that much harder.
Meeting the challenge. Raising children together isn’t easy, but it can be
done. Nobody’s born knowing how to diaper or feed or care for a baby, but we
can learn. And nobody’s born knowing how to build a strong and happy life
as a couple, but we can learn that, too. As for practical stuff -- paying the
bills, finding a job, and finding an affordable home -- those don't happen
overnight. These are all things that people can and do work toward,
building a better life.
The good news. Now here’s the really good news. If you, as a couple, are
working now to set your goals and make your plans together, you’re already
one step ahead. You’re talking together, learning together, and cheering
each other on. That's a great way to start, bringing you closer to your goal of
a strong, healthy family life.
Getting help and support. The five green buttons on the upper left of
this page will take you pages where you can start getting useful info, and
links to groups that can help. These pages are adapted from the new book
Becoming a Family.
doing a good thing for your child by both staying involved. In fact, both you
and your baby are likely to have a happier, healthier, and even wealthier
life if you can stay together as a family. So if you're together now and
starting to raise your child together, good for you! Whether or not you are
now married, being a mom and dad together is a great way to begin helping
your child.
It's not always easy. Parenting as a couple can be great for kids and for
the couple, but it also can be tough. The challenges of parenting can be a
real strain on romance, and can make it harder to feel close and solve
problems. And if you are young, or new to baby care, or unmarried, or still
working to get settled -- or all of the above! -- it may be that much harder.
Meeting the challenge. Raising children together isn’t easy, but it can be
done. Nobody’s born knowing how to diaper or feed or care for a baby, but we
can learn. And nobody’s born knowing how to build a strong and happy life
as a couple, but we can learn that, too. As for practical stuff -- paying the
bills, finding a job, and finding an affordable home -- those don't happen
overnight. These are all things that people can and do work toward,
building a better life.
The good news. Now here’s the really good news. If you, as a couple, are
working now to set your goals and make your plans together, you’re already
one step ahead. You’re talking together, learning together, and cheering
each other on. That's a great way to start, bringing you closer to your goal of
a strong, healthy family life.
Getting help and support. The five green buttons on the upper left of
this page will take you pages where you can start getting useful info, and
links to groups that can help. These pages are adapted from the new book
Becoming a Family.
Help for families
Strengthening Young Families