A note from the founder

Last week we recorded a podcast focusing on newborn sleep. It was great to discuss some novel approaches parents can use as they face exhausting and challenging sleep patterns of their new little bundle of joy. The discussion took me back to the challenges of parenting, from the early stages of having a newborn all the way to when they leave the nest. I thought this would be a good time to share some of my observations.  

Let me start by saying I have the best parents ever and am so thankful for the love, guidance, and support they provided. My wife, Michelle, and I have two awesome sons that are now 22- and 25-year-old young men. As we were discussing newborn sleep last week, I reflected on the journey with our sons. There are many observations I would like to share which can be applied to most facets of parenting but may be especially useful to parents just starting their journey: 

1.   You will strive to be the best but sometimes you will make mistakes. 
2.   You will learn from other parents. 
3.   You will hear a lot of strong opinions, but you will have to make your own decisions. 
4.   You will never stop learning. 
5.   Oh yeah, every child is different so never think you have it figured out. 

I could elaborate on all of these, but I'll save it for our future podcasts and columns. 

Since our team believes shared parent experiences are one of the most valuable tools parents can utilize, we are starting to video and archive stories from parents. Some of our initial stories will be from parents talking about their journeys raising children with developmental challenges, prematurity, autism, multiples, and more. We are hopeful these archived stories can empower parents to know that they are not alone and to learn from others before them.  

If you have a story to share or know of other parents who might want to share their journey, please email us (hello@parentmd.com). 

Sincerely,

Josh Honaker, MD, MBA, FAAP

Founder and CEO

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Free Download: 15-page Newborn Survival Guide

We took five common newborn topics newborns from our Parent Survival Guide and made this free mini-guide, especially for those welcoming a new little one into the world. Whether you just brought your newborn home home or are anxiously awaiting their arrival - this is a great resource for you! 

P.S. If you know someone who is expecting, pass it along!

Parenting Tip:

Keeping Kids Healthy During the Holidays

1. Make sure they are getting enough sleep
2. Make sure they are eating a balanced diet
3. Practice hand hygiene
4. Don’t let people kiss your baby!
5. Survey your home for anything dangerous
6. If a family member is sick, don’t let them be around your family. 

This came from a blog written by Dr. Noze Best.

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