“Let me love you a little more before you're not little anymore.” 

This quote is such a bittersweet reminder for me about how fast our babies grow up. As a mama of three, my days are often on autopilot with the busy tasks ahead — keeping a home, raising my children, and accomplishing the daily responsibilities.

The days are long, but before I know it, my oldest doesn’t need help tying his shoes anymore, and my youngest can take a walk without asking to be carried. They’ve now all grown up! 

They often make me stop and think of what kind of memories they have of me as a mama. It makes me cherish the mundane, routine days and reminds me to make each moment meaningful to them. Intentional parenting is the act of thoughtfully choosing how you parent your children and recognizing the long-term benefits your relationship will reap as they grow. 

From setting goals for yourself, and your children, to managing your time and making decisions about their care, intentional parenting helps you have a purposeful day and lets you positively influence your children by example.

If you are a new mama, you might wonder what you can do to be more intentional with a new baby and if it is too early to start implementing this into your day. Here are 5 simple ways to start to build the habit of always aiming to become an intentional parent.

Romanticize Your Life

I love pretending that I’m in an old-fashioned book and my day is beautiful as the sunbeams are warming around me. I imagine I’m nesting in my summer house, hearing the sound my coffee makes being poured into my cup, and seeing my baby smile in slow motion. 

The point is: savor every little moment and train yourself to see beauty and joy in little things. This will help you slow down and not feel like you are missing things because your baby is growing up too fast!

Talk To Your Baby

Sometimes it can seem silly to talk endlessly to someone who does not talk back, especially a newborn who doesn’t understand. But you will be surprised at how enamored your baby will be with you. They can actually see you talking to them! 

Their little brains are sponges, soaking in every word and building essential language and communication skills from how your mouth moves. You might ask, “what do I talk to them about?” Start with something as easy as telling them what you are doing— for example, “We are going to your room; I need to change your stinky diaper; I bet it doesn’t feel good but don’t worry, we will clean you right up!“ 

You can talk right through whatever you are doing with them with love, and it will soon become a habit.

 

Go For A Walk

We all know it’s important for children to go outside, but it’s better to make a habit out of it! Start this daily routine when your baby just woke up. Rain or shine. Sunlight releases serotonin — the happiness hormone— and making an intentional effort to get some sunshine is making an effort to create your own happiness. 

Not to mention all the other amazing benefits of the sun, such as providing stress relief, an immunity boost, a natural anti-depressant, and an effortless way to stay healthy. Plus, it helps your baby develop healthy habits as well!

It’s A “Get To”, Not A “Got To”

It’s so easy to get caught up with day-to-day tasks and feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for your little one. You may even start feeling sorry for yourself. Please don’t. You can avoid these distressing emotions by practicing early on to turn your negative thoughts into positive ones. 

Make a habit of seeing it as a privilege that you get to care for your little bundle. Intentionally practicing positive thinking will eventually form a habit of having a positive outlook on your everyday circumstances.

Find Your Routine

Having a strict schedule with the baby is almost impossible, and it sets you up for failure, especially when life throws you a curveball—  like a new baby tooth or a new milestone. A routine helps you plan out daily tasks and allows you to complete them at your own pace. This also lets you bond with your little one with the day-to-day tasks and make them feel connected to you as you do the chores.

As your baby becomes a toddler and soon a preschooler, continue to involve them or even have them help you with your daily tasks. Always remember that it’s you and them working as a team to complete something. In the process, you two learn more about each other and build a strong relationship foundation. 

And there you have it! You now know the five practical ways that you can be an intentional parent. 

If you are like me, you probably also have worries about raising your children in the best way possible, making sure you avoid causing trauma and abuse. Every parent wants to give their children the best childhood they can. Intentional parenting is taking actionable steps to be the best parent you can be. And in the process, you can enjoy each other's company, make memories and create a lifelong friendship until they reach maturity! 

Life is a beautiful gift to be enjoyed. You and your child deserve to create your own happiness within the walls of your home.

Feel free to share this article with your family and friends so more people can experience the joy of intentional parenting!

About this Womanhood Unwrapped Guest Author:

Kristina Yashchenko lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and three small children. She spends most of her day running a small business, Mini Wander and homeschooling her sweet kiddos. She enjoys hiking, a good book, creating surface patterns, and a daily iced coffee.

Her small business, Mini Wander, was inspired by the concept of intentional parenting. She takes basic baby essentials and combines them with her surface pattern art to bring a snippet of beauty and joy to the long days of childrearing. You can also follow Mini Wander on Instagram!

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