Realities of Parenthood

1. Realities of Parenthood Chapter 25

2. Skills for Parenting • List some stresses and conflicts that are related to the arrival of a new child

3. Financial Responsibilities • Prenatal Care • Care for the mother and the baby before birth

4. Prenatal care is usually provided by an obstetrician or an obstetrician-gynecologist, a doctor who specializes in caring for pregnant women and delivering their babies.

5. One routine prenatal procedure is a painless process that uses ultrasound waves to determine the fetus’ size, position, and sometimes gender. • The waves bounce off the fetus in the mother’s uterus and create an image on a screen. • If any problems are apparent, the doctor may recommend drugs, bed rest or even surgery.

6. Fetus • The unborn child • Financial costs begin with pregnancy • List some items a couple might need for the child? • Crib, playpen, car seat, diapers, clothes, equipment, furniture, Dr’s apt, vaccines

7. Shared Responsibility • Child is born = both parents are responsible • Federal/state child support programs collected an estimated $14.4 billion in fiscal 1998, an 80% increase over 6 years earlier. In 1992, only $8 billion was collected

8. Parents’ income tax refunds can now be withheld if they are behind in child support payments. • Beginning in 1998 people who owed more than $5,000 can be denied a passport.

9. Desire for a child • Some think a child will strengthen relationships but it doesn’t • Demands of child often strains relationships more

10. Readiness • Some believe they are ready and they aren’t • Take a realistic look at your personal qualities and circumstances

11. Emotional Maturity • Fully developed emotions, feelings, and the ability to handle them well

12. Focus on Relationship • After the birth parents’ responsibility with each other change • Child’s needs come first • Less free time • Less time together • Less sleep • More decisions • More expenses

13. Nancy and James, both 20, have been married one year. Nancy feels James is starting to spend more time with his friends than with her. She thinks that if they have a baby, James will pay more attention to her and spend more time at home. • Is Nancy’s plan wise?? • If she becomes pregnant will James react as she hopes?

14. Financial Readiness • Financial stability –ability to meet everyday living costs • A child born in 1997 for a family with an annual income of less than $35,000, the average cost of raising the child to age 18 is over $220,000. For middle income ($35,500 to $59,700) the cost rises to just over $300,000. For higher income families, the estimate is $437,000

15. Personal Readiness • Ready to make personal sacrifices

16. Teen Parenthood • Development in progress • Having a child gets in the teens way for personal development • Limited resources

17. Education & Work • Not financially prepared • Low paying jobs • Some teens are unaware of, ignore, or try to hide their pregnancy. • This has a strong impact on the baby’s health as well as their own when they don’t obtain appropriate medical care

18. Costs • Average birth = $5,000 • Cesarean Delivery $3,000

19. 20 year study of 134,088 pregnant women by the University of Utah found that teens under age 17 were twice as likely as older women to give birth 3 or more weeks prematurely, or to babies with low birth weight • Low birth weight is the greatest threat to a newborn. The study ruled out other known causes of premature and low birth weights, such as lack of prenatal care.

20. Physical Concerns • Premature = born before they are completely developed

21. Proverbs • “A rich child often sits in a poor mother’s lap” (Spanish proverb) • “Your children need your presence more than your presents.” (Jesse Jackson)

22. “Parenthood remains the greatest single preserve of the amateur.” (Alvin Toffler) • “Insanity if hereditary --- you get it from your children.” (Stan Levinson)

23. Activity • Problem Solving • Have pairs list ways that emotionally mature parents might solve the following problems. • One parent had plans to go out with friends, but the other parent must work late and can’t watch the baby

24. One parent, unhappy at work, would like to quit and go to school to learn another trade. The other parent is not working and planned to stay home with their new baby for at least a year

25. The baby is sick and can’t go to child care. Both parents must go to work