Becoming a parent is a journey of trial and error, also known as the world's most widely played game of improvisation. No amount of reading or preparation is going to save a first-time parent from a child left to their own devices. That's often when the most amusing, albeit messy, mishaps happen. In fact, more than half of parents believe that they can't take their eyes off their children, otherwise chaos would reign.
Here are a few very common booboos parents make.
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Oversleeping
A recent global survey conducted by Paracetamol Calpol® found that getting a child ready for school is when most mishaps happen. Ninety three percent of parents have had mistakes like oversleeping - the alarm didn't go off, so you hurry to your kids' room, wake them up and get them ready as quickly as you can. One way to avoid this, is to try and set a bedtime for yourself, like you do for your kids. That way, waking up in the morning won't be a hassle. You can also put an alarm clock in your kids' room to encourage them to learn the importance of time and punctuality.
Forgetting to prepare baon
Thirty one percent of parents have forgotten to give their kids something to eat at recess. If you woke up late and you are rushing around, you are most likely to forget something. The best thing to do is to prepare everything the night before. You can make sandwiches that you can just reheat in the morning or cook up make-ahead meals that you can just pop in the microwave really quick and pack in your kids' lunchboxes.
Making kids late for school
Besides waking up late and forgetting to prepare meriendas, 38% of parents have made their kids late for school. Most common causes include car problems and traffic. Anything that could make your child late for his classes can be prevented by making sure everything is done the day before. Make time to check your car for any problems every week. If you are worried about traffic, make sure you leave your home early and let your kids know you need to follow a strict schedule to avoid being stuck on the road.
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Giving medication to sick kids
When it comes to medicating sick children, 55% of parents are confident about treating their childs' pain, but nearly 1 in 2 parents in some countries find it stressful to know how much medicine to give. This is hardly surprising as the number one parenting concern is when their child is sick.
One handy tip is to always consult a dosage calculator with your child's latest weight in hand when giving medication. Because children come in all shapes and sizes, it's not very accurate to dose them based on their age alone. Using their weight in the calculation makes it possible for medicine to work more effectively. A dosage calculator takes the guesswork away, making it one less thing to worry about.
We do hope you haven't committed any of these parenting mistakes, but if you have, do not fret as you're definitely not alone.
Being a parent is hard but it can also be very fun and fulfilling. Share your fun photos on Instagram and tag it with hash tag #CalpolMakeNoMistake to make other moms feel that they are not alone in their parenting boo-boos! Get fun, get creative but remember—when it comes to pain and fever, make no mistake—Paracetamol Calpol® is there for you.
