Apprehensive Parenting...Good or Bad?

Sure, being an apprehensive parental has some drawbacks...but there are benefits too.

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APPREHENSIVE.

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Let's be honest...being apprehensive doesn't exactly sound like a desirable trait when it comes to our #ParentingGoals.

It doesn't matter what road we enter the parenthood from.`..I think I can safely say that the vast majority of us want to show up in our kid's lives armed with knowledge and confident in our ability to raise good, kind, productive humans.

Apprehensiveness calls forth visions of crippling anxiety and overwhelming confusion- of fear-filled days and stressful nights. And sometimes, that's exactly what it is.

But being apprehensive has its upsides, too.

Scientists have learned that some degree of stress or anxiety isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Good stress, also called eustress, can motivate us to think more carefully, be more empathetic, and come up with increasingly creative solutions to problems we face.

It's normal (and expected!) to be apprehensive about how the exact parenting style you'll use.

• Channel it by researching multiple methods and piecing together the parts that speak to you into a custom approach.

It's fine (and understandable) to be concerned about the world outside your front door and society's inevitable impact.

• Counter it by getting involved in your community, using your vote as your voice, and advocating for causes you care about.

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As a former self-proclaimed child-freeist, you'd better believe that making the jump from zero to two kids in less than two years makes me a bit apprehensive (**see blog name**) about the expected ups and downs of the parental experience.

But instead of letting it paralyze or derail me, I'm using it to my advantage and embracing the unknown to help mold myself into the best parent I can be.

And if I can do it, then you definitely can.

We can do this!