Custom «Challenges That Parents Face While Raising a Child» Essay Paper Sample

The time when two adults decide to have a baby is one of the best periods in their lives. Thus, the challenges that many parents face are typical for every family as babies need attention, love, and special care. Luckily, modern society offers much help and advices to those who need them through books, literature, and professional healthcare specialists. Thereafter, the objective of the following paper is to interview a family who has a newborn and discuss the findings.

My friends who raise a three-year-old daughter have kindly agreed to answer the interview questions on 27 December 2014, which is much appreciated. They still remember the time when their Lindsay was so small and defenseless. Eating was a point number one in the agenda, and sleep was the next one. Actually, they have understood that the child was eating and going to sleep very soon after the feeding, but the hours were varying depending on the age. Thereafter, during the first month, the child of the interviewed parents could sleep up to 16 hours per day (almost equal day and night); by the third year of her life that number has decreased to 12 hours, which is mostly in the nighttime. Baby needs so much sleep in order to stay healthy and full of energy.

According to the interviewed family, Lindsay has always been crying a lot, which was at first a worry for the young parents. However, they have soon understood that the baby just needed something – either she was hungry, tired, wet, wanted something to suck. Any need resulted in a cry, but finally the parents stopped to worry as they have managed to learn fulfill all the needs of a child.

During the first months, the baby was often awake at night, feeling hungry. However, with age, that habit has disappeared and Lindsay started to get up in the morning (small naps after lunch) and early evening hours. She liked to play and stay with her mom during that time. Her habits have changed, and she started to enjoy going out and spending time in a company of other children due to her curiosity.

Lindsay has always been very picky and selective about the food. She does not like porridge and potatoes, but enjoys meat, bread, and sweets of course. Lollipops and grilled meat are her favorite food. During the time of the interview, Lindsay enjoyed playing in a sandbox with toys and other children. She liked the sound of a Smartphone as funny as it might sound. Lindsay has small problems with digestion system, which is why she experienced pain and parents knew it once she refused to eat anything.

In conclusion, it is important to mention that the findings of the following interview almost 100% coincide with what has been learnt during the course from the Chapter 4 of the book Infants, Children, and Adolescents written by Laura E. Berk. In her book, the author describes all the challenges the parents might face starting from the early years until adolescence of their children. The book includes very useful advices and resources on how to look after a baby and how to take care of a child’s needs. Thereafter, the interviewed couple has used the same recommendations related to sleep and awake time as well as the reasons of crying and activity as described by the author (Berk, 2011).

It is brilliant that the books is based on a practical advices of clinicians, professional healthcare workers, nurses, psychologists, and other researchers, as the experiences decried there are the same for every family raising a child.