Resolutions

The National Fatherhood Initiative suggests these resolutions for Dads in particular, but these are great for all parents (both yourself as a parent and your pregnant daughter as a parent):

1. SCHEDULE time for your kids. Don't let time with your children be whatever is leftover in your work schedule. Spending time is how you show love. So intentionally schedule blocks of time dedicated to your kids during the week and during the weekend, and then guard those appointments just as you would guard an important meeting or a doctor's visit. With a pregnant daughter, you need to make sure you spend emotional energy on your other children too...they need time when they are the center of your attention instead of worrying about all the issues surrounding your pregnant daughter.
2. Start traditions. "These don't have to be huge and/or time consuming. Bath time, bed time stories, helping with homework, weekend movies together - whatever it is, do it on a consistent basis."
3. Hug your kids, every day. Virginia Satir, a family therapist, said that "We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth."
4. Talk to your kids about tough stuff. In addition to drugs, violence, and what's going on in the world, you have plenty of tough topics to address when you have a pregnant daughter! Your kids probably have questions. Spend some private time with each one and ask them what they are thinking about their pregnant sister. Talk to your pregnant daughter about the tough topics like how she will finish her education, whether adoption or parenting is best for her and the baby, and her future. Try to have frequent, shorter discussions rather than long exhausting debates!
5. Teach your kids about money. Show them how much the bills for your family are each month. Take out a calculator and have them figure out how many hours they would have to work to pay the bill at $6 an hour (and other wages). When they want to buy something, ask them to figure out how many hours of work that item represents before they put it in the shopping cart. Include lessons about tithing and saving, too! Take your pregnant daughter to the grocery store and compare the prices of formula versus breastfeeding, and of cloth diapers versus disposable ones.
6. Be healthy. Your pregnant daughter needs to be eating as healthy as possible, and getting appropriate exercise. Why not get your whole family to join her in her exercise and new eating habits?