I'll be duplicating others' advice, but such is life: - Separate your own issues from your child's. You will react strongly and unreasonably to events; work ha

I'll be duplicating others' advice, but such is life: - Separate your own issues from your child's. You will react strongly and unreasonably to events; work hard to understand when that happens and own it. - Learn who your child is. Every child is different, and if you try to fit them into some standard mold it won't end well for either of you. - Be open to being embarrassed at the grocery store. - You will mess up. When you do so, own it and move on. - When infuriated by your child, remember Robin Williams' line from "Night at the Museum": "Who's evolved?" [0] - Be a safe harbor for your child. If they come to you with a problem, never make them regret it. - When/if you have a second child, don't compare them. They're different people at different stages of their lives, and will need different approaches, care, and levels of patience. [0] https://clip.cafe/night-at-the-museum-2006/no-hard-feelings-s4/ https://clip.cafe/night-at-the-museum-2006/no-hard-feelings-...