Discuss effective interventions that help families ease the transition to parenthood

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer: Couples’ groups led by counselors are effective in easing the transition to parenthood. Therapists report that many couples know little about caring for infants, perhaps because they grew up in small families where they had few sibling caregiving responsibilities. They are also unaware of the potential impact of a new baby on their relationship. High-risk parents struggling with poverty or the birth of a child with disabilities need more intensive interventions aimed at enhancing social support and parenting skills. Many low-income single mothers benefit from programs that focus on sustaining the father’s involvement. Generous, paid employment leave—widely available in industrialized nations but not in the United States—is crucial for parents of newborns. Financial pressures mean that many new mothers who are eligible for unpaid work leave take far less than they are guaranteed, while new fathers take little or none. When favorable workplace policies exist and parents take advantage of them, couples are more likely to support each other and experience family life as gratifying. As a result, the stress caused by the birth of a baby stays at manageable levels.