Kirk and Aguilar Family
What's the one thing people should know about children and parenting? Kiss, hug and hold them a lot. It does as much for you, the parent, as much as it does for them. She can't tell me right now, but I think she knows how much she is loved by us.

Gomez Family
The most wonderful thing about being a parent is having discovered what other parents had told me would happen... that you begin to see life through fresh eyes again, because of your baby. In February, Amanda discovered our cat "Shadow," the flame on a burning candle, her shadow while we were outside, that her feet/toes fit in her mouth, etc. And all these discoveries create such joy and fascination in her that I have no choice but to stop and notice these things myself! Amanda has made me slow down, and begin to notice the littlest, simplest things in life, and this has been a wonderful thing.

Faborito Family
What advice would I give someone thinking of becoming a parent? My advice would be to have patience! That's the key I think... So you have to have patience and lots of support from your family.

Clay Family
Use the car for learning time. Sing with them, count with them, tell them stories, teach them about the world. Be a good example. Our children will grow up to be the kind of adults we have shown them to be, not the kind of adults we tell them to be. Do things as a family and be together at mealtimes. Make family time a priority and schedule it into your week. I think we should speak kindly to our children that is something I now see as very important. I think we need to be less critical in front of our children, and more kind.

Ashford Family
The biggest challenge I've faced being a parent is not flipping out whenever she would cry and cry and cry and cry. Keeping my cool has been the best thing I could learn to do in being a parent, but it's been tough...And breastfeeding is a great way to nourish and bond with your baby. If you can get by the initial pain, you are good to go. Both you and your baby will appreciate the ease.

Lunceford Family
I'd tell people who are thinking of becoming parents that I think it is great to be informed. Reading updated baby magazines and books really helps. It is always a good idea to call your pediatrician if you have questions. I also think everyone has a different style of parenting. So it helps to realize that you may not be doing the exact things as your friend does because you and your babies are different, and that's okay.

Philips and Jiminez Family
We feel that one of the most wonderful parts of being a parent is coming home from a long day at work and seeing our children's welcoming smiles as we walk through the door. Being a witness of their development and achievements is both gratifying and fascinating to see. For instance, we took plenty of photo shots of Carter when he took his first baby food bite.

Josh's Family
The most wonderful part of being a parent is the amount of love we feel in our hearts. We expected that we would love our children, but were overwhelmed by how our bodies "filled up with love". As a mom, I was surprised by my instinct to care for, protect and love my babies from the very beginning. Each day my children bring me joy (and challenges, too). I have more empathy for other parents and understand why people want to talk about their kids all the time. When you are the parent, every move your child makes is adorable and important. (Grandparents are always happily willing to listen to our tales.) I am most surprised by the amount of hours I can spend just staring at our baby while he sleeps.