Ten Sources of Help for Parents

At one time or another we all need help and parents are no exceptions. Parents have long lamented that children do not come with an instruction manual. Sometimes parenting can be a lonely job and parents simply need to feel validated that they are on the right track with their kids. There are also sources that can give a parent new ideas on how to care for their children better. 
One of the first places a parent can go for help is parenting magazines. As a rule magazines will give a good overview on accepted thoughts on child development and health issues. Every once in a while a magazine will publish something that seems a bit off or contrary to common sense. This can happen can magazines can be inclined to be a bit sensational to sell more issues. 
Another source of help is your child's school counselor. They can be a great place to go if your child has learning disabilities or problems with friends in school. Anytime a child is having difficulty in school, a school counselor is one to approach.
Your child's teacher is also a great source of help. A teacher spends hours a day in a room with twenty or more youngsters of approximately the same age. A teacher will have a good feel for what is the expected development for a child of that age. Teachers can also give an adult perspective of what is going on between one child and another at school.
The internet can be a dubious source of help for parents. Anybody can publish anything on the internet so be careful of this source. On the other hand the website for a real world parenting resource can be very helpful. An example of this would be the website for the La Leche League which offers breastfeeding support or the website for the American Academy for Pediatrics for children's health issues. Parents can also find empathy and advice from other parents in forums, chat rooms and on blogs. 
Your church or other religious affiliation can be a good source of help for parents. Churches can offer instructional support on parenting skills in the form of parenting classes or Sunday School classes. They can also offer practical helps such as babysitting, preschool programs, scouting programs and consignment sales for children's clothing. They can be a social outlet for parents and their kids. They are also a good place to find other parents with the same values that you have.
Books are a great source of parenting advice by the experts and can be purchased online or in bookstores. Another great source of books is your public library. Books can give you the perspective from other parents, as well as educational and medical experts.
People you know like your friends who are parents, your own parents and your grandparents can be a source of help. Friends can swap babysitting, parenting anecdotes and sympathy with you. Your parents can also be a source of advice, but do not feel you must follow their advice just because they are your parents. You are still the parent of your child and must weigh all the advice you get before you choose to act on what feels right for your child. 
Parenting is a difficult job and parents need all the help they can get. Every child, parent and family situation is different, so parents cannot automatically assume that advice will translate well to their own circumstances. However the above sources can be very helpful when considered with care. Sources such as these can be great for providing creative new ways of considering a problem and its solutions.