We all have good intentions when the baby is born. But realize you are going to make mistakes. We all make them. Of course there are tactical mistakes like not having enough diapers, not buckling car seats correctly, or not bringing enough change of clothes for the baby when you go somewhere. But the mistakes I want to review involve more of your thought process , emotions, and your overall well being. 1. Taking the baby's crying personally - Your newborn is not trying to ruin your life. Although sometimes it might feel like it. They are either hungry, tired, have gas, or need a diaper change. There aren't a lot of reasons. It's not your poor parenting skills that are the cause. All babies do it. 2. Not paying enough attention to your wife - Get a babysitter or family member to watch the baby and take your wife out on a date. Know her love language and either get her flowers or do some act of service she appreciates (cleaning, washing her car, something without her asking for it). 3. Putting too much pressure on yourself - You want to be the perfect parent, a great husband, and great in business. But it's pretty impossible to excel at everything at the same time. The cool part is you get to start your day over every day. One day you can be a great parent, the other a great husband, and then the next day a great business person or employee. Don't expect you will be able to do everything well all at the same time. 4. Underestimating your time - Everything will take a lot longer than you think. You will make plans and will be late. It takes longer to get out of the house, pack bags, or anything else that involved the child. 5. Not taking care of themselves - This means getting some sleep, eating well, and exercising. If you don't care about any of those, then at least make some time for yourself to have fun. Hang out with friends Comparing your baby to others 6. Comparing your baby to others - When they rolled over, when they first talked, when they first ate solid foods, etc. Don't do it. Every child is different and it has no bearing on their future. 7. Not enjoying the moment - I recall saying "I can't wait until my son can talk to me". or once he walks it's going to be so fun. Enjoy the present moment as it goes by really fast. It doesn't seem like it is going fast in the beginning but you will look back and think it. Having a new baby is awesome, but reality is that it can be stressful if you allow it to be. A lot of that stress comes from making sure the baby is ok as you just want to protect it and make sure you are doing everything you can to give it the best opportunity. Just remember not to be too hard on yourself. Millions of people have raised children before you. You are going to make mistakes, but learn from your mistakes and just make sure you are providing love an affection to your baby. Love and affection will cancel out a lot of other potential problems.