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	<strong>Mums and dads are facing more challenges than ever before, says Miriam Donohoe</strong></p>
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	I don&#39;t think there is a parent anywhere who would describe child-rearing as a &quot;piece of cake&quot;. Parenting has its joys and excitement &ndash; but it carries with it huge challenges and stresses too.</p>
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	Today a new study, &#39;Growing Up in Ireland&#39;, reveals that a child&#39;s development can be hampered if a parent is stressed.</p>
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	And we should take note, as this is the most comprehensive childhood study every undertaken in Ireland, involving 11,000 children.</p>
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	All parents, no matter what their social status or background, strive for the same thing &ndash; to give their children the best possible upbringing and to create the sort of environment that will ensure they are secure and contented in their lives.</p>
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	But the adjustment to parenthood can be quite an ordeal. Oh yes, there are the first few weeks after a baby is born when you are on a high and family and friends are on hand to make a big fuss. But that &quot;honeymoon&quot; ends and new parents are eventually left on their own with the daunting prospect of a helpless infant in their care.</p>
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	The research highlights the important role of parenting in a child&#39;s development, and the impact of premature birth, weight and a parent&#39;s ability to interact effectively with their infants. Today&#39;s results cover a study of children at nine months old.</p>
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	We learn that children who are born prematurely, or who are of a low birth weight, have a poorer developmental outcome, according to this study. However, it is possible that they will catch up in time. Further studies will determine this.</p>
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	It is probably stating the obvious but the study confirms that there is a clear relationship between parents&#39; ability to be in tune with their children&#39;s needs and stress. It&#39;s a vicious circle. Parents are sensitive to the needs of their cranky children because they are more stressed. And this, in turn, fuels more crankiness from the infant.</p>
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	According to the report, single mothers tend to be more stressed than mothers in two-parent families &ndash; not an earth-shattering finding. More interesting is the finding that mothers in general get more stressed about income while fathers are more concerned about their relationship with their partners than they are about money.</p>
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	The findings show that even from a very young age, the sensitivity that parents show towards their babies is important for their development. Parenting does not happen in a vacuum. The behaviour of mothers and fathers can be affected by stress and depression. But the study says babies can be protected from these potentially negative influences if sensitive parent-child interactions can be maintained.</p>
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	It is so important for parents to have support. Mothers and fathers are up against it, facing more challenges in life than ever before. Austerity and the financial crisis have not helped, with more pressure to keep up mortgage payments and to hold on to employment.</p>
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	There is also the more subtle pressure to raise the &quot;perfect&quot; child. Many parents come to the job convinced that their child-rearing methods can give them an added advantage over others. The competition for perfection amongst parents can be ferocious.</p>
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	It is welcome that we are studying how parenting can impact on a child&#39;s development so parents of the future can be armed with information that will help them. Yet, it is hard to find any earth-shattering revelations in this study that would encourage radical change in the way we go about it raising our children.</p>
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	Let&#39;s not get too carried away with surveys and advice, however. Parenting has been with us since time began, going right back to Adam and Eve! It is something that we will never really be fully prepared for, even if we go to all the parenting classes in the world. Once the baby comes along you are thrown in at the deep end and it is overwhelming at first for young parents whose life is turned upside down when a baby arrives.</p>
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	We learn on the job, and we do our very best, even if it is a matter of trial and error and we don&#39;t always get it right first time.</p>
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	There is one thing we should all remember. Follow your instincts when it comes to rearing your children. Our instincts are usually right. Parenting is not new. It is as old as human life.</p>
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	Don&#39;t get too caught up in doing it by the book. Do what comes naturally to you.</p>
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	The study reinforces the need for the new Child and Family Agency, which is to be established in 2014, and bringing together key agencies to ensure children and families get the services they require in a timely and effective manner. This is to be welcomed.</p>
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	Parents need all the help they can get.</p>
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	It is now clear that the less stress parents have in their lives, the better it is for the development of their children.</p>
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	I am over the worst, I think. My two are almost 24 and 22 years old. They have brought me my greatest joys &ndash; but have been the cause of my biggest stresses too.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/miriam-donohoe/miriam-donohueparenting-brings-great-joy-but-lots-of-anxiety-too-29724048.html">http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/miriam-donohoe/miriam-donohueparenting-brings-great-joy-but-lots-of-anxiety-too-29724048.html</a></p>
