The first year of parenting is full of baby milestones—the first smile, the first time they roll over, and sometimes even their first steps. But what about parenting milestones? For first-time parents who’ve never done any of this before, it’s important to recognize and celebrate all that you’re accomplishing. But it’s not always easy. The day-to-day of parenting can be tough—especially when you’re so darn tired all the time. Not to mention the parent milestones don’t stop once your baby turns 1. Once you’re a parent, you’re a parent forever.
One way to find a little more joy in parenting is to pause and notice the good stuff. We can celebrate how far we’ve come since the first day we met our little ones. So here, we’re sharing parenting milestones to celebrate, no matter how old your kids are. Of course, every milestone won’t apply to every parent—and NICU parents, parents of multiples, or parents of kiddos with ongoing health issues or disabilities will have some different milestones. But we hope you can see yourself somewhere in this list of 101 parenting milestones you should be proud of and celebrate.
101 Parenting Milestones
For Parents of Babies
New parents are learning an exorbitant amount of information every day—from becoming attuned to their baby’s hunger cues to discovering just how long one can survive on half-hour sleep increments. So it’s no surprise that baby’s first year is also full of parenting firsts. Here are just a few to celebrate:
1. First time you held your baby.
2. First time you successfully breastfed.
3. First successful swaddle.
4. First time you successfully pumped more than an ounce of breast milk.
5. First time you successfully bottle fed.
6. First time you snuggled on the couch.
7. First bath you gave them at home.
8. First time you made your baby smile.
9. First time you made your baby laugh.
10. First time you left the house with your baby.
11. First time you drove with your baby in the car.
12. First time you made the car seat to crib transfer without waking them.
13. First time you took a walk with them in the stroller or carrier.
14. First time you took them to the store alone.
15. First meal made one-handed.
16. First time you took care of their first illness.
17. First time you used a snot-sucker.
18. First time you introduced yourself as [baby’s name]’s mom.
19. First time you got them to sleep more than 30 minutes in their crib
20. First time you took care of them by yourself.
21. First time you took them out to a restaurant.
22. First time you successfully changed a diaper in public.
23. First time you left the house without the baby.
24. First time you went on a solo drive.
25. First time you forgot the diaper bag and didn’t panic.
26. First time you’re called “mama.”
27. First time you’re called “dada.”
28. First time you dropped them off at daycare.
29. First time you left them overnight.
30. First family road trip.
31. First time you slept more than four hours straight.
32. First time you showered without hearing phantom cries.
33. First connection you made with another new mom.
34. First time you wanted to be touched by your partner again.
35. First time you and your partner went on a solo date.
36. First time you hosted your first 1-year-old birthday party.
37. First time you called your mom to say “I get it, now.”
For Toddler Parents
Parenting toddlers can be a whole lot of fun—when they’re not trying to permanently injure themselves. Toddlers begin to show you who they are and it’s fascinating to discover the layers of their little personalities. They might even meet a younger sibling at this age, which opens up many more parenting milestones as a new parent of two. Here are some milestones the toddler parents might relate to.
38. First time you laid down for a nap with them and fell asleep too.
39. First time you kept your cool through a toddler tantrum.
40. The first time you carried them on your shoulders.
41. First time you left them alone to play in the other room.
42. First time you caught them playing independently.
43. First time you caught vomit in your hands.
44. First time you got them to the potty just in time.
45. First time you let them go to the bathroom without help.
46. First time you improvised with something to blow their nose that wasn’t a tissue.
47. First time you woke up beside them and didn’t know they’d climbed into your bed.
48. First time you let them leave the house in whatever outfit they dressed themselves in.
49. First time you left the stroller at home because they wanted to walk/bike/scooter.
50. First time you sang together in the car.
51. First time you took them to a play date.
52. First time you gave them a piggyback ride.
53. First time you watched them meet their sibling.
54. First time you took two kids out of the house alone.
55. First time you watched them play with their sibling.
56. First time you dropped them off at preschool.
57. First time you attend one of their school events.
58. First time you laughed because they said something actually funny.
59. First time you heard them say something you always say.
60. First time you had a full conversation with them.
61. First time you caught them tenderly mimicking one of your gestures—patting their back, singing them a lullaby, kissing their forehead.
62. First time they told you to breathe to help you calm down.
63. First time you watched them start a friendship without your help.
64. First time you didn’t have to help them navigate the playground.
65. First kitchen dance party.
66. First family movie night at home.
67. First time you take them to a show or movie and they sit through the whole thing.
68. First time they walked from the house to the car by themselves.
69. First time you don’t have to help them put their coat or shoes on.
70. First time you got to do something without interruptions.
71. First trip without kids.
72. First time you feel like yourself again.
For Parents of Growing Kids
Parents of growing kids are living the adage, “The days are long and the years are short”. Those babies and toddlers who relied on us for everything are becoming independent people. They’re off to school, off to play with their friends, and moving further and further away from us. Here’s to celebrating the parenting milestone moments we get to witness in watching them grow up.
73. First time you took them to a playdate and didn’t stay.
74. First time you watched them climb without spotting them.
75. First time your back hurt when you picked them up—but you did it anyway.
76. First time you didn’t need to buckle them into their car seat.
77. First time you listened to them read you a story.
78. First time you answered a tough question at bedtime.
79. First time you woke up and they were already awake entertaining themselves.
80. First time you’re called “mom,” not “mama” or “mommy.”
81. First time you watched them walk into school without holding your hand.
82. First time you saw them get on the bus.
83. First time you met with their teacher for conferences.
84. First time you chaperoned a field trip.
85. First time you dropped off/picked them up without getting out of your car.
86. First time you dropped them off at a birthday party without staying.
87. First time you played a board game together for fun.
88. First time you helped them navigate friend troubles.
89. First time you let them bike around the block alone.
90. First time you let them go to the park with a friend.
91. First time you embarrassed them unintentionally.
92. First time you embarrassed them intentionally.
93. First time you showered without hearing phantom calls for “mom”.
94. First time you learned something new from something they learned in school.
95. First time you helped them with their homework—and understood why they were frustrated.
96. First time you watched proudly from the audience or the sidelines.
97. First time you called them on their own device.
98. First time you listened to a problem without trying to fix it for them.
99. First time you left them home alone.
100. First time they sat in the front seat next to you in the car.
101. First time you hugged them and couldn’t rest your chin on the top of their head.
