It's a 25 year (minimum) project. Make decisions and guide yourself patiently by the project's end goal of creating an intelligent, appreciative, caring, contributive and tolerant human being into this world. But like any long-term project, enjoy the journey, smell every rose and every stiff guinea pig or floating celestial goldfish along the way. Don't panic and crash - nor get overly enthusiastic about - any particular moment or new behavior or trend. You discover that the parenting story is an accumulation of a thousand phases of development. These phases, especially early on, can last as little as a couple of weeks. At onset, they create much anxiety in the new parent. But have confidence that they will always change into something new either more or less pleasing/frustrating. Certainly agree with the excellent sentiments shared above, reading, creating traditions, traveling. But consistency of discipline, values and emotions will always win in the long-term project goal. Just please don't be another parent who thinks their kids are the best, can do no wrong, and coddles the living shit out of future megalomaniacs. Other than that, should be a cake walk.
