The top 20 parenting wins that 'keep parents going', says new study

From your baby smiling at you to just being able to drink a cuppa without reheating it, we rely on these little victories to get us through the day

Being a parent can be difficult, but there are things that make it all worth it – from memorable milestones like the first day of school and your baby’s first word , to those little wins that just help you get through the day. Modern parents can find themselves burnt out and stressed, but a new survey found it's the little things that keep them going the most - uncovering the top 20 parenting wins that keep parents going.  

The survey involved 1,000 new parents, with researchers asking them about their favourite small victories of parenthood. The top parenting win, perhaps unsurprisingly, was your baby smiling at you, with almost half (47%) of parents calling it a win. It’s tied at the top with 47% of parents also considering it a win when the baby sleeps through the night.

To round up the top five wins, 36% of parents described their baby finding joy in eating something new as a favourite small victory, while another 36% spoke about their babies eating all their food without complaint. 

Next up are a stranger commenting on how cute they are (34%), when they’re looking at the camera for a picture (31%), when you get to keep the house tidy for an entire day (29%), when they’ve had a good day at nursery or with their childminder or carer (28%), and making a cup of tea and drinking it hot without needing to reheat it (28%). 

Also among the top 20 are going a day without a leaky nappy, managing the transition from car seat to cot without waking the baby up, and getting through the first outing without a meltdown.

According to the study, parents experience an average of five wins each week during the baby and toddler stages, with 62% of parents saying they feel extremely proud of their child, and 53% feeling like successful parents. 

37% of parents like to capture their wins with a photo, while 20% enjoy rewarding themselves with a well-earned cup of tea. A huge 98% of parents needed to Google something related to childcare in their first year of parenting, with 70% finding having a child to be more challenging than they thought, so it’s unsurprising that 82% described these little wins as helping them through the difficult periods. 

Almost seven in 10 parents (69%) say they took sleep for granted before kids, with 59% missing the opportunity to leave the house quickly. But that said, 87% of parents agree that having a baby is the best thing to ever happen to them. 

Susanne Bisinotto, spokesperson for Vitabiotics Wellbaby vitamins, which commissioned the study, said: "When you have a baby, you start to appreciate getting the basics right and anything else is a bonus. Given how tiring days can be, it's no surprise that parents consider it a win when their child sleeps through the night. Another common concern is ensuring the baby gets all the necessary nutrients, especially as they can be fussy as they grow into toddlers.

“It's great to see how these small accomplishments, like a child eating all their food, can have such a positive impact on parents. All mums and dads deserve a celebratory cup of tea to mark the occasion... it's just a case of if they have time to."

The full list includes:

1. When the baby smiles at me (47%)
2. The baby sleeping through the night (47%)
3. When the baby giggles (40%)
4. Them finding joy in eating something new (36%)
5. Them eating all of their food without complaint (36%)
6. A stranger commenting on how cute they are (34%)
7. When they are looking at the camera for a picture (31%)
8. Keeping the house tidy for an entire day (29%)
9. When they’ve had a good day at nursery/with childminder or carer (28%)
10. Making a cup of tea and drinking it hot without having to reheat it (28%)
11. When there isn’t much clearing up to do after they’ve eaten (28%)
12. When people compliment the baby name you chose (27%)
13. Finding a convenient place to change a nappy when in public (27%)
14. A day when the nappies didn’t leak (26%)
15. Getting through the first illness (26%)
16. Nailing the nap schedule (25%)
17. Successfully managing ‘the transition’ from the car seat to the cot when they’re asleep (24%)
18. Simply washing my hair on any given day (24%)
19. The first outing without meltdowns (24%)
20. Simply finishing a day without bursting into tears (24%)

In other parenting news, 'digital soothing' for kids can cause more harm than we realise, and experts reveal how 'second best parenting' is empowering parents. Take a look at these eight foods that could harm your child’s teeth, too, while here are some simple ways to help kids build creativity and emotional intelligence.