Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category

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10 Tips for Nurturing Independence Among Children

August 26, 2013

 

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Courtesy of drfranwalfish.com:

1.  Balance nurturing, setting limits, and holding boundaries.  Kids can only become independent if they have been given structure and internal guidelines as foundation.

2.  Encourage healthy expression of anger.  You will help your child develop excellent communication tools that include conflict resolution skills.  Your child needs to know he is acknowledged, validated, and accepted flaws and all!

3.  Nurture and praise your child’s incremental steps toward separation.  To be a good parent you must prepare and equip your child to deal with life and then let them fly on their own.

4.  Encourage your child’s unique and individual ideas, thoughts, and opinions.

5.  Built self-esteem by using words that support and motivate with empathic attunement, rather than criticize.

6.  Equip your child with coping skills to deal with disappointments.  We cannot protect or prevent life’s disappointments.  The best we can do is equip our children with coping skills to deal with inevitable letdowns.

7.  Reward your child’s demonstration of good judgment and good behavior with incremental amounts of increased independence and freedom.

8.  Do not allow yourself to be pressured by your child.  What her friends are allowed or what her brother was allowed has nothing to do with her individual level of readiness for independence.

9.  Have individual one-on-one special time with each child.  Begin when they are young and continue to implement this quality uninterrupted time with your son or daughter.  This is your opportunity to build upon the first year of attachment.  True independence can only come out of a healthy secure bond.

10.  Create a support system for yourselves, Moms and Dads.  It’s hard to let go of your child.  The psychological goal of toddlerhood is for the youngster to claim himself as a separate being from Mommy and Daddy.  The psychological goal of adolescence parallels that of toddlerhood.  The teen’s goal is to resolve the separation process.  This means your adolescent must emerge into adulthood with his own ideas and opinions about relationships, religion, morals, ethics, sex, character, and values.  There is life ahead for empty-nest parents.

 

Click on the link to read The Spoiled Twins with their £70k First Birthday Party (Photos)

Click on the link to read 4 Tips for Getting Your Kids up in the Morning

Click on the link to read Seven Valuable Tips for Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem

Click on the link to read Top Ten Compliments Your Children Need to Hear

Click on the link to read Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

Click on the link to read 20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

Click on the link to read Parents and Teachers Should Not Be Facebook Friends

 

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The Spoiled Twins with their £70k First Birthday Party (Photos)

August 19, 2013

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All that money and the children involved will grow up without ever remembering enjoying it:

He’s created everything from ice castles to oriental palaces and numbers Simon Cowell and Elton John among his clients – and now well-heeled parents are asking celebrity event planner Steven Duggan to create equally lavish parties for children too young to have a clue what’s going on.

Last month, Duggan created an Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan-themed event for a pair of twins celebrating their first birthday – and charged the parents £70,000 for the privilege. The party took place in a marquee erected in the family’s garden in London.

While it might sound extravagant, Duggan says it’s by no means an unusual event (‘we do about one a month’) and revealed that non-celebrities tend to splash out far more on private parties than their A-list counterparts.

 

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Click on the link to read 4 Tips for Getting Your Kids up in the Morning

Click on the link to read Top Ten Compliments Your Children Need to Hear

Click on the link to read Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

Click on the link to read 20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

Click on the link to read Parents and Teachers Should Not Be Facebook Friends

Click on the link to read Introducing the App that will Give Parents Nightmares

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4 Tips for Getting Your Kids up in the Morning

August 1, 2013

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Getting children ready for school on time is a real and extremely difficult challenge for many parents. Below are some tips courtesy of blogger Sue Kirchner”

1. Wake up, Little Susie 

    Analyze your kids’ morning routine. Some kids need time to come awake while others snap to it. For those sleepy heads, you may need to set the alarm early enough to accommodate some sitting-and-staring-into-space time. Or, try setting two alarms, one on the opposite side of the room. Having to physically get up and turn off the clock means your child is that much closer to being awake. Play around with the alarm itself. See if setting the alarm to a radio station works better at encouraging your kids to get up than just a buzzer. Experiment to see which method works best and then overestimate the time your child needs to get ready so there are no last minute morning panic attacks. That’s no way to start the day.

2. Rise and Shine                                        

    Try waking your kids up with their nose. Use favorite smells to lure them out of bed, such as cinnamon-raisin toast, crispy bacon frying, or maybe even coffee brewing for teens. I’m not above bribing my kids to get out of bed with one of their favorite breakfast meals. Sure, I may need to get up a little earlier to cook something, but it’s worth it to get everyone to willingly show up to breakfast and skip the nagging.

While I personally am not this dedicated, I did read a tip from a Mom who on cold winter mornings would throw her kids clothes into the dryer for a few minutes. She felt pulling on warm clothes helps inspire her kids to leave their warm bed. Try it and let me know if it works.

3. Early to bed, early to rise 

Tell your child that you will keep pushing bedtime earlier and earlier in the evening, until they are able to wake up on time. The thought of having to go to bed at 7:30 p.m. may be just the thing to motivate them to wake up in the morning. Getting a good night’s sleep, as simple as it sounds, may solve the problem, too. Get the family into a routine to guarantee a good 8 – 10 hours of sleep for your child.

4. Eliminate distractions

Your kids need to wind down and relax so they can fall asleep faster and feel rested. So, give your kids the opportunity to relax and unclutter their mind before bed. When they are young, read a goodnight story together. As they get a little older, have them read chapter books to you or read on their own. Don’t schedule activities too late in the evening so they are too wired to sleep. For tweens and teens, have them plug their cell phones into the charger in the kitchen before going to bed and leave them there. No texting until all hours late at night! According to this article from MSNBC and the BBC, teens texting at night causes sleep deprivation and memory loss. Sleep deprivation is very dangerous for teens, according to this article by the Mayo Clinic.

Same thing is true in the morning. Once your kids are up, no TV, no computers, no cell phones until they are dressed, have eaten breakfast, prepared their lunch, or packed up their backpack. Eliminating distractions before their chores are done can help keep the morning moving smoothly.

Hopefully these tips will help get your kids up and out the door in time for school. Now go have a cup of coffee and a deep breath!

 

Click on the link to read Seven Valuable Tips for Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem

Click on the link to read Top Ten Compliments Your Children Need to Hear

Click on the link to read Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

Click on the link to read 20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

Click on the link to read Parents and Teachers Should Not Be Facebook Friends

Click on the link to read Introducing the App that will Give Parents Nightmares

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How Much Privacy Does a 6-Year-Old Need?

July 10, 2013

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Surely young children require supervision and boundaries far more than they need privacy!

Parents of children as young as six fail to keep tabs on their mobile phone use for fear of ‘invading their privacy’, according to a new survey.

Almost 60 per cent of mothers and fathers questioned said they did not monitor their child’s mobile phone activity.

Of those, one in four said they chose not to check in order to respect their infant’s privacy.

The majority of parents – 42 per cent – said they never got around to checking what their youngsters were using their phones for, while 13 per cent said they trusted their child with the device.

Over 2,000 parents of children aged 10 or younger who owned a mobile phone were questioned for the survey, which was carried out by mobileinsurance.co.uk.

The survey revealed there are children as young as six in possession of a mobile phone.

Nearly 80 per cent of parents whose child had a phone with a lock or pass-code on it admitted they would not know how to access it.

This is despite the fact that children could be using their smartphone to access the internet.

The firm behind the survey urged parents to ensure their child’s access to online content was suitably restricted.

According to website director Jason Brockman, mothers and fathers should monitor children’s mobile phone use as a means of ‘keeping them safe’.

Click on the link to read Seven Valuable Tips for Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem

Click on the link to read Top Ten Compliments Your Children Need to Hear

Click on the link to read Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

Click on the link to read 20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

Click on the link to read Parents and Teachers Should Not Be Facebook Friends

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Seven Valuable Tips for Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem

July 7, 2013

 

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Courtesy of education.com:

  1. Remember that we all make mistakes. It is important to remember that no one is perfect. Demanding perfection from your children causes them to be anxious and depressed. They feel like they will never be good enough. Start a new rule in your home: it is more important to try to be good enough, than to try and then feel badly about not being perfect.
  2. Pay attention to what you say. Pay attention to what you say to yourself around your children. The negative things you say about yourself will be remembered by your children, and your children may in turn repeat that about themselves. Always talk to yourself nicely when your children are around. (Talk nicely to yourself when they aren’t around, too.)
  3. Teach respect. Treat your children and your spouse with respect. That doesn’t mean you give in to them, it means you don’t interrupt when they are talking and you listen attentively. Address them lovingly. No matter how old your child is, he needs to be talked to respectfully.
  4. Hug your child. Affection tells your child you love him, and he is worthy of love. Remember, teens need as much if not more hugs than small children do.
  5. Keep your promises. Parents who are never on time or change plans constantly raise children who don’t trust. If you cannot trust others, you cannot feel good about yourself. If you grew up in a home where no one followed through, change that for your child.
  6. Give your child responsibility. Parents must give chores and follow through with consequences if they aren’t done. This teaches your child he is part of the family and his work is necessary to help the family. Parents who don’t give their children chores raise kids who think they really don’t matter to the family. This leads to disengagement of the family.
  7. Show interest in your child’s interests. Any interest your child expresses is an opportunity to raise her self-esteem. Talk to her in regards to her interest. Listen to her. Buy her books, take her to appropriate museums, or join a group with other people who share that interest. When you show interest in your child’s interest, you make your child feel valued and important. This encourages her to be more curious. Children with healthy self-esteem are more curious because they aren’t afraid to take risks. They believe they will not fail and if they do they will be okay.

 

 

Click on the link to read Top Ten Compliments Your Children Need to Hear

Click on the link to read Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

Click on the link to read 20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

Click on the link to read Parents and Teachers Should Not Be Facebook Friends

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Top Ten Compliments Your Children Need to Hear

June 11, 2013

Since my last two posts were related to compliments and constructive criticisms, I thought it would be great to add this list of compliments children need to hear.

Courtesy of imom.com:

1. Compliment their character. We live in a world where integrity is neither consistently taught nor widely expected. When our children demonstrate honesty, kindness, trustworthiness and reliability, that’s a great time to take them aside and offer a sincere compliment.

The ABC’s of Good Character

2. Compliment obedience and respect. It’s too easy to fall into patterns of disapproval, where the only time we notice is when kids do wrong. Rather than waiting for disobedience or disrespect (then coming down like a ton of bricks) try noticing obedience and respect: “I don’t always remember to tell you, but you are an awesome young man, and I appreciate the way you treat your mother”.

3. Compliment them for simply being part of the family. “Every time I see you, I’m thankful that I’m your Mom.” Kids need to understand that they are valued simply because they are.

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As if Naming Your Son ‘Adolph Hitler’ Isn’t Bad Enough

June 5, 2013

 

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I’ll go out on a limb and suggest this man isn’t in the running for “Father of the Year”:

A white supremacist appeared at court on Monday dressed in full Nazi uniform as he tried to convince a judge that he was a good father – despite having named one of his children Adolf.

Heath Campbell, who had four children, asked the judge to be allowed to see his 18-month-old son Hons.

The self-proclaimed Nazi, from New Jersey, has given three of his children Nazi-inspired names but claims he is fit to be a father and has never abused them.

Campbell, a swastika tattoo clearly showing on his neck, told NBC10: ‘I’m going to tell the judge, I love my children. I wanna be a father, let me be it.

‘Let me prove to the world that I am a good father.’

He said that he had never abused his children and had only named them. He has not seen his children in two years and the eldest three have been adopted.

The 40-year-old white supremacist appeared at a hearing in Hunterdon County Family Court in Flemington, NJ this morning. His regalia included knee-high black boots and swastika patches.

He told the TV station that whether wearing his Nazi uniform might sway the judge’s decision, depended on the judge.

Bethanie White, a member of his organization ‘Hitler’s Order’, was with Campbell at court – also covered in swastikas.

Adolf Hitler Campbell, six, and his younger sisters Joycelynn Aryan Nation, five, and Honszlynn Hinler, four, were taken into custody in January 2009.

State officials also took another son, Hons Campbell, from his parents Heath and Deborah Campbell just hours after he was born in November 2011.

A court denied the Campbells’ appeal to have their children returned last year.

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Click on the link to read Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

Click on the link to read 20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

Click on the link to read When Children Say Too Much

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24 Reasons Why Young Children Make us Smile

June 3, 2013

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This year I have taken leave from teaching in order to assume the position of stay-at-home dad. It is a big job and whilst I miss teaching, I have enjoyed spending the extra time with my children, doing school runs, taking my 1-year-old for walks in his stroller and watching him develop.

There is no doubt that young children can make us smile like nothing else. Below is a list written by writer and blogger Melissa Sher:

  1. That big breath before blowing out the birthday candles.
  2. A bedtime routine for a baby doll.
  3. Pasghetti. Handburgers. And other perfectly imperfect mispronunciations.
  4. Babies in sunglasses.
  5. Babies in hats.
  6. Baby thighs.
  7. Babies.
  8. A 4-year-old wearing his Halloween costume to school in April.
  9. An inability to whisper.
  10. Homemade birthday cards.
  11. Handmade jewelry.
  12. Conversations with imaginary friends.
  13. A big smile with only two bottom teeth.
  14. Flushed cheeks and damp hair after a nap.
  15. Waving “bye bye.” But doing it backwards.
  16. Left shoe on the right foot, right shoe on the left.
  17. A book read out loud by a child who can’t actually read.
  18. Galoshes. With a tutu.
  19. Songs sung in the bathroom.
  20. Freshly combed wet hair.
  21. Closing one’s eyes to disappear.
  22. The hand motions to “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”
  23. Their sense of wonder.
  24. And their innocence.

 

Click on the link to read Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

Click on the link to read 20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

Click on the link to read When Children Say Too Much

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20 Reassuring Things Every Parent Should Hear

May 20, 2013

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Courtesy of writer and humorist Beth Woolsey:

 

1. You are a hero for your kids. You are. You’re a go-the-distance, fight-the-dragon, face-the-challenges hero for your kids. Taking a beating makes that more true. Not less.

2. We all struggle. Every parent. Everywhere. We all second-guess ourselves. And we all want to quit sometimes. Hold the good times close, and when things are tough, remember, “this, too, shall pass.”

3. Finding the funny may not save your soul, but it will save your sanity. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, look for the humor and embrace the crazy. Laughter is a lifeline.

4. Every day, you will feel like you have mishandled something. Like you’ve been impatient. Like you’ve misjudged. Like you’ve been too harsh. Like you’ve been too lenient. You may be right. Apologize if you need to and then, whatever. Seriously. Just whatever. Let it go.

5. The crazy, the crying, the cuddles. The screaming, the sacred, the scared. The minutes, the magic, the mess. It’s all part of it. And it’s all worth it.

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Tips For Parents of Kids Who “Hate School”

May 5, 2013

hate

There can be nothing more dispiriting for a parent than to be faced with challenges concerning their children that they can’t intervene in or correct. What do you do if they tell you they hate school? You can’t always change schools. How do you make the school experience palatable for your children when you have no control whatsoever over the day-to-day running of their school?

The following are a list of tips courtesy of parentsconnect.com:

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