Parenting Articles

A parent tells their young child to brush their teeth. The child responds, "I don't want to; I don't feel like it." It is perfectly normal for children to believe that they must be in a certain mood state (feel like it) to do something. Most parents, though, tell their child that they are sorry that they don't feel like brushing their teeth but go and do it anyway. This child-like thinking continues for many adults. Unfortunately, as adults we often don't have someone making us do it anyway.

Decide what YOU will do! Not what you will try to make the child do! Once you have decided, call a family meeting and inform them. Schedule a whining time. At that time EVERYONE whines for a full minute AT THE SAME TIME. It is great fun, we all end up laughing. Use a non verbal hand signal. ...

No parent wants their child’s safety to be compromised online or in any other way. Between hackers, online predators, cyberbullying and other web safety issues, it is more important now than ever to remind your kids to stay safe online. It can also be hard if you don’t know what steps to take to make sure they increase their internet security. Compiled for you is a list of the most important things you should be asking your kids to do to improve their safety and your sani

Did you ever gaze into your children’s eyes when they were babies wondering what they would be like when they grew up? Did you notice some of your children’s strong personality traits even when they were very young? One of our challenges is to see and appreciate our children’s unique combination of passions, capabilities, qualities and beliefs. This can be especially difficult when our expectations for our children do not match who they are.

I read an interesting few lines in an article by William E. Krill, Jr. L.P.C. The article is entitled, The Child Victim of a Narcissistic Personality Disordered Parent. Although he is writing about the experience of children and the non NPD parent, he also writes about counselors working with persons with NPD. Accordingly:

One of the most important decisions to make before trying surrogacy is whether to use traditional surrogacy or gestational surrogacy. There are different advantages and disadvantages on these two types of surrogacy. Traditional surrogacy involves the use of the surrogate mother’s own egg cells and the sperm cells of the intended father. One of this process advantages would be its high rate of success and it is a less expensive process. However, this type of surrogacy often

What is successful parenting? Have you been a successful parent if your kids get good grades? What if your kids don’t get good grades? What about if they are well-mannered? And, if they are not? What if you have great listeners? What if you don’t? What defines a successful parent? More and ...

THE CHALLENGE OF GODLY PARENTINGn Being The Right Influence At The Right Timen © Lee Wise All rights reserved Knowing when to encourage nand when to exhort, When to release nand when to restrict, When to correct nand when to assist, When to give hope nand when to warn, And most of all... Knowing never to stop loving, nbeing a friend and praying -- nas if their lives depended on it. Because... they do. Yours for many hope-filled days in Jesus, Lee n(John 15:16) nn====

While it’s all been said many times in a thousand different ways, letting go of something can be very challenging, particularly when it comes to someone you love, whether it be a child, a love or a friend. I personally had a very difficult “letting go” episode a number of years ago that involved my youngest daughter and it literally threw me for a loop. She was preparing to go off to another state to start a new life and although she was ready to go and I understood her need

Our lives are a direct reflection of what we put our attention on. Do you constantly talk about how badly your kids are behaving and talk to them about their bad behavior? Do you talk about how much debt you have and dwell on it and dwell on it? Do you tell your partner that he/she ...

Has your older child been overly aggressive or desperate for attention since your new baby arrived? This situation can be very stressful for a tired mom and dad, however it needn't be. Here are a few tips on how to turn this tiring situation around.

Mental health challenges in children and young people are on the increase and are posing huge problems for them, adults and the society as a whole. Families and schools alike, are now feeling the impact of this surge of mental health crisis. Something needs to give and changes must be made in order to safeguard children and young people’s future and as the next generation. And the change must start with us, adults!

Some people are in abusive relationships. They say they stay because when it’s good, it’s very good. Unfortunately, when it’s bad, it is also very bad. So, some people weigh the good against the bad and it seems to come out even. Not so. Abusive relationships must be assessed when under duress. ...

Back in my undergraduate years I took a required course for all psychology majors entitled Experimental Psychology. Early in that course in a lab we were each instructed to train a white rat to turn right in a T-maze. (A successful trial was defined as the rat not going past a line on the left side of the maze and the rat had to proceed all the way to the right within five seconds—to eat a small piece of compressed grain.) When the rat made five consecutive “correct” responses, it was determined that the rat had “learned” the appropriate response.

Attention Deficit Disorder affects each individual differently. It is hard for “Dylan” to sit still during circle time. He fidgets with his shoe lace and squirms in his spot. His movement distracts other students from listening to the story. When the teacher asks the class to predict what will happen next, “Dylan’s” hand shoots up and the words pop out of his mouth at the same time.

When our children reach age two, it can be very tempting to push our children to potty train, whether or not they are ready. As a parent, when we see our children's peers master something new, it can be hard to sit back and wait for our child to naturally achieve the same developmental milestone. But potty training before you and your child are ready often leads to stress, frustration and an unnecessary battle of the wills. Fortunately, if you wait until your child is ready to begin potty training, many of the power struggles that traditionally come along with it can be avoided.

Tech camps are inherently devoted to bringing forward the love for technology in the youth and furthermore develop their proficiency in diverse streams of competence for instance programming, game coding, graphics, web designing and robotics besides others. Big technology camps companies offer tech classes for teenagers providing directions on latest technologies available from top software and even tech companies for example Apple, Autodesk to Microsoft, Google etc. Dedicate

As parents, we want the best for our children. We attend to their needs, and every now and then we indulge their wants. Be careful though—indulging too much can spoil kids. You may feel that you need to buy expensive items, but it’s not necessary to buy designer brands of dresses, shoes, and hair accessories for children, especially if it eats up too much of the budget. Some brands cost lot! It’s perfectly fine to indulge once in a while, but only when you decide that i

Affairs Are About Anything But Love Participants present affairs as arising by chance and based upon love and mutual adoration. The relationship advances from flirtation to infatuation. This can happen quickly or over considerable time. Eventually there is an expectation that the affair advance ...

‘Tis the season for Fall sports — when parents spend more time at playing fields or driving to games than they spend at home. At the game, parents enthusiastically cheer their child’s team and discuss the game on the car ride home. While most parents have good intentions, they can inadvertently discourage a child and promote unhealthy competition if they don’t choose their words carefully. First, let’s define the difference betwee "healthy" and "unhealthy" competition: Healthy competition focuses on doing one’s best, having fun, and learning skills.

Getting pregnant is a challenge for many couples. In fact, it is estimated that 10 to 15 percent of couples struggle with infertility. This can be frustrating to deal with, but the good news is that there are many things that you can do in order to boost your chances of conceiving. Keep Your Stress Level Under Control Stress can make it difficult for you to conceive. There was a study done in 2012 that involved 401 couples who were trying to conceive. The results of the study

Teaching children about death depends of course on what you believe about death yourself. This article is based on my own personal experience with death and how I have handled the subject with my own children. These recommendations are for parents and caregivers who believe in the ete al nature of the soul. These recommendations are for those who want to change the old viewpoint of death replacing it with a new and enlightened understanding of what death really is.

I am challenged on a daily basis to help families identify their own fears. Many times this is not an easy task because we are so resistant to admitting that we are afraid. We are conditioned to not experience fear. Fear is not an acceptable emotion in our society. Men are supposed to be strong and not show emotions. Women are perceived as weak and unable to take care of themselves if they are afraid. We live in an emotionally suppressed and emotionally phobic society.

Finding time for yourself can be difficult. Here are some exercises that, once learned, don't take long, and can really have a positive impact on your day. Tip one: Calming Breath is a basic Take a Break Strategy. When tense or annoyed we often take a quick breath in and then forget to let it out. This is not good as holding your breath or breathing quickly tenses you. Learning to consciously take a calming breath off and on throughout the day un-tenses you. Here’s how. 1. Breathe in slowly. 2. Hold until you feel some small bit of tension. 3. Breathe out slowly. 4. Smile gently.r

Lying in children is very common, but it's also something parents are often concerned about. Lying in children has many different forms and some of them are a real cause for concern while others are harmless. Lying in Children You shouldn't be concerned about:rnYoung children of about 4-5 years old often make up stories. They hear stories from other people all the time and enjoy listening to them, so they make up their own stories to tell and often fade the line between reali

It doesn't take a weekend retreat or months of therapy to get organized. And contrary to popular belief, being organized is not a genetic trait that you may or may not have inherited. Anyone and everyone can be organized. But all great organization begins with three big questions. 1. What ACTIVITY goes on here?

It is very important to teach kids how to interact with dogs they are interested in. Childish excitement could be interpreted as a threat by inexperienced dogs. Good kids and good dogs will have miscommunications every day. By teaching children and dogs how to interact with one another, we ...

Do you believe that children cause their parents to react with anger and stress? If, for example, children tell their parents a sharp "No!" in response to a direction or request, must their parents become upset, or do parents have better options? The fact is that you can always improve your reactions to some degree. But as long as you believe that another person or your situation gives you no choice but to react in any particular way, you give up your power to change. Childre

Can you hear your compassion? It's time to crank it up. nnOne of the most difficult challenges we face in our quest to be compassionate is dealing with conflict. Those we love most tend to be the ones most likely to engage us in sparring that cuts the deepest. nnWhy do we allow ourselves to use our harshest words and most acid tone of voice with the people we love most? nnPrecisely because we love them most. We're counting on unconditional love. We know we are likely to be fo

I usually stay away from the subject of single mom dating. There are plenty of other bloggers that talk about this subject. But I’d like to share what has worked for me in the past. I got great results and a great friend using this method. Your mileage may vary so use your own instincts and ...

It’s hard to believe, but here we are again, another school year! Is it me or are the summers getting shorter? This week the kids are reconnecting with their friends, meeting new ones, excited to see who’s in their class, which teachers they have and dawning all their new gear ...

Personal growth and parenting aren’t often words put together in the same sentence. Yet parenting provides the perfect opportunity for growth. And not just for our child’s growth, but for our own. If we really want to bring out the best in our children, we need to call forth the best in ourselves. 9 Ways to Bring out the Best in You and Your Child is a brand new book that provides a blueprint for parents to empower their children and themselves, rather than struggling for

To let your children understand the importance of having healthy teeth, make it a point to bring them to an oral health expert at least twice a year. However, as noble as this plan may sound, it may be quite terrifying for your kids to think about having a tooth removed by a complete stranger. Nevertheless, when circumstances requiring them to have dental implants or undergo any oral surgery, you have to help them conquer that fear of dentists. Now, to help make visits to suc

The Lighter side of Stress We feel it, we say it, we live it, we affirm it and we teach it…life is stressful, right? We’re so busy running on life’s treadmill, worried about our kids, work, finances, world issues, our health and relationships. Rushing in the morning to work to meetings and ...

Do you have a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who is challenged socially? Do you realize that you don't have to rely on the professionals who provide services to your child to enhance their social skills. Social skill groups and classes led by experts in the field are extremely beneficial but you also have the power to take every social interaction your child experiences and turn it into a teaching/learning opportunity.

Christmas is generally a time for joy, giving, receiving and thinking of others. For some people however, Christmas brings about fear, trepidation and anxiety. As schools are about to break up for the festive season, some pupils in particular may be filled with dread and the thought of having to take time out with their families; namely pupils who self harm. Some schools may already begin to see signs of structural attachment to the school or attachment to members of staff in the form of increased self harming as the end of term approaches and are looking for self harm help.

Ironworks Inc. and Acme Steel have been doing business together for twenty-five years. Ironworks manufactures steel widgets and Acme sells raw steel. These two companies have worked together for all this time for two basic reasons: 1. They need each other. 2. The money is right. Ironworks believes they are buying their raw materials at a reasonable price and Acme believes they are selling their steel at an acceptable price.

Her eyes were turned low and her shoulders slumped, as she listened to another lecture. “You’re not worth it. All the things we do for you and you just keep slacking off; under performing and making us look ridiculous to our friends. Why can’t you just be normal and do your work as we want you ...

The signs of fall are unmistakable in my part of the country. Golden aspens shimmer in the crisp breeze and crimson leaves float through the air. Weekend visitors flock to apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and intricate corn mazes that farmers have carved into their fields. Canned food drives ...

Waiting for baby at the end of your pregnancy is probably the most difficult part of the whole process. You have been waiting nine months and are now anxious to meet your little bundle and move on with your life as a mom. However, each day can be excruciatingly long. You wait in anticipation ...

The one thing working moms have in common is that they’re busy ladies with a lot on their plate. The second thing they have in common is that they feel guilty a lot of the time. One of the main sources of that guilt comes from the feeling that they don’t have time to spend quality moments with their children; “life is just a race” moms tell me.

As a young kid, I was a brat. We all were brats because of your existence and experiences, up to that point, led you to believe that you were the center of the universe. I distinctly remember playing an educational card game with my mom, and she beat me. I was upset, threw a tantrum, and cried. She told me to take a deep breath, learn from the experience, and try to improve during the next game. I lost again, but I was closer to that elusive victory. Eventually, my efforts paid off, and I pulled out a win.

There are certain tasks that are expected from babysitters. They need to be good with children and be able to play games with your children. You will want a babysitter that knows first aid. Children get injured while playing all the time. You will want to make sure the babysitters you hire are equipped to deal with these mishaps. Besides playing and knowing first aid you will want other things from your sitter. What do you expect? Some people want a babysitter who can help wi

As the end of summer approaches, some students with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder begin to dread the first day of school. They become anxious and worried without being able to pinpoint the reason. They get headaches or stomach aches at the mere thought of walking in the school door. They pass sleepless nights and can even get nauseous. ADHD anxiety is a real issue for these students. Preparing these students for the transition can help lessen the stress involved. 1. School Supplies

When you are at peace with having a baby or not having a baby, then what will be, will be. You will either have one (as you were supposed to) or you will not have one (as it was not meant to be). Accept the fact that God has a plan for your life, which may not include children. If you don’t ...

I was talking with a friend recently and agreeing that ‘things have changed since we were parented’. There’s a bigger focus on children’s progressive thoughts and feeling these days – a priceless evolution – much of which has come from a greater understanding of what they benefit from physically, emotionally and spiritually. It doesn’t mean though that our children rule the roost or that discipline isn’t as valuable as ever to ensure that we create a strong fa

Every month should be Child Abuse Prevention Month. As a parent educator, mother of three children and former preschool teacher, I am appalled by the growing rate of child abuse, neglect, maltreatment and murders in our country and even in our own state of North Carolina. According to state ...

by Susan A. Haid As the pressure on public school teachers increases to raise student test scores, and the boom lowers on our kids to perform on standardized testing, as funds drain away and classroom sizes swell, what is the educational experience becoming? More importantly, how much of this knowledge is being retained by our kids? I believe current statistics report that after three years, students retain approximately 20-30 percent of the knowledge imparted in the classroom. Humph.

Let’s face it, monetary matters play an influential role in our romantic relationships, whether you find yourself married or in another serious relationship. While love is priceless, the role finances play in our relationships is a fundamental of our cultural-specific and universal beliefs ...

There’s nothing quite like being a new parent - the love, the emotions, the happiness, the new-found appreciation for coffee. But, while it may be exciting, it’s also full of one other element: sheer terror! The idea that a human being is completely dependent on you tends to be a little unsettling. Of course, babies aren’t that scary – they don’t bite (they have no teeth!) and they’re easy to please. They’re not that scary, but they’re still scary. This is why