Parenting Articles

Can you use a parenting tip that will help you make easy memories with your family? No stress, fun-filled memories that your kids will remember for years? Well, here are some giggle-filled ideas from my family to yours.nn-- Funny hats. Well, actually, our funny hats were mostly funny ears. And flowers. And antennas. One year at Christmas we were given a bucket load of silly ears, hats, flowers, etc. all attached to headbands. We made it a rule. If you were in the kitchen,

Every couple, gay or straight, has the same excitement that every new parent feels when they decide to have a child in their life. For gay couples, they are not able to conceive and carry their own child so they seek other options and surrogacy is one of the best. Although adoption can still be another option, many choose to be biological parents through surrogacy. Everybody deserves this milestone that everyone can step and now same-sex couples can have this option. However,

According to West Ridge Academy, adolescence is the period when young people make many discoveries about themselves on the physical, social, and emotional levels of their lives. They start discovering more about their bodies, interests, skills, and potential, and often show a preference for spending time with friends over family. They also begin to go on dates, even if their parents don't want them to. With this constant change bombarding a teenager from all sides, any parent

What are the qualities that a single parent should look for in someone they are deciding to date? 1. Playful, light and fun with kids. (Kids have an innate instinct about people. Watch 2. Doesn't try to make the kids like activities they "should" like. Will accept a child's declining to participate in an activity that he/she likes. Open to learning about your child's activities and interests. 3. Doesn't try to discipline kids. Setting rules, boundaries and giving consequen

If you're a father of a toddler or a teenager, it is important that you take the responsibility of your child and raise them in an effective way. You must fulfill your commitment to be a responsible, loving and caring dad of your child. Here are eight secrets to build the father-child relationship stronger: The First Secret: Know your child

Once intended parents or surrogate mothers step into the journey of surrogacy, the first stepping stone for this process is to find a surrogate agency or directly through an independent to match with. There are several advantages and disadvantages when one opts for surrogate agencies. Some will decide for it while others will not but there is really no wrong or right answer here—it all depends on you.rnAdvantages:rn• Surrogate agencies will match both the surrogate mother

The decision to place your mother or father (or any relative or loved one for that matter) into an assisted living facility is one of the toughest a person can ever be asked to make. It was certainly the toughest I’ve ever found myself faced with. It doesn’t get all that much easier once the decision has been made either. Here I will share with you some of the feelings I felt when it came time to decide whether or not my mother should be placed into an assisted living com

Not everyone has the option of enlisting their family members and friends to watch their children. For those of us that have to find a reliable babysitter, it is hard to know where to start looking for a babysitter. Some of us might lean towards local high school students and others might place an ad in their local newspaper. Then there is the method many parents are opting to use to find a reliable babysitter, the internet. You can find an array of websites that you can sign

SIDS is NOT just something that happens to other people, and to a large extent it is preventable.nnInforming yourself about the causes of SIDS, and recognized safe sleeping practices, can go a long way towards preventing a tragedy...nn What is SIDS? nnSIDS (or sudden infant death syndrome) is the sudden death of an infant, under one year of age that remains unexplained after a complete post-mortem investigation. In the US it occurs in approximately 1 in 1,000 babies. Most cas

1. Listen attentively when kids want to talk. First, before you say anything else, restate back to then what you heard them say, even if you disagree or it is painful to see them upset. It is most important children know you care about their thoughts and feelings. (They won't care how much you know until they know how much you care.) 2. Speak about world events without intense anger or fear. Children interpret anger as parents being afraid. In uncertain times children need t

Toddlers have lots of energy. In fact, they may have more energy than their parents, if they've just had a nap and they are cooped up in an airplane or carseat for hours at a time. And once they reach their destination, a whole new set of challenges begin. So what's a parent to do? Here are five tips for keeping your toddler happy during vacations and long trips, whether on the road or through the air. 1. The most important thing when traveling with toddlers is proper prepara

Getting a call from the principal’s office is one of the last calls you want to receive during the day. Finding out that your child has been misbehaving and now has to stay in detention is not the type of news any parent wants to hear. For some parents, having to receive these phone calls on a frequent basis can cause them to be over emotional and ground the child for life. If you find yourself in a similar situation, and before you see your child again, take a deep breath,

The choice to adopt is a major event in a couple’s life as they set out on the path to create their own family. Whatever the reason for adoption may be, this process is relatively lengthy and does have a low rate of success if any steps are missed. For prospective parents, here is a look at a few insights into how adoptions work. Types of Adoptions The type of adoption that you are looking to carry out will determine the correct legal steps that you must take and your likel

“One of us ought to go and train to be a Jedi,” my husband told me as he scanned the newspaper headlines one Saturday. nnHis contemplation of the spiritual life is deep, and it relies mostly on Star Wars imagery. He said he’d been working on the Jedi thing for some time now, and so, I suppose, have I. nnIn our own way and using our own metaphors, we must all find a spiritual sense of purpose; some sort of point to it all. nnLike many others in my generation,

Parents are moved by instinct to love, nurture, and provide for their offspring. Because our children are so much a part of us, we want to see them blissfully happy. Also, our own desire to be liked, materialist pressures, and a fervent wish that our children have everything we lacked as youngsters can prompt us to spoil them. However, while it might seem that buying your child expensive gifts will give them fond memories of childhood or that you can heal your emotional wound

When I was young, my friends and I would go to the local amusement park each summer and ride the roller coaster. Damn that roller coaster would scare me, but I was not about to be the first one to say it. I was convinced that each time I would get on it, would be the day that it was going come off the tracks and violently hurl me through the air to my inevitable death. No matter how many times I rode that roller coaster, the same thought would rush through my head. In reality

We live in an incredibly fast-paced environment. Parents, whose only wish is to be able to provide better conditions and security for their family, often find themselves juggling two or three jobs simultaneously. Given this situation, we dare ask: can these busy parents still find time to nurture a worthwhile relationship with their kids? As per West Ridge Academy, definitely yes! It is absolutely doable to carry out a nurturing and loving relationship with your children desp

Mother Energy™ has crept back into my life again—that fiercely protective, “Worrier-Warrior”, who is certain my children aren’t quite ready for the natural progression of life and can’t handle the next steps without my continual guidance and loving, hands-on approach.rnNo, my Mother Energy™ is not an actual person. She’s within me. (And no, I don’t have “multiple personalities”.) Mother Energy™ is an Emotional Archetype that lies within every woman. Sh

All of us as children played with them, whether is be sock puppets, hand puppets, or wooden puppets. They have been around for quite some time, centuries even. The most popular of the puppets are marionette string puppets. Children love to play with their life-like forms and are able to use their imagination extensively. Even adults have been known to enjoy marionette style puppets. nnWhen you walk down the street, many times you see entertainers with string puppets acting ou

Do you have a teenager who is begging for more freedom? Are you uncertain how much freedom is too much during the teen years? Parenting teenagers requires a parent to walk a fine line between boundaries and letting go. Out of four children, I am currently parenting my third teenager and I'd like to share some simple guidelines that will soothe your parental anxieties and help your home life be calmer.nn-- Know your teen. It's easy to say everyone is different; it's more diff

Today, most teenagers love to paly with things a little and have a new way of experiencing things. And as a parent or guardian, it is your duty to keep them away from harmful incidents like drug addiction, teenage pregnancy and lack of direction. Below are tips to make them fruitful: 1. Book Clubs - One of the things teenagers can do to keep themselves productive is to join different enrichment clubs. There are many groups they can join and some of the best ones are book club

One of the few times when you leave your baby unattended is when your baby sleeps. Therefore, it is essential to choose the safest baby bedding for your child. There are so many types of baby cribs, how to choose the best baby furniture for your baby? Which baby crib is the best and why? I have made a very detailed guide to choosing the best baby crib for your situation. What is a baby crib? If you can imagine your bed, but in an open cage, you have a rough idea of what a bab

There are parents who consider baby naming an important task but there are also parents who ask questions like, what’s in a name? And the answer for such parents is that there is a lot of significance in a name. A name provides you an identity in this world. It stays with you for the rest of your life. So, there is need to choose a baby name that will suit your family tree and also enhance the personality of your baby. There are millions of people in this world who are expe

Parents are losing their self-control to anger. A friend called me today and told me a very troubling story. She told me on a T.V. news program she heard of a mother who was driving with her four year old child. The mother became angry with her child and couldn’t cope anymore with her child’s misbehaving. Finally the mother abruptly braked, stopping the car on a busy highway. She pulled over to the side of the highway, opened the door and pushed her child out of the car,

Puppet is a general term for the likes of characters designed in cloth, paper or wood or even plastic that is operated by means of either strings or hand or fingers to enact a given story in a highly creative and artistic fashion. It is not an easy task to get hold of the coordination between different movements done on the puppet according to the sound of the music or the voices played during the activity. Marionette puppets and especially the traditional wooden marionettes

rnThere will come a time when all families will need to hire someone to take care of the children once in a while. Finding just the right person for the job can be attained in a number of ways. You can hunt through the “job wanted” ads in your local newspaper, or you can ask friends and family for recommendations. Many babysitters post notices on bulletin boards in public areas, or you can contact a babysitter service in your locality. If this is the first time you have n

Your child is ready for potty training. He or she has decided to ditch the diapers and start wearing either pull-ups or underwear. Children love to imitate their parents, which is why potty training doesn't have to be all that difficult. With just a little patience and understanding, your child will be potty training in no time. I always made going to the potty something exciting for my daughter to do rather than it being a drag. I would sit on the toilet while she sat on her

Children and the Aftermath of Katrina: nFrom fear to hopennIn the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, many children will be hiding under the covers. When tragedies such as Katrina strike, children, like many of us adults, have no way to understand the unimaginable. It is normal to be frightened of life threatening events.nnAlso like us adults, children do best with certainty, predictability and stability in their lives. Tragedy however, turns those elements upside down and chaos

Being a parent is quite possibly the most rewarding thing most people with do in their lives, however it might also be the most challenging and frustrating thing a person might do. When you bring those precious, long awaited bundles home from the hospital survival is the key, literally. Those first days and weeks are consumed with the nitty-gritty of feeding, diapering and trying to get a few continuous hours of sleep. Keeping your baby alive and your sanity intact is the goa

Fast forward 20 years; your children might be 20, 25 or maybe even 35. It doesn't really matter how old they are. What matters is whether or not they will learn the important family values that you wish to impart. Now I understand that, as mothers, we don't have complete control over the choices our children will make in their adult years. They won't always choose our values, and that's okay. However, when they are still at home, we have more influence than you might imagine.

Cyber bullying on children, a relatively new phenomenon, has left parents scratching their heads wondering how they can prevent it. Parents facing the influences of social networking sites and cell phone based bullying on their child can take a practical approach to get rid of cyberbullying with a few easy steps.rnPrevent Raising a Bully According to a recent study conducted by researchers from Tulane University, "children who were spanked more than twice a month were 50% mor

What do you think matters most to your children? You driving them to lessons and practices, or is it the smile and hug you greet them with after school? If you guessed the latter, you are correct.

I want to teach my children that there are definitely times when things need to get done immediately. For example, if we have guests coming over, I will expect that their room needs to be cleaned "right now". But it is also important for me to teach them to take responsibility for something I've asked them to do within a flexible range of time and for them to learn how make choices regarding when they would like to do that task. They may have clothes that need to be put away,

First time parents have a ridiculous amount of new ideas to think about, so to be as organised as possible before the birth of the baby is not just helpful, but essential. As a new parent, and not knowing whether to expect a girl or a boy, it can be difficult to decide what can be bought before the birth. The list that follows has been compiled by new mum’s, and is designed so that these items can be bought before the baby is born, leaving more time to enjoy those first mon

The saying, “other people’s children” usually brings to mind how misbehaving other people’s children can be. “Other children’s parents” is a new saying that refers to how other people parent their children. Parents all have different expectations of their children and allow different behaviors. nnWhen children begin to have friends, there are times parents would rather their child not associate with a certain child. Some parents let their children run wild, wher

Or, why you might want to feed your children a little American History this summer. I regret to report, the following was a real conversation, as best I can remember it.rn Mom: “What do we celebrate on the 4th of July?”rn rnSon (doesn’t matter which one): “The end of slavery.”rn rnMom: “Uh, no.”rn rnOther Son: “Abraham Lincoln’s birthday?”rn rn“No.”rn rn“The day Abraham Lincoln was assassinated?” rnWe watched National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets o

Gone old days when the moms and dads use simple baby strollers for their tiny little ones.. This vital must have gear for parenting is need for a new born till the child could walk considerable distance by his own. Making the right choice: You’re bound to get confused on deciding which baby strollers to buy as plenty are available in the market. The pre requisite for buying would be to decide what exactly you need for your baby. Do you want a sophisticated yet sturdy model o

I did not know how much my mom had deteriorated until my dad went into the hospital. Mom had seemed forgetful for awhile, but when dad was suddenly hospitalized one evening I learned that Mom's problem was more than just a little forgetfulness. I went down to stay with her and for the first week dad was sick, I thought that she was just sad and frazzled because he was not around. However, when he passed away the next week, I learned that she had been relying on my dad to reme

As parents, we have within our reach the greatest and most effective disciplinary strategy in the world. No, it’s not military school or “Brat Camp”. The single greatest teaching and discipline strategy is a phenomenon woven into the fabric of life itself. nnSimply put, here it is: our choices have consequences. Every single one of them. nnThere is a law of sowing and reaping that, when we think about it, has taught us more than any lecture, textbook, or sermon. Wheneve

Getting Kids Out Of The Cross Fire Heaven help those children whose separated parents are involved in a litigious parenting dispute. Not only might the children have to contend with possible sub-standard parenting as often alleged in various forms, but many children are also subject to the ...

This time of year can bring loads of happiness and joy however it can also bring loads of stress and anxiety, particularly for parents. Is there a way to authentically celebrate the holidays without feeling stressed and going into debt? Absolutely! There are many ways to take the focus off material things and on to what truly counts: FAMILY. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

In the course of normal childhood behaviour, children misbehave. When they do, some parents opt to clarify the expectation of appropriate behaviour and seek to hold the child accountable. If the child misbehaves again, the child may receive a consequence such as time out, loss of a privilege, ...

Parenting is challenging no matter what the circumstances, we are often spread thin between work children and relationships. When you find your self in the midst of divorce it is often hard to keep yourself emotionally healthy non less trying to do that while being a good parent and helping your children also through the divorce process to your family’s new norm.rnHere are some tips on how to navigate with your children through divorce.rn• You set the tone often by how yo

The parent’s desires and claims are secondary when determining the “best interest of the child.” Furthermore, the parent’s wishes are only important in so much as these wishes answer the question of what would serve the best interests of the child. The Texas Family code provides that “the best interest of the child shall always be the primary consideration of the court in determining the issues of conservatorship and possession of and access to the child.” Holley

Dealing with child behavior is sometimes incredibly difficult. The most common child behavior problem can push any parent over the edge, including: Crying on and on Rejecting "no" for an answerr Outright defiancer Disrespectful "back talk" Picky eatingr Refusing to do household chores or schoolworkr Lyingr Dawdling when you need to leaver Drifting off taskr Whining helplesslyr Resisting bedtimer Sibling rivalry The following solutions can make it easier for you to handle and

The numerous benefits of breastfeeding to baby and mother are well documented.nnBut amid all the alarm over skyrocketing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes in British children, one crucial factor is never mentioned. nAnd that’s the impact of bottle-feeding and the benefits of breastfeeding.nStudies have shown that baby's feed on formula food have a 4 x greater risk of obesity in later life than those that are breastfed.nnAlthough the fat content of breast milk and cow

Almost all children in their lives experience peer pressure at one time or the other and even if they don’t want to, they are forced to give into it. During the pre-teen and teen years, children are highly susceptible to it. Sometimes the impact or influence is so much that pressure can make the child to do something or be a person contrary to his nature and beliefs. No matter, how cautious parents might be but they can’t shield their child from experiencing peer pressure

With Anthony Weiner no longer front-page news now that he has resigned in disgrace from public office, what's a parent to make of that perfect storm - a mix of politics, power, sexting and lying? The media frenzy over the ex-Congressman's behavior provides a clear teachable moment for our teens. Given the dramatic effects of the inappropriate messages and photos he sent and the devastating results of his untruthful words, we can talk to our kids about the serious consequences

Jorge is a 9-year-old Hispanic boy who was given an ASD diagnosis last year by a licensed psychologist of the Centers for Autism and Related Disorders regional office. He lives with his older brother, who has also been recently diagnosed with ASD. His mother indicates that she just recently received a diagnosis through one of the Autism Specialists , although she always knew that her son had some type of disability. He is a very outgoing boy who likes to play outside, ride hi

One huge difficulty with trying to be a good parent, is the number of things that are passed on without even trying to pass them on. A good example of this, is concerning our good and bad personality traits and how children pick up both almost naturally. Since all people have unique experiences as well as personalities, when they are all mixed together, the result is quite an interesting dynamic. This makes a most interesting drink, especially when you add in your spouse and