Monday, November 16, 2015

Awesome Advice For Raising Awesome Children - 3




Parenting is one of the most difficult and rewarding jobs anyone will ever have. A little patience and persistence will pay off. When you set rules, make sure they are age appropriate and easily understood. Punishment should be consistent, practical and explained to children. It's imperative to be a parent to your child. They already have plenty of friends. Read on for more tips.

Don't do everything for your kids. Teach them how to do things for themselves. Teach them how to cook, set the table, or do other chores. Not only will you lighten your own load, but you'll teach them valuable skills that they'll need when it's time for them to raise their own families.

It is important to realize that children learn through the games that they play early in life. Simple counting games and shape recognitions can help them learn. There are many games that are available on the market, but if you do not have the money to buy them, you can definitely make some great games yourself using materials you have at home.

When your child is working on homework, make sure to provide a distraction-free environment. Minimize noise and talk around their area, and turn off the TV. If they're on the computer, make sure they're only using programs directly related to the assignment. Distractions make it difficult to focus on the work and turn a quick assignment into a long ordeal.

Whether you are a set of parents living in the same home or separate homes, you are going to need to work together as a team when it comes to everything about your child. Learn to disagree in a civil manner, and find ways to resolve any differences quietly and in the best interest of your child.

Children know more than what you're willing to tell them, so try to save that "You're too young to understand" stuff for only the most serious topics. You don't want to patronize your children in any way. If they are able to understand something, it doesn't hurt you at all to explain it to them.

Never underestimate the power of touch when it comes to comforting your child. Hugs, kisses, pats on the back, or touching their hands all let them know that you love them and care. Make sure that your child gets some physical contact from you every day, because it helps them thrive.

Kids are picky and getting them to eat healthy can be a challenge! Start while they're young! Feed your toddlers fresh fruits and vegetables instead of processed foods. If they do not know about the things that are bad for them they will never want them! Keep sweets for special occasions only.

Putting in the extra work when your children are young will make it easier for you to parent them when they are older. Setting reasonable rules and being consistent in their enforcement are important factors in discipline. Your children should know that you love them and are always on their side.

Monday, November 9, 2015

With Thanksgiving just around the corner - Air Travel Tips for Parents of Young Children

Are you the parent of an infant, toddler, or preschooler?  If you are, are you also in the process of planning a trip that requires air travel?  If you are, you may be dreading your upcoming flight.  After all, complications are all that many parents can think of.  With that said, there are a number of ways that you can make flying with your young children not only easy, but fun as well.

For children under two years of age, you will first want to examine the pros and cons of getting them their own seat.  Many airlines allow children under two to sit on the lap of an adult.  Getting an extra seat for a child under two will cost money, but you may be able to get a small discount when contacting the airline in question.  On the other hand, you will be able to have your own seat, which will be nice.  Most car seats can fit into airline seats.  Speaking of which, if you need to bring a car seat or a stroller, it will need to be scanned by airport security.

As for strollers, they are a good idea, even for children who can walk.  Most parents of toddlers are urged to give them a close look.  Most airlines will require you to handover your stroller before boarding a plane.  Once you arrive at your destination, your stroller should be waiting for you at the gate.  Using a stroller makes it easy for you to move around the airport and quickly.  This is ideal if you must hurry, like if you have short layovers.

Also, be sure to bring some formula, juice, and snacks for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.  Although you will find some restrictions, most airport security officers will allow a child’s drink to pass through, as long as it is a small quantity only.  As for older children, like toddlers and preschoolers, you should be able to buy juice, water, and snacks at an airport store past security checkpoints.  Doing so is nice, as they are no security concerns about doing so.

It is also important to bring a bag for your child.  This bag should be filled with items that interest them.  Depending on the age of your child, great items include books, stickers, coloring books and few crayons, small toys, and flash cards.  These items will have to be scanned through airport security, so try to leave anything, namely toys, at home that may cause complications or delays.

Speaking of airport security, it is important to talk about the screening process and prepare your child for it.  For many toddlers and preschoolers, the whole ordeal can seem a little bit overwhelming and scary.  Your child will likely have to walk through the metal detectors themselves.  If you are traveling with another adult, have one go through first, so that your child can walk towards a familiar face.  You may even want to arrive at the airport early.  This gives and your child the opportunity to watch others go through the screening process first.

As for the flight itself, toddlers and preschoolers may love having a window seat.  If someone in your traveling party is assigned a window seat, try to let your toddler or preschool sit there instead.  As for the bag full of goodies you brought, refrain from giving everything to your child all at once.  This is likely to reduce boredom.  For children who may have their own seats, portable DVD players and laptop computers are advised.  They are a great way to keep a fussy child occupied.  If using a laptop computer, be sure not to choose a movie that will exceed the laptop’s battery life, as this may result in a very unhappy child.

The above mentioned tips are just a few of the many that can help you, as a parent, when traveling by air with young children.  For addition tips, just use your best judgment.  As a parent, you should know what will help to keep your child interested and happy.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Am I the only one that can't get kids to bed? Children and Insomnia

Children of all ages can experience insomnia too; it is not just partial to adults. Often when children experience insomnia it can be for some of the very same reasons that adults experience it, a change in schedule as maybe they are going back to school after summer vacation, too much sugar or caffeine, family or school related stress, or a lack of routine. A lack of routine is a result of parents not establishing a regular routine and defining a specific bedtime.

While insomnia is not a disease but a condition it can have a detrimental effect on children as they are tired and grumpy during the day, often hard for teachers to manage, and this can lead to behavior problems too. If this is something that happens every night then it could be the temperament of the child could be the primary reason. If children know that they can get away with it, they will fight sleep for hours to prove a point.

However, if your child has insomnia that is accompanied with nervousness, irritability, intensity, high strung, excitable, and easily angered then it might be that your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). There is a direct relationship between ADHD and insomnia in children. Monitor your child and see if they are extremely difficult to wake in the morning and it is nearly impossible to turn off their motor at night as this too is associated with ADHD.

Children who have insomnia may actually display signs that are very similar to that of ADHD because they are lacking sleep and their systems are out of whack. Children are really supposed to get 9-11 hours of sleep per night, although studies have displayed that is rarely the case. Parents need to remember that children who are exhausted can actually still appear to have so much energy but what that really is, is their body's way of dealing with the tiredness. In the meantime they will become ornery and misbehaved but it is how they are coping with their lack of sleep and you certainly can not expect a good performance academically either.

Some facts about children and sleep are that sleep in one of the most important factors in a child's development because while a child is sleeping is when he body produces more of the hormones that cause children to grow. Children between the ages of one and five require 10-12 hours of sleep per night and school age children require about 10 hours of sleep per night.

So if you have a child that has a difficult time either falling asleep or staying asleep then here are some handy tips to start off with, do not turn on any lights and speak to the child in a very soft voice, and never let a child sleep in bed with you because in no time it will become a repetitive habit. Later that will complicate any insomnia that your child may suffer from so it is important to keep a routine.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Awesome Advice For Raising Awesome Children-2




Each child is unique, much like a snowflake. Children have their own likes and dislikes, temper or calmness, and you need to adjust your parenting style to work with their listening style. Here are some ideas given to us by parents who have raised their children and survived.

To get out the door on time in the morning, set an "alarm " - something fun and friendly, not jarring, to go off a few minutes before you need to be out the door. This will remind your kids how much time they have and to finish up what they are doing so they will be ready to go.

Take advantage of carpools when sending your children to school. A carpool allows you to not have to shuttle your children back and forth to school every day. It also gives your children some extra socialization time with the neighbors. You save time, and save on gas as well.

Establishing a list of "House Rules" gives your child a sense of security, because your child will know exactly what behaviors are expected. Put your rules in writing and discuss them with your child to make sure your child understands what they mean. Set a good example by following the rules yourself.

If you make a statement, follow through with it. If you say the same things over and over to your child without imposing a consequence, he is never going to listen to you. However, if you truly mean what you say and you follow through with your words, your child will learn to listen to you the first time you say something.

One of the most important things to remember when raising a child is to stay calm. No matter how angry or upset you get, you need to take a deep breath and calm down before you react. If you react while you're upset or angry, you're liable to make rash decisions that you'll regret.

If you are bringing home a newborn, wash your hands often. Ask everyone else who holds the baby to do the same. Newborn babies have not yet developed their immune system. They can easily catch many illnesses because of their weakened state. You can help by making sure that those who handle them are as germ free as possible.

One of the best solutions to taming an unruly teenager is to go to counseling with them. Counselors are trained to deal with bad behavior, so they are the best one to go to in order to get advice on what you can do to improve your teenager's behavioral issues.

One of the best ways to discipline a child is by putting them in time-out. Stopping them in their tracks and putting them in a spot like a corner will teach them that they cannot do certain things. Before actually putting them in time-out, give them a warning. Then, if they continue to do this behavior, follow through with your threat.

Your children are precious, but aren't really like a snowflake. They won't melt if you do the wrong thing, so feel free to experiment with your parenting style until you find something that works. Kids are amazingly resilient, so supply lots of hugs and kisses when things do go wrong and everything will be okay in the end!

Monday, November 2, 2015

Awesome Advice For Raising Awesome Children

No one ever said that being a parent was easy. Certainly not other parents. If you need a little advice, some tips, ideas or suggestions on how to handle your kids of any age you came to the right place. Keep reading for ideas on how you can be a better parent.

Make sure you monitor the computer activity of your teenager. Thousands of teenagers chat with people online and they can get themselves in a questionable situation. This could be prevented if more parents followed their child's computer activity, and stopped them from using the computer if they are chatting with strangers.

Do double duty by preparing your children's lunches while making dinner. Chop some extra veggies to throw in their lunch boxes as you are prepping for a stir-fry. As you clean up the leftovers after dinner, pack a serving into their lunches as well. Toss in an apple and a juice box and you'll be all set for the next day.

When birthdays or other gift giving holidays come around, instead of taking your child shopping, help them make a present. Not only will your child get to be creative and give a unique gift, but you'll get to spend quality time together. This is especially good if the present is for the child's other parent or another relative.

Don't force your child to study only one subject at a time. Studies show that humans learn better if they study two or more subjects at a time. This gives the brain a short period of rest to absorb material, and our brains also learn more effectively when subjects are integrated.

To improve your parenting skills, choose your fights wisely, and fight fair. Children need to feel that they have control over certain aspects their lives, and you can allow them that control by leaving some room for flexibility in household rules. If there is a rule that must be followed, explain the reasoning behind it to your child, rather than simply demanding that it be observed.

A great parenting tip is to make sure your child goes to bed and wakes up on time. Making sure they go to bed and wake up on time is very important because it determines how successful they'll be in school and in their other activities. This is an important tip that all parents should consider.

The most important thing to remember while disciplining your children is consistency. Parenting during the terrible-two's can be challenging, for both little one and adult. At this stage children like to push the limits of what is and is not allowed. Make sure that you set clear boundaries and are consistent with your time-outs so children know what is expected of them.

Being a parent has its fair share of rewards. When you see your child make the right choice or take someone else's feelings into consideration above their own, you beam with pride. Take the time to use some of these suggestions and have an easier time raising your little ones into amazing adults.