Family

Are you a bad parent?

April 24, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Every parent would like to believe that they are doing their very best for their child. However, sometimes, even you best isn’t enough. A child deserved good nutrition, education, a safe environment and a morally sound upbringing among other things. Even though you may not excess at all these things, this doesn’t imply that you are a bad parent!

However, there is a certain kind of behavior that is completely against the tenets of good parenting. Here are some things you should absolutely avoid in order to be a good parent:

Physically abusing your child is a criminal offence. While parents do ‘spank’ there children to discipline them, this should never be with such intensity that it causes unbearable pain or trauma.
Never use foul language against your children. Verbally abusing them can have a bad psychological affect on the child, not to mention that you will be setting a poor model to follow!
Don’t ever reprimand your kids in front of others as this causes humiliation that can lead them to lose their self-esteem.
Don’t complain about your child to others, especially when the child is around as this also causes a lot of embarrassment to the child is not constructive in any way.
Comparison with other children is not a great way to encourage your child to behave better, it will only make them feel unloved and degraded.
Never fight with your spouse or anyone else in front of your children as this sets a bad precedent. It is important for children to believe their parents love each other.
If your kids see you lying, they will do it too!

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: Divorce, Family, Parent

Love at first sight

April 13, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Becoming a mommy is not as easy as it may sound, but it is very rewarding to say the least. From the moment you first hold your baby in your arms it’s love at first sight. For most mothers, we played dress up with our dolls when we were younger or pretended to be the dolls mother, so in reality most of us have always dreamed of becoming a mother. Becoming a mother brings on many responsiblites not only for yourself, but for the well being of another human being.

The most important thing to remember is to take care of yourself first. You need to be healthy in order to properly care for your newborn baby. For some mothers they will have to return to work after the full six weeks of recovery. Shouldy you have the option staying at home with baby is best.

A newborn baby needs a lot of attention and no one can do that best other then mommy. Bring home baby might put an emotioal damper on your relationship with your spouse or significant other. With a newborn baby come many sleepless nights, and that can make for some grumpy people. Another thing to keep in mind is don’t get discouraged when it comes to holidays. Still plan your vacations as you normally would, but keep in mind that it will become a lot more difficult taking a vacaction and having a baby at the same time. You might want to consider waiting until baby is a bit older. Make preperations to be one step ahead of the game and prepare for delays, to ensure you enjoy your vacation.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: Family, Infant, Mother

Planning for Family Financial Emergencies

January 23, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Families often encounter unexpected expenses which can cause financial strain on parents and add stress to home life. Money problems play a key role in many domestic problems, often due to unmet expectations or lack of communication about how the family’s money should and can be used. Being able to have extra money to plan for such costs can be difficult, as many people earn only enough to pay for the everyday costs of living, such as rent, heating and electricity, gasoline, and groceries. Sudden expenses, such as medical bills, costs for children’s activities and sports, and natural disasters, can arise without the parents knowing how they are going to be able to pay for them.

Every family should be aware of one great option, a payday loan, which can provide freedom from financial stress. Individuals can fill out an application online through a lender such as GreatPlainsLending, and receive information about payment options and interest rates right on the site. If approved, the money is deposited into the family bank account within 24 hours. This can help pay for a sudden expense or just pay off another high interest loan or credit card, saving money on extra fees and allowing for a much simpler loan process.

Many sites will also offer incentives for early payoff, such as reduced or sometimes even no fees, so that if additional money is earned at work or received, the length of the loan can be dramatically shortened. This is a wonderful option for families with children of all ages, since their activities and needs or unexpected disasters can add to an already stressful financial situation. By obtaining a quick and simple payday loan, families won’t have to skimp on fun experiences or necessary expenses without adding hundreds of dollars of extra cost to those on an already tight budget.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: Family, Loan, Money, Payday loan

What Family Planning is All About

January 19, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

You’re excited at the very thought of getting pregnant and bringing a child into your family. However, you realize that there are some areas of your life you need to evaluate and perhaps even change before you start down this exciting new road with your partner. Planning Family helps ensure that you take the necessary steps you need to take to get yourself ready to become a parent.

One important area of family planning is finances. Having a child involves a lot of joy as well as a lot of costs. Even if you have insurance, you may still end up paying part of the costs associated with doctor visits, ultrasounds, and hospital services when the baby is born. Don’t forget about the cost of preparing your home for a new baby, setting up a nursery, and buying items such as diapers, bottles, toys, and clothes. You can see why you need to take some time to get your personal finances in order before you get pregnant.

Family planning also includes health and nutrition. Is your body is ready to handle a pregnancy? Nutrition and exercise are important both before and after conception. Moms-to-be need to know how to keep themselves healthy because their baby’s life depends on it.

After you are pregnant, you can use online resources to track the development of your baby. You can monitor your baby’s growth during each week of gestation with these pregnancy guides. And once your baby is born, there are plenty of sites that can help you understand what changes your baby will undergo during the first year of life.

Websites such as PlanningFamily.com provide health guidelines to follow before conception to help ensure you have a smooth pregnancy, and offer advice for women who are pregnant, new parents, and moms who are dealing with a bossy two-year-old. Research the online tools that are available and select the one that works the best for you.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: Family, Family planning, Health, Pregnancy

Budgeting for the Stay-at-Home Parent

December 31, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Raising a family on one income is not easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. The key is figuring out what’s most important to your family, and since you’ve already determined that having one parent stay home to raise your kids is more important than running the rat race, you’ve already got your priorities in line.

First of all, make sure you’re living in an affordable place. The dream two-story home with a white picket fence comes with a hefty mortgage these days, so consider your basic needs. Can you live without that third bedroom? Can you opt for a carport instead of a two-car garage? Would renting be more affordable? Weigh your options.

If you don’t have a savings account, start one. You don’t even have to put much money into it at first. Simply depositing $20 every paycheck will add up over time. It’s wise to have at least three months worth of income saved in an emergency savings fund, so start building it up as soon as possible.

If you’ve been buying on credit, stop! Don’t go into debt for anything other than your mortgage. If you can’t pay for it cash, you don’t need it.

Drive your old car until you’ve saved up enough money to purchase another new-to-you used vehicle. You don’t want the added burden of a monthly auto payment.

Plan your meals ahead and set a food budget. Get the kids involved in the planning, but leave them home when it’s time to shop. Limit the times you go out to eat. If you want to take the kids out for a special treat, several restaurants offer kids or family nights. Your little ones will get a discount and you’ll reap the savings!

Visit the library for books and movie rentals. It’s free entertainment! Buy used videos at garage sales and toys, clothing, and furniture from thrift stores.

A little planning and creativity goes a long way!

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: Family, Garage sale, Renting, Savings account

Empathetic Parenting: Three to Four-Years Old

December 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

All three to four year olds are special and may develop at different rates, but generally this is the age when understanding develops, potty training occurs, and language skills surface. It’s the window when your baby has grown into childhood, so the rules of parenting have shifted.

Most children at this age have vivid imaginations, so it’s important to foster that imagination. Reading to your child every night is a great way to influence creative development as well as root a love of reading that will be vital in later years. Children of this age love to dance, sing, and draw. Teach them simple rhymes and talk about the story behind their drawing. Always be encouraging and show interest.

Some three and four-year olds may have fears, such as being afraid of the dark, and they might be shy when it comes to trying new things or meeting new people. It’s important to empathize with such worries. Don’t be forceful in trying to make your child deal with the dark alone. Maybe you had to have a nightlight too at that age, so talk about it with your child. Make a game out of checking the room out for monsters before bed. This is the age when they develop a sense of humor and silliness, so use that to your advantage!

Language is a huge development during this stage, and your child will get words confused, mixed up, or just plain wrong. Always respond positively to a child’s effort with language, and don’t bother with correction. Model proper use of language and they will eventually pick up on it.

Help your child develop independence by giving him freedom during playtime. Supervise him riding a tricycle but don’t jump up right away if he gets a wheel stuck. Allow him time to try and work out the problem for himself. This builds confidence.

Always be mindful of empathetic parenting, no matter the child’s age.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: Family, Home, Parent, Toilet training

Empathetic Parenting: Five and Six-Years Old

December 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

By age five or six, children have developed enough independence to begin school. For some, this may come earlier than others, but don’t be too alarmed if your child has trouble at first coping with being away from home for such a long period of time.

Since mommy and daddy have been the center of their world up until now, don’t be surprised if your five or six-year old suddenly becomes teary eyed, bossy, or clingy before or after school. This is a confusing time for their young minds, and emotions will run high. They have to deal with a new situation and a new system of rules.

The independent play that was so important during their third and fourth year has been crucial to their independence at school. Now, at five and six, they’ll prefer playing with others as opposed to playing alone. Provide them ample opportunities for socialization. Set up play dates, have a small sleepover, or invite one of their friends over on a Saturday.

Most kids of this age begin asking questions, so take them seriously. Don’t laugh off a question that seems silly to you because, in your child’s mind, it’s a very sincere inquiry. This is a perfect chance to help your child develop conversation skills. They would have most likely learned to ask permission before doing something, so positively reinforce that behavior with a simple, “thank you for asking.”

Encourage them to tell jokes or stories, and listen as they recount events from school. This is crucial to their speech and language development. Take the time to talk to them. They’ve missed you all day and need that extra communication.

This is the age when most children start to realize they’re not the best at everything, and some kids at school will be better at some things than they are. Use this opportunity to talk about how everyone is different and point out your child’s individual strengths.

Filed Under: Parenting, Teen Development Tagged With: Family, Language development, School

Empathetic Parenting: The Tween Years

December 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Ages eleven and twelve are precursors to the teenage years, and many parents worry about proper development during this age. Tweens may exhibit social concerns such as friendship troubles, competitive feelings, and embarrassment over physical changes.

This is also one of the most uncomfortable stages in development for parents because of the embarrassing conversations that may arise. Being open and honest about uncomfortable topics will show your child that these things are natural, and will help him or her embrace the changes more easily.

At eleven and twelve years of age, girls need to understand menstruation. It’s a good idea for you to research the subject and talk to your daughter about it before she begins her first period, ensuring there are no surprises. Even if you have talked to her about it, the first time may be confusing and she may misunderstand what’s happening, so remain empathetic. Educate both boys and girls in sex education, and don’t solely rely on their school program to do the job.

Encourage tweens to try new things. Many are self-conscious at this age, so it’s important to foster the growth of confidence. This is a good age to teach monetary skills, so introducing an allowance can be considered.

Inevitably, your sweet child will turn into an obnoxious brat on occasion. That’s human nature at this stage. Try to practice tolerance while maintaining fair and just discipline. It’s easy to overreact to a tween’s moodiness, especially if they slam the door in your face after a clear “I hate you!” rant. Know this is just a phase, and try to remember how confusing the world was when you were their age. When the drama fizzles out and things go back to normal, sit down and talk about it, and be honest about how hard things were for you. This will help your child understand they’re not alone and they’ll have a greater respect for you as a parent.

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: Education, Family, Sex education

Empathetic Parenting: Understanding Your Young Adult

December 7, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

You’ve instilled your values in your child for decades, been his disciplinarian, his hugs, and his biggest fan. Now he’s entered late adolescence, the age when society deems children legal adults. But your parenting still plays an influential part, even for eighteen to twenty-year olds.

By this age, your teen has become more emotionally stable. She will have a clear vision, or at least a long-term goal, for her life. Her sexual identity is clear, she can understand both emotional and physical aspects in a relationship, and she’s more comfortable around her parents.

It’s during this stage that your role as a parent has shifted. Your function now is one of support. You’ve raised a healthy individual, now it’s their turn to experience life’s successes and mistakes. A common mistake that parents tend to make is trying to be overprotective. Children will make mistakesâ€”that’s the only way to learn life lessons and develop wisdom. You may disagree with a choice your teen makes, but you can express your concerns without pushing him or her into a rebellious state. This will only strain your relationship. Your job now is to be supportive regardless of the mistakes.

It’s important to offer your teenager a lot of praise for their achievements and positive choices. This will increase their self-esteem and confidence. But don’t be afraid to prepare for the results of a negative choice. Your young adult may face a situation one day where he’s at a party and has too much to drink. Do you want to make sure he knows that he can call you for a ride home, even if you would have rather him not been there at all? In that case, make sure he knows he can resolve a negative choice (drinking) with a positive one (calling you for a ride).

Filed Under: Teen Development, Teen Rebellion Tagged With: Adolescence, Child, Family, Parent