Parenting

Dad & Tween Son Relationships Fathers work hard at a job to provide for a family. Be sure to take the time to teach tween boys the leadership skills that help them succeed in life, too. Being the father of a tween boy is a huge responsibility. There are basically two times in a boy’s

Keeping up good communication between parents and teachers is key for children to get the best they can out of a class. Here are ideas to help this happen. You can talk to your child about how things are going in class, but you may not be getting the whole picture. That’s why it is

Getting kids to do chores can be challenging. Take the tension out of this process and help your children learn self-control at the same time. Most kids view chores as things parents invent in order to have control and get some free labor. At times, there may even be a bit of truth in this

Practical, peaceful techniques that every parent can implement to help with early detection and prevention of the dreaded temper tantrum. It is a difficult situation for everyone involved when a child has a temper tantrum. Parents are embarrassed, onlookers are annoyed, and children themselves feel scared and unsure. As long as there have been children,

As the summer is starting to transition to the fall and we’re more than halfway through the year, I’m starting to reflect on some of the goals I had for this year. On New Year’s Day for the past two years, I’ve had the same thoughts on a change I wanted to make for the

If you have a teen these days, you have a teen with social network accounts. And, if you have a teen with social network accounts, you have a teen who needs to understand the gravity of the decisions they make where their online personas are concerned. The Slogan what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas

One in 7 students in US schools is a bully or a victim of a bully. Bullies frequently have emotional problems, histories of extreme distress or PTSD, and inadequate problem solving and social skills. They certainly have no empathy for their victims. Bullying the Bully is not the answer. Find out what you can do

Sorry In Sign Language And 7 Essential First Baby Signs One of the best things you can do as a parent for your baby is to teach them sign language. Babies can understand and communicate before they are verbally able to communicate with you. By teaching some basic sign language, you can communicate with your

So, your kid is bugging you to set up a computer in their bedroom. They’re getting good grades in school, their homework is done in a timely fashion, and their chores are taken care of with minimal hassle from parental figures in the house. Will installing a computer in their room as a reward for

We often hear (or in this case, read) the phrase “Mother Knows Best.” But have you ever heard of a father who knows best? We’re all aware of what role dads’ have on their children’s lives. And though their nurturing side may be underrated, it can’t be denied that: Fathers know best about some things.

Every parent at some time or another has wondered, “Is my child possessed by the devil or some other evil spirit?” Those times when your normally well-behaved son or daughter does something that reminds you of scenes from The Exorcist. When did your sweet little baby decide to start biting her big brother for no

As a general rule, parents are suckers when it comes to buying toys for kids. Toy companies know this and use every method available to prey on parents. They tell you what toys to buy for each developmental stage of your child’s life. They tell you that their toys will help your child develop important

As parents, it can be easy to feel our children’s fears are silly or unwarranted. But, their fears are real and we need to do what we can to help them deal with the things they are afraid of. Why not help our children, while they are young, to recognize how to deal with and

One of the most important things we can do as parents are to teach our children the importance of giving to others and expressing gratitude. What a perfect time of year to make giving your family focus. A desire to give comes from first feeling gratitude. As parents, our first instinct is often to point

I have a pet peeve when it comes to kids and reading: timing multiple children reading is a pain in the patootie.  For school, I mostly let the older boys time themselves, with minimal supervision from me, but honestly, it sucks some of the joy out of reading for them.  My boys are all solid

Before we had kids, we were “those parents” that thought all video games were evil.  We said, “Oh, our (unborn) children will never play video games.  That would rot their little brains right out of their heads.” Then we actually had kids–all boys to be precise.  We kept up the anti-video game stance for quite

For most people, the end of daylight savings time is just a longer than a normal day; one where adults are happy to gain an extra hour of sleep. No big deal, right? Not quite, it can be a really big deal if you are a parent of a baby or a young child. Turning

There is something exhilarating about playing outside when the air is cold and there’s a hint of snow. The crisp air brings about a carefree atmosphere that seems perfect for playtime. However, parents and caretakers shouldn’t be carefree about winter playground safety. If you want your kids to have fun outdoors, follow some practical advice

Start a babysitting business for a jump start to your stay at home mom income. This can be a great way to determine if at-home daycare is right for you. These ideas for babysitting will get you started. Running a traditional daycare business isn’t for everyone. Sure, the idea of bringing in extra money sounds

At-home daycare can sound like a very attractive business to start. But is this the right income opportunity for you? Find out about home childcare regulations and ways to get started as a daycare provider. How true the above quote is for many parents, especially if you’re a stay-at-home mom and running a stay at

Eight simple rules for communicating better with your kids If there’s a teenager in your house, you might have noticed that grown men and 15-year-olds aren’t always in sync. The problem is not just that you’ve got antipodal interests—theirs: instant-messaging friends; yours: roads not taken—but that your minds work differently. Your brain tries to subdue

Children don’t come equipped with a manual, and neither does becoming a parent. For the most part, excellent communication gets you through hard times and helps to prevent disaster. One dilemma that tends to get in the way of most parents centers around the friends your child gets involved with. Many times, kids make great

As I journey through the life of an average parent, I find myself doing many of the same things I was once critical of. Yes, I’ve given my toddler cookies to tame a fit. Yes, I have placed him in front of the TV so that I could do an urgent call. And, yes, I

I’ve heard the fables that potty training a second kid is easier and I desperately wanted it to be true. Not for us! My oldest son got it quickly just after he turned 3, so I prayed (at the very least!) his little brother would be the same way. NOPE! We tried naked time, using

Because potty training can be one of the most dreaded tasks known to a parent, I thought I’d share some of the things we’ve learned along the way. We started training with the Babybjorn smart potty and continued to use diapers. I considered using pull-ups, but they were much too expensive and my son just

Facing death is one of life’s biggest challenges. Inevitably, many children encounter experiences with death – ranging from the loss of a beloved pet to the loss of a beloved parent. How can parents help their child deal with death and loss? Consider the following tips: Children Handle Death Differently from Adults Your child may

How Democratic Parenting Can Lead to Positive Outcomes Many parents have changed their parenting style to reflect a more democratic style and have become better parents and mentors. We want to share with you how to recognize if you or someone or family you know are permissive parents and how to improve the life of

I don’t need to tell you about the importance of proper sun protection for both the average parent, and our kids. But, finding the right product and application technique can sometimes be difficult. In my case, applying sunscreen was always a battle with a wriggling little guy. He almost always ended up with greased hair