Archive for the ‘Children | Child Behavior | Kids’ Category

6 Healthy Eating Strategies To Parents With Kids and Why You Need To Know Them

The big ongoing question for parents today regarding the health of their child is “How do I get them to eat a healthy school lunch?” Once a child is out of the house, peer pressure and opportunity set in.

Left to make choices on their own, kids often gravitate to unhealthy eating behaviors. Some lean toward high-fat, sugary foods; while others may lean toward restrictive foods, eliminating meat and dairy.  Read more... (446 words, 12 images, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

Childhood obesity continues to be in the news. It’s an ongoing problem which will take years to eliminate.

Because computers, electronic toys and video games encourage children to be sedentary, actual physical exercise is not readily on their calendars.

The need for more physical exercise among our young is a critical issue. The American Heart Association recommends children over the age of two participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity everyday.

So what can we do with our child, especially those who are too young for sports or who have no interest in sports?  Read more... (451 words, 12 images, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

Is there a family on Earth where kids don’t argue? I think not.

While on vacation I observed young brother against brother, teen sister against sister, and in each case I was so glad I was not the mother.

1. Accusations of taking and/or using something that wasn’t theirs
2. Arguing over who had something first
3. Bickering about whose turn it was to do a particular chore

Are the above things familiar? Do they describe YOUR children?

My observation has been that continued bickering between children causes parents to start yelling at them, which often escalates the situation to tears and anger.  Read more... (476 words, 13 images, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

Never in a million years would I have ever thought about talking back to my parents. I was petrified of my father’s temper!

Back-talking is usually the result of anger toward a parent, coupled with an I-don’t-care attitude.

I may have felt angry towards my parents at times, but I would keep my thoughts to myself because having any type of argument with them would have been futile. In my home, parents always had the upper hand. It was only natural. Parents had respect, whether they deserved it or not.  Read more... (477 words, 13 images, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

Now that kids are out of school, organize their bedroom clutter!

Do you find your children grumpy with nothing to do because they’re out of school for awhile?

Summertime, or whenever school is out, is the perfect time to put children to work around the house… and what better place to start than their own rooms!

Organizational skill is a tool everyone needs and children are no exception.

Making a plan of attack and having children participate in organization may get them more interested in keeping their perssonal possessions neat and tidy for a longer period of time. There’s nothing like expending one’s energy and having the results immediately disruptive to warrant a kid’s attention.  Read more... (488 words, 12 images, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)

Old-fashioned manners have never gone out of style, so why don’t kids practice consideration for others?

I witnessed a prime example of inconsiderate behavior by a 15-year-old in whose home I was visiting.

The mother was recuperating from major back surgery and the child seemed to have no sympathy or understanding for the lack of mobility her single parent was experiencing.

Oblivious to her mother’s situation, the child went about her normal activities of . . .  Read more... (509 words, 13 images, estimated 2:02 mins reading time)

Assuming there’s no medical reason for a child to be sluggish, why are some children just plain lazy? Or do we interpret them that way?

They sit around doing mundane activities
They have no interest or motivation
They become oblivious to the activity of others

Mundane activities such as passively watching TV or reading can, indeed, be educational and informative. Perhaps a child of this nature will grow to be a great researcher or famous author in their own right due to their constant absorption of material as a child.  Read more... (448 words, 13 images, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

Your Kids Just Don’t Want To Listen and You Don’t Know What to Do!

Having more than one child can be like having a hive of bees swarming around your ears on a constant basis – chatter, chatter, chatter – in little high pitched voices.

Squeals can come from delight of surprise, from teasing of siblings, or from “out of nowhere” for apparently no reason at all.

Sometimes these little high pitches get into your head and all you want is some peace and quiet for five minutes. Child chatter keeps the brain waves active and alert to what’s going on when you really just want silence.  Read more... (511 words, 13 images, estimated 2:03 mins reading time)

How To Entertain Your Kids Outdoors
During The Summer With Fun and Exercise

Many families spend the majority of their time outdoors in the summertime. It’s a great time to travel to nearby parks or campgrounds.

But, a great number of families make the decision to stay right in their own backyard.

Not everyone realizes a backyard is a great place to have fun. Escaping to a campground or public park may be a good place to meet-up with like-minded people; however, your family may not be able to travel all summer long.  Read more... (576 words, 13 images, estimated 2:18 mins reading time)

Child Obedience – Where Did It Go?

While visiting one of my children in Florida, I was told a capable grandchild was given the job of hauling fallen palm fronds to the back of the yard. As I gazed at the pile in the front yard, I wondered why the task had not been executed.

Obedience seems to have been replaced with “I don’t want to”, “I don’t have to”, “I don’t feel like it”, “I forgot” – or any number of other excuses.  Read more... (442 words, 13 images, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

It’s noon, and 12-year-old Anne is still in bed. The house is quiet and the parents are grateful for the peace, so they let Anne “make her own hours”. Staying up late is nothing new to Anne. She gets her way most of the time.

What’s wrong with this scenario?

I’ve been in many homes where the child seems to make the rules. Parents are busy with their business and social lives, so leaving the child to his/her own decisions is easier than arguing with them. Arguing takes time and energy that people would rather not spend.  Read more... (459 words, 13 images, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)

Are you an adolescent troubled by weight loss, or a parent of a pre-teen with obese tendencies? No one wants to have weight problems, but especially not teens. Television and magazine ads bombard us with images of attractive actors and actresses, and thin models. Unrealistic; or reality?

Parents who put undue stress on their teenagers to lose weight often cause kids to react in the opposite realm. And, although peer pressure has always been around, teenagers are very vulnerable to criticism.  Read more... (505 words, 13 images, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)

Parenting The Newborn Child | Child Development

For new first-time parents, there are 3 crucial things to consider before your baby arrives.

We’ve all gotten caught up in the moment of love and sometimes don’t even think about what lies ahead.

I received the ultrasound pictures of the latest family member coming into the world soon.

As I studied the tiny human form, I realized each child starts out as what appears to be a form of clay; to be molded into whatever we see in our mind’s eye.  Read more... (495 words, 13 images, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)

Stay at Home Moms, Hobbies for Stay At Home Mothers

No doubt, stay at home moms have busy lives.

Lifestyle choices often don’t enter into one’s mind when raising a family. After all, who has time to think about herself when there are so many other people to think about?

Pursuing a hobby, however, has a few important benefits; and may very well keep you from going crazy.

1) Having a hobby relieves stress and tension.

Stress can often take a toll on women who are juggling household duties and raising children, even when they don’t work outside the home.  Read more... (583 words, 13 images, estimated 2:20 mins reading time)

Child thumb sucking: breaking the habit of your kid sucking his thumb

I sucked my thumb until I was 6 years old. A terrible habit! I’ll tell you later why I consciously stopped, with no help from my parents.

However, thumb sucking is a concern to many parents. Mine used to come into my room and tell me to take my thumb out of my mouth. They never told me why. And, if they had, it probably would have done no good.  Read more... (563 words, 13 images, estimated 2:15 mins reading time)

updated 4:43 p.m. ET, Thurs., March. 18, 2010

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – A woman accused of strangling her daughter on a college campus apartment in Purchase, N.Y., told police she did it because the daughter was “disrespectful all the time,” according to court papers made public Thursday.

Police accounts filed with a murder indictment quote Stacey Pagli, 37, as saying that Marissa Pagli, 18, had “pushed my last button.” Police say Pagli admitted to killing her daughter and also tried to kill herself because she said they were “too much baggage” for her husband.  Read more... (357 words, 14 images, estimated 1:26 mins reading time)

Parenting: Get Your Child To Exercise

Parenting is not an easy job. My in-laws used to tell us their children didn’t come with instruction books – which is why they made so many mistakes as parents. I secretly thought to myself, “They made mistakes because they didn’t use their common sense.”

Of course, what did I know?

But, alas, it’s true – children don’t come with instruction books and as parents, we do the best we can based on our own upbringing and what we hear, read, and observe from other parents.  Read more... (625 words, 13 images, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)

Parenting Tips: Getting Children to be Quiet | Quiet time with kids

The kids are restless and bored. What can you provide them that will:

1. Have them sit quietly while you get some work done?

2. Help your kids improve their reading skills without asking them to read?

3. Grow their vocabulary without giving them spelling assignments?

4. Entertain them with funny characters?

The answer is to play audiobooks.  Read more... (446 words, 13 images, estimated 1:47 mins reading time)

Motivating School Age Child | Child Motivation

When I was a child my father expected me to make good grades. EXPECTED is the key word here. My parents didn’t have a lot of money, but would often pay me a quarter for every “A” I got on my report card. It was a reward.

I grew up and had children of my own. Naturally, I wanted to inspire them to reach their potentials while at the same time, teach them to appreciate . . . and to give.  Read more... (559 words, 13 images, estimated 2:14 mins reading time)

Parenting Defiant Kids, 3 Steps to Correct The Oppositional Child

Are you a parent with a defiant child? Are you pulling your hair out from opposition caused by your child?

If you’re a parent who’s tired of being tired, screaming at your kids, putting them in time-out, etc., then this article may be just what you’re looking for.

Households that are confusing (overactive) cause more confusion. Young children don’t know how to react to parents who come home from work tired and in need of peace and quiet – or how to deal with a household of siblings who also want and need attention. Therefore, negative attention, to a young child, is better than none at all.  Read more... (539 words, 13 images, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)