Posts Tagged ‘parenting’

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... (448 words, 1 image, 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... (473 words, 2 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... (474 words, 2 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... (485 words, 1 image, estimated 1:56 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... (506 words, 2 images, estimated 2:01 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... (508 words, 2 images, estimated 2:02 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... (573 words, 2 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... (439 words, 2 images, estimated 1:45 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... (456 words, 2 images, estimated 1:49 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... (492 words, 2 images, estimated 1:58 mins reading time)

Cooking for Kids. Veggies for Kids. Healthy Eating for your Child

I think it starts with infant-hood; you know, feeding your kids vegetables as baby food. Did we feed them baby food we thought we would like, or what was good for them? I’m an advocate of introducing vegetables as early as 2 months old.

As finger food came along, we may have fed our kids Cheerios or other sweet dry cereal to keep them quiet instead of carrot sticks. We may have given them cookies and sugary snacks to appease them in public places instead of a slice of celery.  Read more... (842 words, 2 images, estimated 3:22 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... (560 words, 2 images, estimated 2:14 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... (354 words, 3 images, estimated 1:25 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... (622 words, 2 images, estimated 2:29 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... (443 words, 2 images, estimated 1:46 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... (556 words, 2 images, estimated 2:13 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... (536 words, 2 images, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

I’ve done some searching on the Internet about how to raise a child in this modern age of “gimme”. The consequences of not giving in to a child’s early demands can be many . . . from screaming, temper tantrums, cursing, hitting, pushing, verbal abuse, etc.

It all boils down to the same thing – a child out of control.

Parenting is a huge challenge and responsibility. But ultimately the only job of a parent is to raise his/her child to be a productive, law-abiding adult. Whether that child goes on to become successful in the arts or in business or in sports is entirely up to him or her.  As parents, we can encourage them in their personal interested endeavors.  Read more... (220 words, 2 images, estimated 53 secs reading time)

I was at the gym today when one of the women was discussing an 11-year old boy in her neighborhood. This young boy has been terrorizing the people around him and vandalizing the common areas of her subdivision. He laughingly pulls up garage sale signs and community signs just for the “fun of it”. He bullies other children in the neighborhood to the point of tears. He has terrified kids with his fowl mouth and aggressive behavior. He drags things into the woods to hide them from their rightful owners. He scatters trash and cans around bushes and lawns.  Read more... (374 words, 2 images, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

Dr. Phil had a show some time ago where he interviewed parents who had troublesome children or a child whose behavior they actually had come to fear. I have to say there’s something scary in the world when our children scream at us and get physical with their siblings.

Yes, sometimes it’s a medical problem which needs to be immediately addressed. But, if the child does not have a diagnosed medical problem and is simply let go to practice his or her own manipulation, it gets totally out of hand.  Read more... (266 words, 2 images, estimated 1:04 mins reading time)