Supporting Loved Ones Through Tough Times: Practical Tips and Advice
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
How To Prepare Your Child For A Successful Adult Life
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
One of a parent’s many jobs is to prepare their child to be a successful adult. It’s important to give them enough information and advice to steer them in the right direction, but also important not to go too far and start telling them exactly what to do. How can you prepare your child for a successful adult life?
Why We Need to Teach Children to Be The Boss of Their Bodies
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
I don't make my kids hug or kiss anyone they don't want to. I was never forced to as a child because different experiences that my mother had growing up. I was always thankful that my mom never made me because I would go through phases of being shy.
Quite a few years ago now, my husband's family had a Christmas party and my husband's Aunt told my daughter to come give her a hug. My daughter looked at me timid and I told her she didn't have to do anything she didn't want to. So she didn't hug her and just said, "Merry Christmas". Later, my mother-in-law confronted me about how she thought this was rude and "It was just Aunt [name redacted]". This was an uncomfortable conversation since I don't like confrontation, but it needed to be said. It wasn't about undermining or embarrassing anyone, but educating. I told her that I would never force my children to be hugged or kissed by anyone even if that person is their Great Aunt because it's their body. I also mentioned how they don't know her very well because they don't remember seeing her at all. I don't know what changed my mother-in-law's mind for sure, but she no longer expects the grandkids to hug anyone that they don't want to.
The reason I have this rule is simply, I don't want my kids to be groomed for sexual abuse.
3 Ways To Help A Child That Has Trouble Sleeping
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Babies are known for not being able to sleep very well. However, most babies grow out of this habit as they become toddlers and young children. Nevertheless, your child still might have some sleeping issues as they grow up. It's not wildly uncommon to see children aged 3-5 struggling with their sleep, leading to days full of tiredness and some pretty bleak nights. So, how do you help a child that's struggling to sleep? Here's a three-step process that you can try:
Everyday Situations Where Little Hacks Can Help
Monday, November 2, 2020
Being a parent is hard work. It’s something everyone knows, but people sometimes find it difficult to acknowledge! As much as you love your kids, and treasure experiencing every moment of them growing up, they can also drive you up the wall. Many of the most common problems that new (and old) parents have are so well-known they’ve almost become clichés. The tired parent who’s not getting any sleep, the children refusing to eat their green veg, running away before a trip to the dentist, asking ‘why’ to every statement… the list goes on! Yet these clichés exist because they describe something very real - the wonderful, demanding, crazy reality of raising a child.
You may encounter these problems every day, and sometimes more than one, and it can be hard to know how to counter them. They are the kind of situations where little life hacks, little ways of making everything a bit easier, can go a very long way. These hacks certainly can’t solve everything, and they’ll work better for some than others, but they’re worth giving a try - you never know, it could change your life!
Here’s How To Keep Your Family Safe From Tech Dangers
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
The 3 Major Challenges Of Parenthood, And How To Own Them
Tuesday, August 4, 2020
There are many parents out there. Not all of them are skilled for the task. Some learn, others do not. Some do all they can, others skirt the responsibility. That being said, all have to face universal parenting challenges that take time to show. For some, delayed responses to speech development can leave them worried, other children may have special needs, while others may suffer medical issues. Even if your child is lucky enough to avoid all of these potential issues, they still have the difficult task of learning how to be a human being at their fingertips. That’s tough, and it’s tough for you to raise a human being from scratch. Technically, you’re still a relatively young person before the age of 40. You can’t know all the answers.
So, what are these challenges, and how can they be overcome? Let’s discuss:
Parenting in Digital Age: 10 Tips to Raise Your Post-Millennial Kids
Monday, October 28, 2019
Post millennial, Gen Z or iGen are some categories associated with kids aged between 6 and 23. Raising them as a parent is quite challenging as compared to millennials. If we analyze millennials, they have seen everything from doing manual jobs to automated ones. However, post-millennials are those who opened their eyes in the digital age.
The struggles of raising a millennial child versus Gen Z has taken a 360-degree turn. In fact, the child’s development and education in today’s digital age are quite challenging for parents. They have to look so many things that were not present at the time of millennial. For instance, Smartphone and tablets are prime examples.
A study found that the average age for a child to get the first Smartphone in the United States is 10.3 years old.
Dealing With A Troubled Teen: A Guide For Parents
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Being a parent is a very rewarding experience but can also be quite challenging at times. If you have a troubled teen you’re dealing with, you should know that you’re not alone.
What you don’t want to do is become frustrated with the situation and in turn, give up trying to assist them. Even if they don’t act like it, they do need you and your guidance at a time like this so try to stay strong. You can use the following guide as a roadmap for knowing how to best handle your circumstances and as a way for you to get your family back on track.
10 Reasons Why Team Sports are Essential for Kids
Sunday, March 17, 2019
This past fall, my husband and I put both of our children in sports. My son played baseball and my daughter was a cheerleader for a football team. They both loved it. This Spring, my son is playing baseball again and my daughter is trying softball. It is always so busy during the season, but we love it. And here are some reasons why I think having your child participate in team sports is essential.
Here are just a few of the many benefits that your child can enjoy when they participate in a team sport:
How To Make Bedtime Easier
Monday, March 4, 2019
Bedtime battles are a literal nightmare for parents, and there is nothing worse than ending the day on a bad note. While you know that your child needs proper rest to grow
and learn each day, children often have trouble settling down in the evening. Fortunately, it is possible to transform bedtime into one of your family’s special times of
the day, and you can use these tips to make putting your child to bed easier on everyone.
Why I Removed YouTube from My Child's Tablet
Monday, February 25, 2019
It's not that I am totally against YouTube. I watch it myself and have a few accounts that I subscribe to and actively follow, but between pedophile comments on kid content and suicide tips for kids hidden in videos on YouTube, I decided that enough was enough and I removed YouTube Kids from both of my kids' iPads. My daughter cried. Seriously. But I explained to her that some recent stuff had come out about bad content that she or her brother might accidentally see. I told her that it could get fixed, but there are videos that I just don't want to have to worry if she would see or not right now. She seemed okay with that explanation and moved on to her educational apps that she enjoys as well.
And hopefully the algorithm will get fixed. And it wasn't just the bad press that YouTube has had recently that made up my decision. My children were becoming like little electronic zombies. Looking at a screen too long is bad for eye sight and my son already has vision problems. Thankfully my children still play outside, but the weather has been so poor this past week and they were on Winter Break from school. They ended up watching YouTube almost non-stop. My daughter who normally loves arts and crafts, wasn't asking at all to create anything. But yet she did ask to start her own YouTube channel and she is only 8!
Are Dental Sedation Methods Safe for Small Children?
Friday, February 22, 2019
Dental sedation is a procedure that involves the administration of sedatives to the patients. It
helps reduce fear, anxiety, and pain during the course of the dental treatments. Due to its ability
to facilitate, the dentists perform even the complex of operations with ease, its popularity is on
the surge. The young and the children can especially benefit from it by using it while going
through long and painful treatments.
Dental sedation is normally a safe procedure for people of all ages, whether it be children or the
old. This article means to focus particularly on the fact that even small children can undergo
dental sedation without any issues. However, there are certain things that the parents must
make sure of, before and the after the procedure, to increase the safety level to the optimum.
Let us get a peek into the types of dental sedation existing today.
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When To Take Your Child to the Eye Doctor
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
So I have been having concerns about my son's eye sight. My pediatrician said that children should actually go to the ophthalmologist once a year especially if you have eye insurance. This post is all about my experience getting my son his glasses. If you have ANY concerns at all, even the slightest thing, then you need to talk to your pediatrician. Write down your concerns as soon as you have them so when you go to your pediatrician you can address them. I wish I had done this.
I am not a doctor, this is just our experience.
I am not a doctor, this is just our experience.
Tips for Child’s First Dentist Visit
Monday, February 4, 2019
My daughter had a tooth injury when she was about two years old. She was on the playground on one of those rocking toys, my mother-in-law started rocking her and my daughter hit her tooth on the metal toy. She had tooth sensitivities that night that we noticed at dinner. The tooth over time began to turn a little greyish. I decided to take her to her first dentist visit when she was about four years old because I had concerns.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends your child see a dentist when their first tooth appears or no later than their first birthday.
Get your little one ready with these 5 tips:
Ways to Teach Children the True Meaning of Christmas
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
While I love decorating and gift giving, I want my children to know the true meaning of Christmas. Today is #GivingTuesday and what better day than to share how you can teach your children about the true meaning of Christmas.
Top 5 Qualities of a 5 STAR Babysitter
Monday, October 22, 2018
Date nights. We love them and dare I say “dread” them all at the same time. Of course we love
getting dressed up and we’re super excited to get some alone time with hubby, but then you
remember “Oh wait...who will watch the kids?” I have spent hours calling relatives, searching Facebook groups, asking neighbors, and asking close friends for their sitters (people really do
horde sitters!) - and still no luck.
After all the time searching, you almost want to say “forget it, let’s just stay in”. I always say to
myself, am I asking for too much? Are my standards for sitters too high? I really don’t think they
are. I just want a sitter who is:
The Basics of Gardening with Kids
Monday, October 15, 2018
Kids: they’re inquisitive, creative, energetic, and have an admirable desire to learn. One of the best activities to encourage and support all of these wonderful traits is gardening. Not only can gardening with kids be incredibly fun (the look on their face when they pull a potato out of the ground is precious), but it is an opportunity to teach them functional skills and life lessons that they will thank you for in their adulthood.
Aside from education, gardening has been said to lead to healthier food choices and a more diverse pallet of fruits and vegetables in children’s diets. Gardening also supports your child’s development in regards to literacy skills and cognitive learning.
And even if you aren’t a gardener now, that doesn’t mean that you can’t start! Gardening is also a wonderful activity for adults. It’s stress-relieving, meditative, a nice little workout (or a big workout), and it results in a beautiful backyard and fruitful harvest.
Read on to learn more about how to get started gardening with your kids!
Parenting in the Digital Age
Monday, October 8, 2018
Raising children in a media saturated world exploits many generational differences. The lives of
children today are drastically different than the lives of parents in their youth. This generational
gap can make parenting difficult, mostly because parents don't understand Gen Z. The days of
kickball in the park or freeze tag in the neighborhood seem to be dwindling, and instead,
children flock to online chat rooms, social media apps, or Internet connected video games. Just
how much media does the youth consume in this day and age? According to a survey
conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation, 8-18 year olds consume an average of 7 hours and 38
minutes of entertainment media every day.
As technology rapidly develops so do the children we raise, and the question arises, how can
parents allow our children to grow from Internet use while keeping them safe simultaneously?
Our kids want autonomy and privacy, and as parents we understand that. When it comes to
Internet use we straddle the line of freedom and control. The following tips should help parents
balance their child’s Internet use, help them develop in a positive manner, and keep them safer
online.
How to Instill Body Positivity in Your Children
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Now, more than ever it is important to set a good example of body positivity for our children. With the pictures in magazines, actors on tv screens, and advertisements constantly telling both us and our children that we aren’t good enough, there couldn’t be a more important message to send our kids than to love themselves exactly as they are. But how do we do that? How can we override all of the pages, screens, and ads screaming the opposite message at them day in and day out? Unfortunately, there’s no way we can avoid these things completely, but there are plenty of opportunities to promote a body positive attitude and teach children that they don’t have to listen to the constant body negativity filling their worlds.
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