A Survival Guide To Bringing Up A Child And Childhood
There is nothing quite as exciting as raising a child. Here is some advice and tips to get you started on the journey of parenthood.
If you are expecting a little one soon, resist the temptation to spend all of your money on baby products. Many high-quality items, from cribs to bedding, can be found much more reasonably priced at your local retail or discount store. Many times, friends and family members have nursery gear that they no longer use, that they might be willing to lend or give to you.
You should always consider what sort of lessons you are imparting to your children. It’s important for your kids to feel that what you say is true and that they can trust you.
Though traveling can be very disruptive to schedules and routines, attempt to incorporate them into your travel plans, if at all possible. Travel can be stressful for everyone, but it is particularly difficult for children, especially infants. Maintaining bedtime rituals will allow your child to feel comfortable and help ensure that he or she gets plenty of much-needed sleep.
Transitioning between tasks can be challenging for preschool age children. Abrupt changes between tasks stress out preschoolers to the point of melt down.
Parents of teens who are trying to choose a college should not pressure their teens to select a college based on the desires of the parents. Teenagers under pressure tend to choose op-positionally and veer off in unexpected directions in an attempt to avoid being controlled.
Any child who walks to school should wear some sort of reflective material on their clothing or their backpack. These materials also have strips of Velcro for easy attaching and detaching. This helps crossing guards and drivers see your kids better, especially when it’s early in the morning.
No two children are alike. One child may respond to one way of discipline that may completely fail with another child. This applies to rewards as well as to punishments. Regardless, remember how you approached problems in the past, so you can evade issues in the future.
Framing clear family rules that use positive words can go a long way to help reduce fighting and help your children to get along with each other. Try telling your child what they should do rather than what they shouldn’t. “Walk slowly” is a better way of saying “Don’t run.”
Toddlers have short attention spans, and are easily amused, so switching up the toys in their toy boxes can help to keep them amused with the same old toys. Toddlers will cast away toys that they do not like and play favorites with those they enjoy. Keeping things in rotation preserves the sense of curiosity kids have in their toys, and removes the need to keep buying new ones.
Children have a natural desire for independence and achievement. You can satisfy those desires and build their confidence by enlisting their help in the household chores. If you are washing the dishes, ask your child to dry them for you. Kids love to be helpful with the laundry, and can help you fold, or pass you items to be folded. These little tasks can help the child feel like they’re independent and it also helps you out.
By reading the above outlined suggestions and advice, you have a concrete foundation to build on for your positive child-rearing experience. Just keep in mind that no one’s bringing up a child experience is quite the same. Understand that there is not a single, correct way to do things. Take the advice that you need, and try out whatever appeals most to you. Childhood is all too brief; enjoy the exciting time you have while your children are still looking to you for guidance.
