Child-rearing Advice Passed Down Through The Generations
Few things are more exciting and overwhelming than the prospect of becoming a parent. This article offers a handpicked selection of tips and tricks for mastering parenthood.
While devoting time to your children is important, taking time for yourself is essential, too. Spending time on your own doing the things that you enjoy allows you to maintain your own sense of individuality.
Children in the preschool years do not handle transitions well. If they are pulled away from something too soon, it can trigger a melt down.
As parents we sometimes need to take a step back, and let our teenagers make their first step into young adulthood, by attending the college that they choose. If the teenagers feel that they are being pressured or manipulated, they might react by doing the opposite out of spite.
Infants and young children should not be given either diet or regular sodas. A better choice are drinks that have nutritional value, like milk and sugar-free juice.
Make sure your children have reflective materials on their backpacks or coats if they walk to school. Velcro even makes detachable reflective strips specifically for this purpose. This will make your child more visible to drivers and crossing guards, especially in the early morning hours.
Don’t smoke indoors if children live in the house. Even better, quit smoking. The dangers of inhaling secondhand smoke are the same as those of smoking. When children are exposed to second-hand smoke they may develop respiratory problems, like asthma or bronchitis.
If you child has difficulty cutting their teeth, give them cucumbers, carrots or even sour pickles inside of a mesh teether. While other methods of relief do work, your child is more likely to continue gnawing on an item if there is a taste involved. The longer a child uses this tasty teether, the more relief they will feel and the happier you both will be.
Establishing clear boundaries and using positive reinforcement will lead to happier, more well adjusted children. Rather than saying “no hitting” try “touch gently” and see if this doesn’t encourage more constructive measures of interaction.
If you want to avoid getting your children too cranky and bored, then periodically make travel stops. The longer distance that you travel, the more stops you should make. Driving straight through to your destination may seem like the most efficient plan, but a more leisurely approach with down time for the kids will be more enjoyable for all. Allow your kids to burn off that extra energy by stopping at parks, family-friendly restaurants and outdoor play areas.
You can keep toddlers interested and stimulated by regularly rotating their playthings. Often, small children simply forget about a toy if it is not regularly in their field of vision. Most toddlers will not play with a toy that much after two or three days unless it happens to be one of their most treasured items. It is your job to keep things fresh in your toddler’s play area by incorporating new and fun things to maximize their enjoyment.
Kids want to appear independent, so letting them do tasks while you clean can help boost their confidence. If you are unloading the dishwasher, let your little one hand you the spoons. Let your kid sort the socks when it comes time to fold the laundry. These chores will help them to feel independent, and you will get some help in the process.
It is important that you get your child to participate in after-school activities, such as sports. This will help your children to make friends, develop top-notch social skills, and widen their horizons, all of which are important on their road to and through adulthood. Positive social activities also help minimize the temptation that negative ones have for your child.
By reading the above outlined suggestions and advice, you have a concrete foundation to build on for your positive parenting experience. Remember that parenthood is different from one family to another. The right choice can change from one parent and child to another. Use whatever advice you like the most and helps you the best. As your children grow and develop, so will you. So enjoy each moment of this special time in your child’s life.
