Gareth Williams asked:


Parenting is a non-stop occupation. You never know when the next question or crisis will arise, so it’s a good idea to have some handy resources at the ready.

When we’re new parents, the first source we typically call upon is our parents, right? They raised us after all, and we turned out pretty well, didn’t we? But when considering the advice you get from your parents, remember that they might not be especially objective. Truth is, you might not be objective about them and their advice either. That, in fact, can make your parents one of the worst potential sources of parenting advice, because both sides are seeing things from what may be a less-than-objective point of view.

Next in line, we typically turn to our best friends and fellow parents, as well as professionals (family doctor, teachers, clergy, etc.). But these may not be the best resources for parenting advice either. Why? Because we may be looking at our relationship with them (especially our best friends) just as we did with our parents. We respect the relationship, or the title in the case of professionals, and, therefore, we may tend to automatically give credence to advice from these sources.

So, instead of automatically seeking and accepting advice from these traditional sources, here’s what I suggest doing:

First, when seeking advice on parenting from anyone, examine that person’s experience with children as well as with the particular issue on which you’re seeking advice.

Next, examine how that person relates to children, interacts with children, communicates with children, and what sort of value system that person has regarding the parenting of children. If it’s similar to your own, that’s a good foundation.

You might also seek out specialists (therapists, counsellors, etc.) and, if this is the case, you must again apply these same criteria:

- Is the professional/specialist honest, yet tactful with you and your children?

- Is the specialist objective, yet caring?

- Does the specialist have experience as a parent, or with your particular child’s issues?

And what about school-related issues? If you take your problem to a teacher or school counsellor, consider that you may be revealing more about your child or your family than you should. While I wouldn’t necessarily rule out such discussions or resource professionals, just keep in mind that you don’t want to bias a teacher in any way against your.

We all need parenting help and advice at some point. Just remember to do your homework on any source (i.e., consider and weigh the source), and proceed with caution and your own best judgment before leaping to accept any advice.

Gareth Williams asked:


As a parent, it is important to get good information when it comes to parenting your children. There is nothing worse than reading articles on parenting that give bad advice and you read it not knowing that the article is biased in some way. Parents rely on friend’s advice, parenting focused magazine articles and books for advice on how to handle the challenges that parenting throws at them. It is important to make sure that you know who the information is being written by, what is their parenting philosophy and so forth. Last, but, not least, if something doesn’t sit right in your heart then don’t take the advice. Your intuition is usually right and specific advice is simply not going to work for everyone.

One of the best articles on parenting that I have read suggested that I should “Watch the baby and not the clock” in regards to a feeding schedule. Many people have differing opinions about how often babies should nurse or bottle feed. It is important to know that breastfed babies digest human milk faster than formula so they will usually want to nurse sooner than a bottle fed baby will want to eat. No amount of articles on parenting should make you value the advice over hearing the cry of your child cuing you that they are hungry. Every baby is different, and will have a different feeding schedule. As the baby gets older their schedule will change as well to meet their nutritional needs at that time.

The best advice to give a new mother is that when someone is offering advice, and they will get a lot of it, just to take the advice and use what works for her and to leave the rest. The same goes for articles on parenting as well. Parents can pick out pieces of information that are useful to them and leave the rest of the information that they don’t agree with or that they believe will not meet their family’s needs. She may even decide to do a little more research on the issue to make any more informed decision. Parenting is such a hard job, and new moms have so many doubts, fears and questions. It is important to have a more experienced mother that you respect available to bounce ideas off of and to get advice from.

Parenting advice has changed over the years. Pediatricians are constantly updating parents with new information and ideas through articles on parenting. It is important to stay current with parenting information, but not to forget that this is your baby and you are ultimately responsible for their well being.

Deanna Mascle asked:


Parenting is the toughest, most important job most people will ever encounter and yet there is no license required, no training required, and no 24/7 hotline. This is rather short-sighted on the part of society as the cost of bad parenting is immense, but in truth the situation is not as dire as it seems. While no training is required for new parents, it is very easy for parents to learn the ways and means of good parents as well as the traps and pitfalls of bad parents. All it takes for parents to learn more about parenting is to watch, listen, and learn.

Watching is a key element to learning more about parenting. Watch the parents around you and you can learn all sorts of lessons about how to interact with your child, how to discipline your child, and how to teach your child. Almost everywhere you take your child there will be other parents and their children. Watching means observing but also listening. Hear the tone of voice as well as the words those parents use. Some parents use the right words but their tone and physical manner contradicts those words. Watch the children to note their response. Some children respond more readily to their parents. Why? What is different about that parent-child relationship? What can you take away for your own parent-child relationship?

Listen to advice. You don’t need to take every piece of advice that is offered to you. After all, there are many people who are free with advice and yet have clearly demonstrated they are in no position to offer it. However, there is often some really good advice shared by people you know and trust as well as good advice offered by passing strangers in the supermarket checkout line or in the stands at a soccer game. Be a sponge. Keep your ears open. You don’t have to take that advice but keeping your options open gives you the chance to sort out the jewels and benefit from them.

Be an active learner. Seek out information when you face a parenting challenge. Perhaps your child is acting out in a new way and your old discipline technique isn’t working. Search the internet, flip through parenting books, and ask some experts in your circle of friends. Sometimes great advice will come to you but other times you will need to seek it out. The more proactive you are about finding solutions to your parenting problems then the better parent you will become.

Parenting is a challenging job, no question about it, but it also comes with wonderful built-in rewards. Some times parents are forced to take a tough unpopular stand but in the end good parenting comes with its own rewards. Those rewards include a happy, successful child and a warm, loving relationship that will extend long past childhood and span the rest of your life. So who needs special training. If you watch, listen, and learn then you can be the parent you want to be and your child deserves.

Bryan Burbank asked:


With a divorce rate of more than 50% in our country the chance that you will remarry and have step children is a pretty sure bet. It does not have to be the difficult situation it is portrayed in the movies and on television. It can be a rewarding and fulfilling with just a little effort. Like anything worthwhile you have to work at it. If you follow some of the steps below it may make for a much more pleasant family experience.

Get Free: Step Parent Advice

First, keep in mind that you are not the child’s real parent and that that they do have their real parent and you do not want to try and take their place. You must forge your own relationship and not try to replace an existing relationship.

How to: Get Divorce Help

Secondly, Start by establishing special things that you and the child can do together that you do not do with anyone else. Making them feel that they are needed for themselves and you are not just trying to be nice. For instance maybe you and the child can hang Christmas lights together and this can become your thing.

Next, Never try to compete with the child’s real parent, you will never win. They will always be loyal to their real parent, as they should be. As mad as you may be sometimes, don’t say bad or hurtful things about their parent in front of them. Always give their parent the benefit of the doubt. Never make yourself the good one and their parent the bad one.

Lastly, always make them feel a part of the family. If there are other children, make sure your treat all of them equally. If the child needs some space, give them some time to themselves. It is very hard for kids to all of a sudden have a new parent and at the same time have to share their existing parent with a stranger. Blended families can work just have patience.

Deanna Mascle asked:


Today the pressure to succeed at school begins even earlier than ever. Children in kindergarten and first grade are held to a standard of success that their parents never had to worry about. While in the past those first few years of schooling were pressure free and simply intended to introduce children to formal education, today children are tested on their knowledge and ability within the first weeks of kindergarten and that testing continues throughout the rest of their public school education. This places an enormous pressure on young children and yet many parents are not doing everything they can to give their child the edge and help them succeed at school. Giving your child the edge does not mean hiring a tutor, buying an expensive educational program, or spending hours every day drilling your child. There are several simple steps every parent can take to give their child the edge at school.

First, make sure your child has enough sleep the night before. Many parents do not send their children to bed until they themselves go to bed. Growing children need between 10-12 hours of sleep a night. While there are a few children who seem to require less, the majority of children need at least this much. If your child appears tired, is difficult to wake in the morning, or has circles under her eyes then you should move her bedtime up until you find the magic number that gives her the rest she needs. If she is tired and lacking energy then it is much more difficult for her to learn and pay attention at school.

Second, make sure your child has a good breakfast and is provided with a good lunch and snack. Growing children need to eat frequently. They should never be sent to school on any empty stomach and they should not be expected to succeed at school for an entire day without regular meals and snacks. If you are concerned about your child’s weight simply cutting back on the amount of meals and food is not a good choice. Instead, try to provide healthy snacks. That should be your goal even if weight is not a concern. Sugary snacks and empty calories are not much more helpful than no food at all when it comes to helping a child keep focused and energized throughout the day.

Fourth, make sure your child is appropriately dressed for the day and their school environment. When the weather is hot make sure they are dressed in cool clothing, when the weather is cold make sure they are dressed in warm clothing. When the weather or school environment is changeable then provide layers so the child can adjust accordingly. Also make sure the clothing is something the child can manage themselves. Many bathroom accidents occur among young children who have trouble with their clothing and the worry about this can provide a further distraction.

Fifth, project the right attitude toward school and your child’s education. If you send the message that school is not important, that the teacher is not worthy of respect, and that your child’s learning is not essential then your child will receive that message loud and clear. As early as kindergarten and first grade some children decide to give up on school. Make sure that does not happen to your child by projecting a positive attitude toward school and education.

Sixth, get involved. Know your child’s teachers and school administration. Be familiar with their classroom, routine, special events, and assignments. The more you know about your child’s school life then the more proactive you can be to head off potential problems and help them succeed in school.

If you make sure your child has adequate sleep, sufficient food, and appropriate clothing while you project the right attitude and get involved in their education then you have done everything you can to give your child an edge on success.

Sarah Beldo asked:


The current economic downturn has taken a toll on many aspects of American life, from the way we spend our leisure time to our hopes for the future.

Unless they are very young, it is impossible to completely shield kids from the effects of a struggling economy on the family finances – after all, stories about job loss and foreclosure fill the headlines on a daily basis.

And, in fact, a lot of experts’ parenting advice says it is a good idea to be honest with your children about money – without going overboard.

For instance, you could explain that they may have to wait longer to get that expensive toy because – like a lot of other families – you have had to deal with a lot of extra costs this year.

The key is to be open with the little ones without being scary. Make sure you are explaining things at an age-appropriate level and reassure them soundly that they should not be worried.

Talking to your kids about financial struggles can be stressful, but there are also opportunities to use your parenting skills to yield some positive results.

For example, has there ever been a better time to show your children – firsthand – that sound economic behavior such as spending within your means and saving for the future has benefit? And that delayed gratification can actually be rewarding?

There is more to be cheerful about. Many have suggested that as a result of the recession, hands-on parenting skills will become the norm, with families spending more time together and enjoying inexpensive and creative activities.

Libraries, for example, have reported growing numbers of families using their services, particularly to attend story time and to check out DVDs and books.

And in a holiday season in which retail sales are dismal at best, sales of family-centered video games – such as those for the Nintendo Wii platform – are managing to grow, while traditional board games remain resilient.

It just goes to show that with good parenting skills and the right attitude, your family can grow strong enough to withstand any financial storm.

Beverly OMalley asked:


We all want parenting advice that provides us with the tools we need to raise happy healthy children.

Good parenting does not result from using a standardized recipe or cookie cutter approach to the many challenges our offspring present to us. Good parenting really comes from learning as you go.

Ask yourself, “What kind of adults do I want my children to be?” and then set about to create the circumstances that will allow that to happen. You want your children to be “happy” but if you focus on making your children happy you will not be providing them with the skills they need to create their own happiness.

What you need to be doing is raising your children to be responsible, reliable, and productive adults.

Here are some parenting tips on how to raise responsible, reliable, and productive citizens for tomorrow’s society.

Let your children make mistakes – your child can never learn how to make a good decision if he is not allowed to make a bad one. As the parent you have more wisdom and knowledge about risk and it is your responsibility to assess the possible risk and consequences of a bad decision. Give your child the responsibility for making decisions that have consequences which are of low risk and age appropriate. Parents need to give over the responsibility of decision making and control to the child. This needs to be timed properly not only for the child’s age level but also by the child’s individual maturity level and trustworthiness.

Do not rescue your children from the consequences of their own mistakes. If your child harms someone else with her actions she needs to apologize and if she breaks someone else’s property then she needs to replace it. This can start with children when they are very young. If your child is never connected to the consequences of her own actions she can never develop a sense of responsibility and accountability for what she does. Your child has to make reparations for harm they caused someone else and it is highly recommended that you are involved in that reparation but only in a way that assists her. Your child should be involved from start to finish in carrying out the necessary apology or actions needed to make things right again.

Let your child see you make mistakes but more importantly let your child hear you talk about them and identify why that decision was wrong and what you learned from it. Then do not make the same mistake again! If you do not change your behaviour as a result of what you have learned your child will identify your insincerity and lack of integrity very quickly and know that your statements are meaningless. In short he will learn that you “talk the talk” but you do not “walk the walk”. Your child does not learn from your mistakes, your child learns by seeing you learn from your mistakes. Engaging your child in rationale analysis of why things went wrong will help them to develop skills of critical inquiry that will serve them well in adult life.

Take responsibility for your own mistakes. Most things that happen to you in life are the result of your own actions. If your child sees you taking responsibility she is less likely to see herself as a victim of circumstance and are more likely to feel empowered and in control of her own life.

Apologize when you are wrong. You cannot and should not expect yourself to be perfect. If you were wrong in your judgement say so. “I am so sorry I yelled at you like that, it was very unkind and I apologize. However, you did not follow the rules and so the punishment still stands.”

Teach your child how to ask for help. Perhaps the greatest life skill you can teach your child is that nobody can do everything by themselves all the time. We spend so much time trying to raise independent citizens of tomorrow we forget to teach our children how to ask for help. In order to be productive and positive citizens your child needs to know when he is out of his league and how to seek out help from those who are best equipped to help him. So many problems could be solved so easily if people would just recognize that they have a problem and seek out ways to prevent it from developing into something more complicated.



The best common sense parenting advice for raising your children to be reliable responsible adults? Be a good role model.

Like it or not your children will quite likely grow up to be just like you but in a slightly different package.

Anirban Bhattacharya asked:




Parenting is a vastly important function that’s required to be performed in order to ensure better upbringing of a child. It is necessary for parents to learn the right kind of parenting so as to make the child confident and to face the challenges of life strongly.

Approaching a parenting center would be a wise decision for parents where they will be guided in a right direction as to what are the best ways to up bring a child. The parenting center is completely dedicated to help parents in becoming a successful family guardian.

The parenting center helps with professional counseling, expert parenting advice, educational classes, children management information and co-parenting. Such assistance will help you to become a much more refined and managed parent to build a dynamic personality of your child.

It is a fact that all kids do not behave in a same way. Each kid has different behavioral patterns from the other kid. If some kids are sensitive by nature there are other kids who are aggressive and violent in behavior. The parenting center educates the parents about how they should tackle each child differently.

The parenting centers make you aware of the importance of listening, watching and learning while dealing with your children. The experts of a parenting center will give you parenting advice on dealing with child’s emotional, physical and mental development without building unrealistic expectations from them. Each child has his or her own capabilities, talents and interests. As per true parenting, it is not wise to force your child to become a doctor if he has an interest in painting. The parenting center will guide you to analyze your child’s interest and encourage your child in the same.

Also, one of the common problems faced in a family is communication gap between parents and kids. The experts of the parenting center will give you important tips on how to narrow down this gap in a healthy manner so that your child can express his or her emotions freely before you.

If parents are working, the best parenting advice will get in these centers is how to take some time out of your life so that you can spend some quality time with your kids. The parenting center also organizes camps, classes and work hours from time to time in which the parents can spend a dedicated time with their children.

Pierre Du Plessis asked:


Research on the internet about available parenting advice and information for parents on how to successfully rear and treat babies, children, pre-teens and adolescent teenagers, has revealed a wide and extensive database of articles and products on the subjects of successful child development, successful child rearing and successful parental influence.

One can find informative literature on most topics dealing with the problems associated with the normal developmental stages of childhood, including treatment of child health disorders.

Most parents are fit and equipped to deal with child health related matters such as child nutrition and child illnesses, due to the abundant availability of facilities and information on these subjects from hereditary word of mouth contacts, clinics, health centres, the pharmaceutical industry and the medical profession.

Child cognitive, intellectual and psychological development can be a culmination of genes, circumstances, environment and parental influence, of which parental influence is the most dominant and critical factor to impact on child development and behaviour. With the right knowledge, parental influence can also be the easiest to apply for the beneficial development of cognitive, intellectual and psychological processes in children.

Most parents are not equipped to use parental influence in the best positive way. The reason behind this is simply because they marry young, have children and are then caught up in the everyday chores of child rearing and financial survival, deterring them from finding time to equip themselves with the necessary knowledge, to impact positively on child cognitive, intellectual and psychological development. Therefore child development is mostly a result of accidental development by prevailing haphazard circumstances and child inner-self choices.

Child development is not a sole responsibility of schools and teachers. Children are far more influenced by parents than by teachers. Parental influence is the single most important factor in the development of children, especially so in the early stages of development.

Most parents, after years of parenting, when their children have already reached adulthood, when reflecting back in time, say they wish they could do it over again. If they could do it over again, they think they could do a better job of parenting, with all the knowledge, experience and wisdom they have accumulated over the years. If they could only possess the knowledge earlier, when their children needed it the most, their children could also have ended up being stronger and better persons.

Information for parents are now more readily available, thanks to the internet. The information covering all the stages of child development, from birth to adulthood, are however, widely spread out in different pockets on different web sites all over the internet and cannot be accessed without extensive research and cost. Leaders Circle Family Web Club has therefore bridged the gap by bundling products together, to cover all the stages of successful child development, successful child rearing and successful parental influence, in one place.

Chris Lowrey asked:


Oh, to remember the days of young love… The twinge you were feeling when getting ready for your date. The anticipation of the kiss.  The emptiness when you were apart.  The giggles over their little habits.  The comfortable silence. 

 

Then the silence.

 

Of course your marriage evolved into a much more meaningful state. And, the dedication and loyalty that you have now doesn’t even compare.  The love has enriched and strengthened. 

 

There truly is no comparison.  Marital love is above and beyond more rewarding and comforting.  And, in a family, of course the kids come first, in most things you do.  But, wouldn’t it be nice to mix in some excitement as a couple?

 

The best parenting advice anyone can give or receive is:

 

Keep your marriage alive and well

 

The majority of parents recognize the need for “together” time.  Most even attempt at making the ‘night out without the kids’ a serious thought and often an attempted gesture.  A few absolutely commit to ‘alone’ time.  Does it always help?

 

Not necessarily.  A night out on the town with your significant other is important, no doubt.  But, too many times parents fall into the ‘okay, now what’ trap.  Out to dinner, you have caught up on the kids, shared the office gossip or complaints of the day, discussed the weather and soon run out of things to talk about.

 

Instead of a dinner date, once in awhile, plan an adventure.  Pick something one or both of you have thought of doing but never dedicated the time or money for.  Maybe you have always wanted to fly in a hot air balloon, rock climb, learn to ballroom dance, join a cooking class, take a ride on a dinner boat, go deep sea fishing or anything else that might suit your fancy.

 

The actual event is truly the least important aspect.  What really matters is that you both are planning and preparing together.  And, you are soon creating a memory and an additional connection.  Life can become very routine.  Don’t let your marriage. 

 

 

So, parenting tip 101:

 

Figure out something exciting to do.  Plan it together.  Do it together.  And, remember it together!  Keep the relationship fresh. 

 

The adventure does not need to cost a lot of money nor does it need to require a lot of time.  The actual adventure can be running through the park, without stopping.  That might mean jogging together around the block for several weeks in preparation.  It might also mean taking the kids to the Grandparents and biking that 30 mile trail you have longed to see outside of car windows. 

 

The whole idea is to put some excitement back into your lives.  Remember what it is what like to actually have fun together and enjoy each other’s company.  Laugh together. 

 

Your family unit may focus on the family at every free moment you have.  Your parenting style may not always have room for the married couple.  But, you must make time.

 

Families are all about love and commitment.  Isn’t that a great lesson to teach your children?  Making time for yourselves, as a couple, is truly a gift to your children.  They see their parents happy.  The household is happy.  What a blessing!