Aug
06

What Parents Should Tell Their Teens About Drunk Driving

By | Child Development, Expert Advice

Leave a Comment

A no DUI sign shown along US 30.

Image via Wikipedia

You need to tell your kids never to drink and drive. That’s obvious. But what else should you tell them? And how can you convince them that what you’re saying is really, really important?

First of all, it’s important to be a good role model for your children. So, don’t drink and drive. That sounds obvious, but it’s essential, and, believe it or not, it’s sometimes overlooked. That means that you shouldn’t drink a few beers and drive everyone home after dinner. Even if you feel comfortable driving, and you’re sure that you’re below the legal limit, don’t do it.

You can explain the consequences of drunk driving clearly. That includes the physical consequences, such as injury or death to self or others, as well as the legal consequences. Tell your child what might happen if he or she fails a DUI test. Find out what happens in your state if your child gets a DUI.

Of course, giving advice and warnings can only go so far. You need to be a loving and understanding parent in order for any of this to really resonate. If you are harsh and inattentive, your kid will probably ignore you and your advice about drinking and driving.

Make sure your child feels comfortable talking with you about drugs and alcohol. He or she ought to be able to come to you with any questions or concerns. Also, if your teenager is in a difficult situation, he or she should be able to call you. You can also give your teenager the numbers to a few taxi cab services.  Remember, you’re on the same team.

Aug
04

Staying Strong as Parents During Difficult Times

By | Parenting

Leave a Comment

Me And My Parents

Image by Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr

Have you ever noticed that your children often take their emotional cues from you? If you seem happy and secure with any situation, so do they. When you’re worried or frightened, they know that something is wrong without hearing a single word. For your children’s wellbeing, it’s critical to stay strong during difficult times.

Relationship Problems Can Affect Your Kids

The most troubling situation for many children is to live with parents who just can’t get along. Whether you’re fighting over money or some other issue, this constant tension can be extremely hard for children to deal with day in and day out. Think about it this way: you’ve just turned their safest place into a stressful environment. If you can’t solve your problems as a couple on your own, seek help from a marriage counselor or Fairfield attorneys. While it’s always better for the kids to grow up with two loving parents, nothing is worse than living with two people who act like they hate each other.

Make a Plan and Reassure Your Children

Many families face trouble even when they have no interpersonal problems. The loss of a job or a serious illness can bring a significant amount of stress into the home. To minimize the pressure on the children, parents should form a plan of action to deal with the issue and discuss it with the kids. In most cases, just knowing what’s going on can make them feel a lot better. After all, you won’t be able to hide the problems from the younger members of your family, but the fear of the unknown can be the most stressful situation.

Jul
31

Simple Rewards

By | Parenting

Leave a Comment

DENDERMONDE, BELGIUM - JANUARY 23: An unident...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Everyone loves rewards, adults and children a like. Television commercials promote rewards for all sorts of programs, providing adults with cash, points towards travel and the like.

Children are the same, the rewards just change. Small children love stickers or small pieces of candy. They love the idea even of receiving a reward, at home or in school for their talents, behaviors, or for performing a good deed.

Older students love the reward concept too, the rewards in school usually provided at the end of the week, collecting points or monies that allow them to purchase treats at the end of the week.

Rewards in school are pretty common, but rewards in the home can be as well. Rewards can come in the form of a special visit to the ice cream store on progress report or report card days, or rewards can be given for other items, like being responsible, children taking a correct action showing their moral capabilities, or for doing tasks without being asked.

Children love to have rewards and it is always a great surprise to them when they receive something not expecting it. Of course, if they ask it’s not truly a reward.

Rewards are also great ways to model good behaviors and maintain positive discipline. With younger children, when positive discipline is being enforced, parents might establish a jar that cotton balls get placed in for positive behaviors. As children get older, it can be money or something that represents a final reward. Rewards help children represent goals.

Often for adults, the reward is a final goal or product that warrants saving money or gaining something. To receive the reward, we have to take steps to receive the reward and enjoy the benefits like relaxing with direct.tv movies later on. We need to use these examples in our lives for our children to see, so they understand that we all go through the same feats to receive a reward.

Jul
14

Small Businesses Tips for Teens

By | Child Development, Parenting

Leave a Comment

Is your teen creative, and always coming up with new inventions? If they discover a talent or fulfill a need, helping them start their own small business can make them very profitable at a young age. There are several inventors who started their businesses at a young age, and are now very successful business owners.

Protect Their Idea

Before your teen starts their own business, they should first get their idea/invention patented. This will protect it from someone else stealing their idea, and profiting from it. This should be included in the costs they will need to start their business. This is especially important if your teen is looking to market their idea to large manufacturers.

Your teen should also invest in business insurance for their new business. This will protect them from any liabilities, legal risks or financial discrepancies. It is a wise way for your teen to accept professional responsibility, and teach them good business skills.

Also, consider investing in indemnity insurance. This will also protect them from getting sued for any reason, or making a business mistake that may affect them long term. Although running a business is new to them, it is important that your teen is adopting good business practices, to avoid devastation and help them continue to move forward with their business.

3 Benefits of Successful Teen Professionals

Consider the ways you can encourage your teen to become more financially independent through their own business venture.

  • Your teen can pay for their own expenses, such as entertainment, cell phone bill and gas for their car.
  • Your teen can now pay for big ticket items such as a new iPod, video gaming console, or the latest cell phone that they’re dying to have.
  • They can also help out with household expenses, while they are still living at home with you.

Consider what your child needs to learn and the best way to teach them. Teaching them to start their own business out of a cool idea, is a great way for them to not only learn business skills, but how to effectively manage their money.

Jul
13

Child development ideas: How to get your child to become sporty

By | Child Development

Leave a Comment

NEW YORK - MARCH 30: Students (L to R, front r... 

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

A sportive attitude goes a long way in deciding how your child survives the evens and odds of life. When your child wants to win, win, win all the time, it’s known to be a winning attitude. But if your child can’t handle failure and loss, it’s called a loser’s attitude. If your child can handle wins and losses like two sides of the same coin, then your child has a sportive attitude.
Helping your child get a sportive attitude is easy. Here are some tips.

When playing games, defeat your child

Play games with your child and defeat them. Unlike what some other parents do when they let their children win, you should defeat your child. For example, if you are playing a game of chess, you should play your best and defeat your child. By doing this, the child aims to play their best. Defeat will also let the child know about their vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Sport is a great teacher. It teaches a lot in victory. But it teaches a lot more in defeat.

Teach your child to respect other’s abilities

You should let your child know what they are good at and what they can improve at. Make them learn to appreciate others. Do this yourself so that your child feels it is right to appreciate others. Learning to appreciate another person’s ability as superior to one’s own is the hallmark of a sporty attitude. This attitude will only drive your child to strive harder in the future.

Jul
05

Education for the First Timer

By | Financial Planning, Parenting

Leave a Comment

If this is your child’s first time at school, get ready for a new experience! It may be hard to send your five-year-old off to kindergarten, but it is necessary for your child to learn how to interact with others.

Even though you or your child may cry on the first day, children need to learn about a variety of subjects from trained educators. Many children don’t understand this, and they may refuse to go to school. This first-time experience is often short-lived, but you can try the following things:

  • Explain that your child will make friends and learn new things.

 

  • Let your children know when you will see them again.

 

  • Be excited for your kids to embrace this new part of life.

 

  • Stop tantrums the first day. If you don’t, you may have a fight on your hands every day.

As your child grows, school will usually become enjoyable. It may even be something your children pursue as young adults. Some teenagers fresh out of high school can find a college online at eLearners.com. Having this resource gives them an edge. They can find resources, financial aid information and articles about colleges. They can also learn what to expect at specific schools.

Remember that college is a first-time experience, too. Your son or daughter may move away from home and start a new chapter. Some kids will struggle to make smart financial decisions, so you may need to help them find common solutions. For example, your child may prefer to pursue online courses rather than moving cross-country to attend school.

First-time experiences don’t stop at kindergarten. Help your child make each transition so he or she will be successful with education.

Jun
12

Is Moving Best for Your Child?

By | Child Development, Parenting

Leave a Comment

Moving is a hugely stressful time, so before you start the process you have to be completely sure that you are doing the right thing. When you move on your own, or with friends, it can be much easier to make the decision than when you are moving with children. How do you know if you are doing the right thing? Make sure moving is in your and your child’s best interests.

Talk to professionals. For example, speak to a HOA management company and an accountant who may be able to tell you if you can get any tax savings. Removal experts and your child’s teacher or health provider might be other sources of information and help.

Research how the move will be better for your child. Look at information about your child’s current school, or the school they will go to, and compare this to information about schools in the new area. Look at clubs, events and activities that take place around the area, and even landmarks. Is the town full of history, or full of culture? Is it a safer place to live?

Finally, talk to your child. Don’t use moving as a punishment. Your child needs to be excited about the move, so present it as a new and exciting opportunity rather than a negative event. Remember that it may take time for your child to come round to the idea of moving, so be prepared to wait and help them appreciate the positives.

Jun
04

Discipline and Punishment for Children

By | Parenting, Punishments

Leave a Comment

Disciplining children and punishing them for doing something wrong is important to their development of learning right from wrong. Knowing how to discipline your child may sometimes be difficult but doing so can head them in the right direction as they develop into adults.

There is a difference between discipline and punishment. Discipline provides a structure for your child so that they learn how to be obedient and grow up to be responsible adults. Punishment is handed out when a child behaves poorly and can vary from parent to parent and from one situation to another. The underlying importance of discipline and punishment is that they both be consistent. Failure to be consistent in your actions with regard to discipline will cause children to try to get away with anything they can if they know that there may or may not be consequences for their poor behavior. If the teacher calls home and they are grounded, then ground them every time the teacher calls home. It may take some time, but eventually they will understand the situation.Child

Discipline and punishment also have to evolve with the age of the children. Their behavior may change from just testing their limits to engaging in activities that may be of a harmful nature. A punishment that worked well when the child was six is probably not effective when the child is 16. At that age, older children know better not to engage in certain activities they did when they were younger and this type of behavior should be reinforced.

Finally, parent should be role models for their children and act as they would want their children to act.

May
17

Fun Rewards for You and Your Children

By | Parenting

Leave a Comment

MUMBAI, INDIA - MAY 30: Slumdog Millionaire C...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Parenting may be the most difficult and, yet, the most rewarding job you will ever take on. Raising a child is not for the faint of heart. There are many battles to be fought, but in turn there are many victories to be won. The victories are what make parenting worthwhile. The reward for you is a well-rounded child at the end of their time with you.

Raising a child is not all about difficulties, though. There can and should be fun rewarding times to create memories that will last a lifetime. Be sure to make a big deal over his/her accomplishments. This helps focus on the positive and not the negative. Working toward a goal or reward gives everyone a sense of accomplishment, the knowledge of a job well done.

If your child has been working toward an extremely difficult goal, it’s important to make a big deal about it. Plan a party, invite a few friends, chose a theme, get costumes for kids, and celebrate.

If you are rewarding smaller hurtles, have smaller rewards. If your little one is potty training, reward him or her with stickers after using the potty. Once your child is potty trained, you should have a bigger celebration like a new toy.

Some of the best rewards will be time spent doing something you both like together, such as an ice cream cone for a hard earned A or a day at the zoo to celebrate passing to the next grade.

Whatever you are celebrating, be sure the reward fits the situation. Reward yourself, too, especially if it has been an exceptionally trying time. You deserve it!

May
15

Effective Parenting Tips

By | Child Development, Parenting, Tips and Tricks

Leave a Comment

Raising children is one of the most rewarding things a person can experience in a lifetime, but it’s also one that doesn’t come with instructions. If you would like to feel more positive about your child-rearing, consider these tips on the road to more effective parenting.

Nurture Your Child’s Confidence

Babies begin developing their sense of self when they hear your tone of voice, see your body language, and absorb your body language. Everything you saw as a parent can end up affecting their self-esteem. Avoid comments that would make a child feel worthless. Always be aware of ways in which you can help develop and support their confidence.

Catch Them Being Good

You always catch kids being bad and offer your negative reaction, but what about reacting positively whenever you see them doing something good? Compliments should be given more frequently than criticism, so make a point to praise something they’ve done every done, and be generous with hugs and other rewards.

Make Expectations Clear

Establishing rules can help kids understand their expectations. Forego the “counting to three” method and opt for one warning. If the behavior persists, divvy out the consequence.

Spend Time Together

If you’re a working parent, take regular time to play with your kids. Even stay-at-home parents can feel overworked and forget to sit down for some one-on-one time. You may have to schedule time each week such as a special family night or outing.

Practice Unconditional Love

Avoid blaming or criticizing children for bad behavior. Finding fault or undermining their self-esteem can lead to mistrust and resentment. Even in discipline, make sure they know how much you love them.

« Older Posts