Parenting is a multifaceted responsibility. We are charged with everything from the most mundane of tasks such as insuring our children keep their room clean, to tasks that could challenge a five star general. Sometimes simply breaking those tasks down into clearly understandable components can help us accomplish them with ease.
Make sure your child has time to be a child! Don't force them to grow up and deal with things too early. Kids are only young once, and it's important that they get to make the most out of it. Give them time to play and explore and to just be a kid.
It actually helps a child's development when you don't focus only on the child, but also pursue interests or hobbies of your own. Doing so helps you to retain your individuality.
Develop a support network of people you can call for help with breastfeeding. The early days after giving birth are stressful and tiring. It is very tempting to just get a bottle and hope it works when things start going wrong. If you have a strong support system in place ,you will be able to contact them for advice and support. That support will make you less likely to give up and go for the bottle.
It is important for parents to stop themselves from trying too hard to influence which colleges their children select. Many teenagers interpret parents' influence as an attempt to exert control, which often leads them to do the exact opposite thing.
Many parents of twins purchase multiple cribs when they are putting together the nursery only to find out that their babies want to sleep together. Don't buy two cribs until after you have had the babies. Some babies however will never be able to fall asleep if in the same crib. Find out which type of children you have before making the investment in a new crib. If you do want to buy it early, make sure they have a good return policy just in case.
Remember to reward good behavior with praise and recognition. Children usually hear more reprimands for bad behavior than praise for good behavior and that might become discouraging to them. However, if you praise them for specific good behavior that they have exhibited, their confidence will be lifted, and they will exhibit the good behavior more often.
It is important for a child to know exactly what is expected of them each and every day. A child should not have to wonder or guess what their parents want them to do. They should know exactly what they are supposed to do and what the consequences will be if they do not do what is expected.
If your child likes to take their pajamas and diapers off while they are in their crib or unattended, try this neat little trick. Cut the feet off of an old pair of footsie pajamas and put them on your child backwards. It will make it so they cannot unzip them and take them off.
When you find yourself torn between spending time with your child and keeping the house immaculate, let the chores go to some extent. Your kids will remember fun times and making happy memories with you, but they will not remember that the kitchen wasn't spotless or that you didn't vacuum daily.
Play with your children. Not only is it fun for both of you, playing also has an incredible impact on reducing children's negative behaviors. By spending time with your children in this manner, you are making them feel like they are important to you. That means they will be less likely to engage in negative behaviors to get your attention.
You need to listen to your children. That means when they're telling you about their day, or when they're explaining something they did wrong. Always listen to what they have to say and respect what they're saying. Even if it sounds outlandish to you, it might make total sense to a three-year-old.
Clearly identifying what it is that we expect from our children and how we envision them meeting those expectations is an indispensable component of parenting. This article strives to help us do just that. The goal is to enhance the relationship between a parent and children while still accomplishing parental responsibilities.