Saturday, September 15, 2012

Advice On Taking The Fear Out Of Parenting

By Mary Jane


Is parenting leaving you feeling stressed out and overwhelmed? Do you worry that you're doing everything wrong? Parenting can be incredibly frustrating, but it can also be very rewarding. In this article, you will find some tips that will reduce your stress and let you savor parenting's more rewarding moments for longer.

You should use your local grocery store ads to interact with your children. By scanning the ads with your children, you can help them practice math skills and develop good eating habits all at once. How much are two pounds of bananas? How much can you save on three boxes of cereal? Your child will be a shopping whiz kid.

Sweets and other high-calorie foods should only be given in moderation and only for rewards, not for everyday snacks. You can teach your children to snack healthy by making sure you only give them things like apples, raisins, granola bars, etc. Giving them candy will make them continue to want the candy.

Do not feel ashamed if you want to take parenting classes. These classes are made to help parents cope with the stresses and difficult decisions that come with parenting. By taking these classes, you are showing that you are willing to do whatever it takes in order to improve your parenting skills.

Make sure you establish mutual trust with your kids. If you want to be able to trust your children, they need to know they can trust you as well. If you're constantly making empty promises or lying to them, they'll pick up these habits. If you're open and honest with them, they'll do the same with you.

Communicating with your child regularly from an early age is very important. Not only does this directly help with basic things such as vocabulary and pronunciation, but it also helps them to become more comfortable communicating with you. You want your child to grow up in an environment where they feel comfortable communicating with and coming to you. It becomes significantly harder to establish this kind of environment as they get older.

Use common household items to keep your child entertained. Items such as empty paper towel rolls, pots and pans, empty boxes and old clothing, can easily occupy a child's imagination without a lot of financial investment. As an added benefit, children encouraged to use their imagination in play, are often more successful at problem solving as they get older.

Using win/win negotiating strategies to help resolve the every day disputes that often arise between siblings can go a long way to help reduce fighting. When children quarrel, focus on trying to help them see that there is a solution that will get everyone's needs met. Ask for their suggestions first and then offer more of your own.

Make sure that you are taking time to engage in activities that YOU enjoy! We are much more effective parents when we make sure our needs are attended to, so leave your kids with your significant others for an evening and have dinner with your girlfriends, or schedule a massage.

If you have two or more children in the house, enlist the help of older siblings to care for the younger ones. Older siblings can help with playtime and can even monitor bath times (depending on their age). If you have a teenager and a young child, you might also be able to benefit from lower cost babysitting and teach your older child some responsibility in the process.

To help your child begin speaking, use predictable language each day, so that it becomes routine to her. Narrate your way through the day as you get her dressed, feed her, bathe her, and play with her. When talking and asking her questions, be sure to pause so that she knows it is her turn to contribute.

As you and your child develop a relationship you can see the rewards of your work from being an understand and patient parent. There will be a number of challenges, and since children don't come with an instruction manual it's kind of hit or miss on some things but eventually you'll get the hang of it and it is very much worth it.




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