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Many people think that maturity is something that comes with age, and to a certain extent this is an accurate belief. However, maturity must also be nurtured and taught because without good examples and education, maturity might be something your stepchildren do not develop to the fullest extent. Your stepchildren can gain important social and emotional maturity skills from your teaching.
Parent involvement activities for kindergarten students are a great way to bridge the transition between school and home. Learn about parent involvement activities for kindergarten students with help from a former family case worker for CPS in this free video clip.
The bond between a mother and toddler has both immediate and far-reaching implications. Children without a strong attachment have a greater risk of poor social and communication skills, states researchers with the Center for Child and Family Policy, Duke University. By strengthening the mother-toddler bond, you can help give your toddler a positive start.
The perfect swimsuit for new moms is a tankini or something similar. Find out about the perfect swimsuit for new moms with help from a fashion stylist in this free video clip.
Going back to work and leaving your baby is stressful enough for most new mothers. Having to worry about keeping up your milk supply during your eight-hour work day adds an additional layer of stress. Tennessee, like many other states, does mandate that your employer comply with certain regulations related to breastfeeding. These regulations address where you can pump and whether your employer must give you time off to do so.
Your newborn baby's day revolves around eating and sleeping -- unfortunately, new moms aren't so lucky. If you've just had a baby, simply getting dressed in the morning can seem like a huge triumph, let alone following a strict routine. While you don't need to transition into a regular schedule right away, keeping a routine that starts at the beginning of your day can help you feel more organized as a new mom. Take some time for yourself and then start thinking about a manageable routine that helps you feel in control and like a true Supermom.
It is no secret that kids whose parents are involved in their education are more likely to succeed. Studies have shown that parents' involvement in your child's schoolwork and in the school not only positively affects your own child's performance, but benefits the teacher and the entire class. Additionally, parent groups are increasingly being called upon to supplement school funding and offset rising costs.
Your daughter faces many changes during her preteen years and she needs your help to get through them with as few permanent scars as possible. From acne and periods to first boyfriends and peer pressure, talk to your daughter, provide a healthy role model and offer assistance when she will take it. Using tact, compassion and motherly wisdom, you can continue to build a loving relationship with your tween.
Becoming a mother is one of the greatest events of a woman's life, but it also signals a major transition. Before you became a mother, you had a great deal of autonomy. Now a little person is dependent on you for food, care and comfort around the clock. Additionally, pregnancy and delivery can put a tremendous strain on your physical and emotional health. It's normal for moms to struggle as they adapt to a new role and a new life. Be patient with yourself and don't be afraid to ask for help.
Breastfeeding is a natural and amazing experience between mother and baby, which not only facilitates bonding but also provides perfect nutrition and immunity to your baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization both recommend breastfeeding as the only source of food until an infant reaches 6 months old, at which time solid foods may be introduced with breast milk continued until at least 12 months old. WHO goes on to recommend extending the breastfeeding relationship until age 2 and beyond, as long as the relationship is desired by both mother and baby. These recommendations are made…
Caring for an infant is a full-time job. Not many would dispute that claim, but it's not your only job. A new mom has the daunting task of developing a routine that leaves her with some sanity. Take your new role as working mom in stride and rest assured that with planning, your roles as mother and as employee, and the many other hats you wear, are manageable.
Contrary to the popular nursery rhyme, boys are not actually made of slugs, snails, and puppy-dogs’ tails. Nonetheless, fundamental differences between boys and girls do exist, and they can have a significant impact on the manner in which boys are raised. While fathers benefit from the experience of their own gender, mothers may feel themselves lacking in knowledge of boyhood.
When you're considering raising a new dog, the first thing you probably determine is the breed, but the second is the sex. Despite some anecdotal assertions about the behavior of male and female dogs, there isn't any consistent, hard evidence that they inherently behave differently. Behavior is mostly determined by their upbringing, but nonetheless, male and female dogs are fundamentally different physically.
Being a new mom may be magical, but it often comes with big changes. Pregnancy and birth may leave you feeling self-conscious about your body, especially in a swimsuit. The right swimsuit will make the most of your new figure, help you enjoy days at the beach or pool with baby, and let you feel a bit more like yourself after becoming a new mother.
Something that never fails when it comes to activities for stay-at-home moms are crayons and paper. Learn about a list of activities provided by stay-at-home moms with help from a former family case worker in this free video clip.
Making decisions as a single parent is much like making decisions as a single person. You must weight the consequences of a planned action, and decide whether it will be beneficial or detrimental. As a parent, however, you must also weigh the probable effect a particular action may have on your child. If you are a single parent because of a divorce, you may also have to consider the wishes of your ex-spouse and conditions dictated by your divorce decree.
Parenting any gifted child is challenging, but gifted girls face difficulties that are rarely seen in gifted boys. A 1991 study, documented in a literature review by Dr. Anita Gurian of the NYC Child Study Center, found that gifted boys are often the most popular children in school while gifted girls are the least popular. As they mature, gifted girls often learn to downplay their strengths in order to fit in. To combat this tendency, parents must find a balance between setting high expectations and helping gifted girls navigate the complex social structure of childhood and adolescence.
Stacks of newspapers and magazines. Piles of clothing, tags still attached, never worn. Overflowing dish sink. No place to even sit down. These can be signs of compulsive hoarding, a behavior disorder characterized by the obsessive need to collect and accumulate large quantities of stuff. Many hoarders have such difficulty letting things go that they've accumulated so much as to render their living spaces unusable. Hoarding isn't just a personal issue – it affects entire families, particularly young children. For family members who live with a person who hoards, it’s impossible to live in the clutter without having physical and…
During your pregnancy, you likely heard "Sleep while you can" -- with a wink -- time and again from experienced mothers. While you do your best to prepare for that sleep-deprived newborn stage, you cannot truly understand the demands of this period until you're holding your screaming bundle of joy in your arms at 3 a.m. Although every baby is different, you can count on middle-of-the-night feedings -- and the subsequent loss of sleep -- with your precious newborn.
Kindergarten is a huge milestone for many families. It can often mean a new school, or even the first time at school. It's also a time when many kids begin to learn to read. Parental involvement in reading activities at home is an effective way to support that transition to kindergarten and to becoming a reader.
Whether you're the parent of a newborn, or your kids are a little older, deciding to leave your job to raise your kids is either one of the easiest decisions you'll ever make, or it’s a decision over which you'll agonize. The situation is different for everyone, but the truth remains that it’s a big decision that requires careful thought and planning. Once you make the decision to resign from your job to take on the full-time task of parenting, you have to let your employer know your intentions.
Overprotective parents, according to child/teen development specialist Dr. Robyn Silverman, have become so common that some overnight youth camps have hired full-time liaisons to deal with calls from parents about everything from their child’s vitamin schedule to music lessons. Strict parenting, which is related to the authoritarian style of parenting, might be best epitomized by the “tiger mom” concept of Yale professor Amy Chua.
Your children will love the natural and human wonders of the Caribbean island of Jamaica, but when you're traveling as a single parent, you need to address a few special issues such as the additional paperwork you'll have to complete to travel to Jamaica, differences in vacation pricing -- children are charged adult rates for room-sharing in some Jamaican hotels and resorts -- and finding a good mix of activities for you and your kids.
Understanding the issues and challenges of having a daughter with Down syndrome can help you in making the best decisions for her in her early years. Even though an "American Journal of Medical Genetics" study found that 79 percent of parents report having a happy outlook on life because of their Down syndrome child, raising a daughter with special needs can be difficult at times. If you're prepared for what might come up, though, you and she will be likely to enjoy a happy life as she grows up.
Your adolescent may want to explore the dating scene before you think she's ready, partly because teens mature physically before they mature emotionally, states extension educator Kathleen Olson, with the University of Minnesota Extension. Because teenage dating can be an obstacle course, it's important to understand the possible rewards and dangerous pitfalls that your teen may encounter. Armed with relevant information about teenage dating, you'll be ready to engage in meaningful conversations with your teen, while supporting her and monitoring her dating experiences.
A blended family, consisting of a biological parent, a stepparent and possibly children belonging to each parent, presents ongoing challenges to everyone involved. If the new marriage happens when children are adolescents, the dynamics can be even more difficult, advises psychologist Carl Pickhardt, with the Psychology Today website. The stepparent’s goal will be to find a way to be an authoritative parent figure to a teenage stepchild.
Father's Day only comes once a year, but a dad plays an essential role in his children's lives from the moment they are born. Talk to your kids about the importance of showing honor and respect to their father. Brainstorm little ways you as a family can show dad appreciation for all he does -- at work and at home. If nothing else, make sure dad gets lots of hugs and kisses when he walks in the door every evening.
Parenting triplets is an obviously difficult task, but if you have other children in the mix, it becomes more challenging. Parents commonly struggle with feelings of guilt as they scramble to find the time and energy needed to devote to each individual child's needs. But by revisiting the basics of parenting, the often-exhausting -- although, exhilarating -- task of raising triplets and their siblings can become an enjoyable journey for the entire household.
Babies are sensitive social barometers. "When parents stress, the kids are going to be stressed," says Dr. Andrew Garner, assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in an article for WebMD. From a very young age, children learn by example, so a baby who witnesses his parents handling stress in an unhealthy, destructive way is likely to mirror their behavior as he grows up.
Most teens are on emotional roller-coasters -- with parents often taken along for the ride. Almost every adolescent acts out from time to time -- some more frequently than others. Although a certain degree of "acting out" -- speaking disrespectfully, disregarding rules or behaving recklessly -- is considered developmentally normal, it can be difficult to know how to address problems or interact with your teen during these stressful and emotionally-volatile times.
Adolescents can make mistakes and engage in risk-taking activities that have to negative repercussions. One of the key factors for preventing adolescent drug use involves daily parental involvement, advises the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Your involvement will give your teen the support and encouragement to make positive decisions about their conduct.
Just about every parent of a teen knows the drill: the well-placed eye roll and barely audible sigh that indicates that your child is embarrassed or ashamed of you. And while you might not actively try to be embarrassing, your teen's reputation, social life and relationships can be affected by your actions. By understanding what you do that causes your teen to go red in the face, you can avoid the behavior so your teen isn't like, totally embarrassed of you.
If you're in charge of overseeing a mother cat and her litter of tiny kittens, feeding is definitely not an area to gloss over. If your mother cat -- or queen -- happens to not be lactating sufficiently or even at all, don't panic. Either a feline foster mother or commercial kitten milk replacer should do the trick. Mother cats that are ill in any way occasionally are incapable of producing milk properly.
A harsh word or a moment of praise can make a significant difference in how a teenager’s personality develops. In fact, more than words, actions can affect the type of personality teens develop. Being aware of how parents can positively influence a child’s development is key when fostering healthy and happy teenagers.
When we enroll our children in school for the first time, the thing we want most is for them to succeed. Countless studies have shown that students whose parents are involved in PTA, classroom volunteering or other school-related activities have a higher success rate, not only academically but socially as well. The level of interaction can change, though, as the children grow.
Effective parenting focuses on the positive aspects of your child's behavior and your interactions with her and minimizes the negative ones. From the way that you show affection to the boundaries you set and enforce consistently, your parenting skills bind together to help you present yourself as a kind and loving mother or father who has the best interest of your children as a priority.
An individual’s socioeconomic status is a combination of education, employment and income, and it’s a powerful determinant in a person’s quality of life. It has a strong influence on what type of parenting style a person will practice. People in lower socioeconomic groups tend to practice a stricter parenting style that stresses obedience, while those in higher socioeconomic groups use a more democratic style emphasizing decision-making and choice. Parenting style affects family stability, and economic, social and psychological outcomes for children.
Many parents or soon-to-be parents take parenting classes to find answers to challenges they face or to create a more effective parenting tool kit. Some parenting classes are more effective than others. Effective parenting classes share similar components and methods. If you believe parenting classes can assist you, choose a class with those characteristics.
Though single parenting refers to a single mother, single father, grandparent, sibling, other family member or friend raising a child, the groups most likely to be stigmatized by society and two-parent households are single mothers and fathers. Some people believe that these single parents could have tried harder to stay together for the sake of the children. The stigma against these single parents is perpetuated by the media, who blame single parents for much of society’s social problems, says Janet Weisensel, a social worker with Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Single parents are stigmatized based…
According to the Michigan Department of Education the majority -- 86 percent -- of the American public thinks that parent involvement is the No. 1 way to make schools better. Additionally, out-of-school involvement programs in community organizations, religious institutions and athletics groups can help kids build self-esteem, increase motivation and develop in a healthy way.
As a teen’s brain develops, he gains the ability to reason, think logically and better understand cause and effect. However, the frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for helping a person comprehend long-term consequences and control impulses, doesn’t fully develop until late adolescence, according to Clea McNeely, who has a doctorate in public health, and Jayne Blanchard in the publication “The Teen Years Explained” on the Johns Hopkins University website. By providing a supportive and caring environment, control and consistency, a parent can help ensure a teen’s health and success as he seeks independence and a sense of…
Modern society has in many ways made the father unessential to the upbringing of a child. With divorce rates increasing and work hours rising, fathers who find the time to be present in their children’s lives must make the best of their father-child interactions. As a father, you don’t need to dread the act of parenting as a chore, because most parenting skills for fathers are actually skills you already have.
Establishing routines is key to running a well-oiled household. But, how do you know when it’s time to change things up, offer your children more freedom and step up the responsibilities of each family member? “As children grow older, there are two possible pitfalls: letting them stay babies or trying to make them grow up too fast,” said Crystal Lutton, Arizona-based mom of five and author of “Grace-Based Living.” “Finding that balance of respecting them where they are is such an important thing.” If your children seem bored or even resistant when it comes to chores, rules, allowances and even…
A mother and child holding hands has a very special significance for both of them. Learn about the meaning of a mother and child holding hands with help from a practicing therapist in this free video clip.
The emotions of kids can be very trying, especially as a single parent. Get tips on surviving the emotions felt by your kids as a single parents with help from a practicing therapist in this free video clip.
The bond between mother and child is one of unconditional love, but like any relationship, the mother-child one can become strained or distant because of past events, lifestyle choices or unavoidable factors such as distance. However, there are some things you can do to help build a closer relationship with your mother. They can all be done at the appropriate pace for your relationship, so take your time and work to build the close bond that you're seeking.
Calming the mother of a newborn child is sometimes a bit easier said than done depending on the circumstances. Calm mothers of newborns with help from a family therapist and child development specialist in this free video clip.
Relocating can affect teenagers in a number of different ways when their parents are transferred. Find out about how relocating affects teenagers when their parents are transferred with help from a psychologist in this free video clip.
As a child ages, the differences that he or she shares with their parents grow in numbers. Learn about differences that teenagers have with their parents with help from a psychologist in this free video clip.
Non-working, divorced and stay at home moms have a few key tax credits designed specifically for their situations. Learn about tax credits for non-working, divorced stay at home moms with help from a certified financial analyst in this free video clip.
