Parenting Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers

Five Easy Steps to Potty Train Your Baby
No…Don’t let your child pee or poop every where and make your life miserable. Try to potty training your child since baby. Starting since newborn is not a bad idea. Some mom say the sooner you potty train your baby the better you find the result...

No, No, No - What Else is a Parent to Say?
The word no is probably the most overused word in the English language. I speak from experience since I myself use it frequently.

Is Your Baby Ready For Potty Training?
You’re getting tired of changing those diapers, aren’t you? It’s so great to be able to get your child out of diapers. But, when it comes to potty training, timing is everything. If you start when your child isn’t ready, it will just take longer.

Parents Need to Vent Anger! 
Parents are losing their self-control to their own anger. A friend called me today and told me a very troubling story.

Eight Great Baby Products that Make Mom’s Life Easier
You’re exhausted. You ache all over. You haven’t slept in what feels like days. Sounds like you’ve just completed the Tour de France or climbed Mount Everest. No, you’re “just” a Mom. 

Are You Ready For Another Baby?
Having a baby is one of the most important decisions a couple can make.

Talking To Your Children About Strangers
Remember when we were kids and our parents told us not to talk to strangers? We were told not to take candy from strangers and not to get into a car with a stranger? Then if we didn't say hello to a polite stranger while we were with our parents we were actually scolded!

Should I Let My Baby Cry it Out?
Does it takes forever for your baby to fall asleep? Does he or she only fall asleep if you breastfeed, give a bottle or pacifier, rock, carry, swing, take a ride in the car, or perform other elaborate rituals? Does your baby wake up frequently throughout the night? 

Talk Your Child Clever 
There is little doubt that language acquisition is one of the key milestones in early childhood development. Much of a child's future social and intellectual development hinges on this milestone.

Preparing for Pre-School Prose
To develop a love of learning that will last forever, help your child begin his educational journey with the tools he needs to be
successful. Begin early and prepare your child for the words heard around the classroom.

25 Ways to Create a Boredom-Free Summer
Do you need a little inspiration to keep those two little words, "I'm Bored," out of your summer? Tired of the same old activities? Try these ideas to keep your summer full of fun.

Talking To Children About Violence 
Violence in society is a major issue for families today.  It's everywhere we look, it seems, and as a parent it disturbs me deeply. 

Cornucopia Kids: Children Who Have Too Much Stuff!
The term Cornucopia Kids was coined by psychologist Bruce A. Baldwin in the mid-eighties to refer to children who grow up in homes where the good life is available for the asking, and where no personal effort is required. Fifteen years later the situation can only be described as even worse.

This Is Your Challenge!
In my parenting classes and workshops one of the most important lessons I teach parents is to take care of themselves. When are we worst with our children and spouse? You guessed it, when we are tired, stressed, have places to be, deadlines to meet, dinner to cook, and phone calls to make. 

Choosing Your Battles
Children need our interest, our consistency, and our unconditional love. It's better to demonstrate these things through our own example than to spend our days blowing whistles on the one we think might be guilty.

Piano Lessons
This short episode left a message on my heart. We as parents have so little time to teach the important lessons in life, the ones that will shape our children's evolving personalities and define who they are when they're on their own.

Becoming Real to the Children in Your Life
Becoming real to a child means that you have made a significant  impact in their lives. It means you are an individual with whom the  children in your life feel safe and loved.

Birthday Party Etiquette
Your child has been invited to yet another birthday party. Gone are the days when she required you to stick around for the entire party and now tells you that you can leave the second you drop her off at the door.

The Top 10 Tips for Communicating with Children
Most people have more training before they receive their driver's license
than before they become a parent. Educating yourself on how to communicate effectively with your child can be the key to achieving your parenting goals. 

Teaching Kids How to Say "I'm Sorry."
Hannah hit Josh with a block. I did the appropriate thing. I asked  Hannah to tell Josh that she was sorry for hitting him. Hannah  refused. I guess she wasn't sorry.

Toddlers and Meal Time
It never fails at our house that our toddler gets fussy as soon as I start fixing dinner. Occasionally she plays with her Dad or brothers, but often she wants Mom's company when I need to be getting the meal ready. 

Is Your Child Developing the Same Way as His or Her Peers?
A good friend of mine, a first time mom, raised an interesting point. Parents, when comparing children, often see one child being able to do something that their own child (of a similar age) cannot do.

What Every Parent Must Know About Babysitters!
Selecting a babysitter is an important decision that requires a great amount  of caution. Here are 5 things you should consider when choosing a babysitter...

And Today's Lesson Is...
It's cold, it's blustery, it's raining......it's November in New England! This is the kind of weather where you toss another sweater on top of the two you are already wearing, and you're still chilled to the bone.

Learning Disabilities
There are so many learning labels floating around these days ... A.D.D., A.D.H.D., Dyslexia, etc. Basically, these are labels pinned on kids who are in some way learning disabled.

Everything I need to Know About Raising Children I Learned at K-9 College!
Sometimes I would joke with others that my dogs obeyed better than my children. Then one day I listened to myself and realized to my dismay that it was true. My dogs DID obey better than my children!

Cultivating Kindness in Children
The best way to teach has always been by example. Early on, especially, children naturally turn to their parents, picking up cues on how to respond to life events.

Children's Learning Styles: From Crib to Classroom
Newborns enter a world filled with sights, sounds, and sensations. These auditory, visual, and tactile stimuli are received by highly specialized receptors in a baby’s ears, eyes, and skin. Children reveal their preference for a particular way of learning in the first few months of life.

Cloth Diapering 101
When we think of using cloth diapers, we don't think of how beneficial it is for our babies, for our pocketbook, or for our environment. However I hope to share with you in this article about the benefits of cloth diapering, what you'll need to get started and how to wash them.

Baby's First Teacher
The learning process is a natural one, and a mother is uniquely equipped to give her little one the very best education money can't buy.

Bed Bugs
When my first son was born I dutifully jumped on the independent sleep bandwagon. Night after night, I sat awake in a rocking chair, crying and begging my son to stay asleep.

The Importance of the Father/Child Bond
To this day, spending time with my kids continues to be one of my favorite activities. To not spend time with my children is unfathomable.

A Mother's Perspective: Germ Warfare!
A humorous yet informative article on the spreading of germs and illnesses between young children. Includes personal experiences as well as advice from a Board Certified Pediatrician.

Hey, Who’s the Boss, Here?
We’ve all been in situations with our children when, out in public, we just want to crawl into a big hole in the ground, never to be seen again, right?

It's Elementary, My Dear  
Helping Your Child Look Forward to School.  "I hate school!" No parent wants to hear her third grade daughter yell out these words on a regular basis. 

True Strength
As a young boy growing up, I always looked at my father as someone who had all the answers. 

Family Man
Fathers have been called a "biological necessity, but a social accident."
Some call us "dead beats" or "good for nothing." Given the problem society has had with absent fathers (emotionally and physically) I can see why.

Listen to Daddy
Listening to what isn't being said. Learning about what's important in a parent/adult child relationship

Dad's first solo flight
Anyone who thinks raising a child is easy has got another thing coming. But when you love your children, you'll do anything for them ... with a smile.

Fatherhood Before the Teenage Years
Fatherhood is definitely an interesting job. I have three terrific children.

Special Needs Children

Little Princess
"It's not fair!", says Sarah, when Michelle, her mother, insists on being right beside her when she wants to play alone in the woods or forbids her to drive her bike as far as her brother, Jacob, does. And she is right. Life has not been fair to her.

Parenting  Pre-Teens and Teens

Change Your Child's Behavior With Positive Reinforcement
Think about your interactions with your children today. How many things did you notice they did wrong? What did you do or say to them because of their wrong doings? Have they engaged in the same kind of behavior before?

The Parent Teen Relationship
It was the homework that did it. Each night became a challenge in how I was going to get my son, a non-academic, to do his homework. I tried patience, encouragement, and teaching, all to no avail.

How Busy Parents Can Stay Involved 
With today's hustling and bustling lifestyles, we as parents often find it a challenge to squeeze everything in to our already overflowing schedule.

Praying With Your Teen
I don't remember my parents ever praying with me.  It wasn't until I was a parent myself that I realized one of the outward signs of a committed Christian is their active prayer life.

Reading, Writing, and Resolution
Thirty percent of American, elementary school children, bullies their classmates. That might not disturb you if your child is in the safe 70% but if your child has been the victim of a schoolyard bully or has harassed children himself, it can be very unsettling.

My Kid, the Lawyer Wannabe 
A child's desire to argue with a parent has its roots in the eternal childhood quest for power. And if she can provoke a spirited response from you, and open the floor for an argument between equal parties, she knows she has the power.

Danny the Disrespectful Kid 
Danny walks in the door after school the way he usually does: muddy footprints, abandoned backpack, half-eaten lunch, and jacket trailing him on the floor. His mother looks up at him, making that "tsk" sound that only mothers can produce quite that way, followed by a weary sigh. 

Stay-At-Home Moms of Teens
When I decided to leave my job and stay home to raise my family 15 years ago, I found very little emotional support, even in Christian circles. Today, there seems to be a lot of support in both the Christian and secular worlds to refresh and encourage Stay-At-Home Mothers.

Teens on the Internet; How can You Ensure their Safety?
According to a recent report by Jupiter Communications and Media Metrix, the most notable online increase by age group from 1999 to 2000 was among teen girls age 12 to 17, which increased more than 125 percent. 

The Empty Nest
With the advancing age of the Baby Boomers, more and more parents are facing the "empty nest" syndrome.

In The Blink of an Eye
I am the mother of a licensed driver. These are truly frightening words.

To Clean Or Not To Clean (Your Child's Room)
Whether or not to help your child clean their room. It's an age old dilemma. 

General Family Matters

Family Journals: Tens Ways to Improve Your Health and Relationships
Journaling has long been a tool to achieving better emotional and mental health. The need to express oneself in a safe and controlled manner is a powerful means to improving self-esteem and personal relationships. Parents can use this tool to increase their effectiveness and satisfaction with family members.

Parents - What Kind of Role Model Are You?  Are you being the person you want your children to be?  Many parents today really try to be better parents than their parents were. They attempt to be there for their children - to listen to them, support them, spend time with them, as well as hold and nurture them.

Casual Remarks 
It's a curious affliction: the tendency to talk about one's children in the most brutally honest and hurtful ways without realizing that the cherished subjects of the offensive comments are listening to every word.

4 New Ideas to Help You Motivate Your Children 
Motivation is not only important for adults, but also for children.
What they learn as children will have an enormous impact on the
rest of their lives.

Characteristics of a Good Parent
Raising a child can be very difficult. We sometimes forget that children need to learn how to become adults from us and that they are not little adults. We have to teach them. In my opinion, there are certain characteristics a "good" parent should have.

The Importance of the Family Dinner Table  
The family dinner table is a place of communion, fellowship and a means of reconnecting with those we care about the most.

When Parents Can't Agree on Discipline
It would be impossible to find a set of parents who agree 100% on every facet of raising their children. As much as they say that they see eye to eye on dealing with disciplinary issues, at some point in time, an issue will come up in which the two don't see the solution the exact same way.

Dropping Out
In this past week, I saw newspaper photos of teens dressed in black for the their friend's funeral. My sister called me upon hearing a six-year-old had been shot to death by a classmate. I witnessed mothers musing "oh, they are having a Pokemon battle" when a group of three year olds slammed each other into the wall.

Building Children's Character
Character is: A belief in an absolute system of right and wrong, combined with the will to do what is right regardless of the cost.

Standing Together: A Parenting Success Story 
"There he is again, sitting in front of that Nintendo machine. 
Didn’t I just tell him to go do his homework?" said the mother, her arm on her hip, eyes glaring at the back of the father’s head. The father appeared more involved in the news program on the television but had heard every word.

The Evolving Role of Motherhood
When I first became a Stay-At-Home mom 15 years ago, my days were filled with diapers, picking up toys, cleaning up messes, and running after busy little pre-schoolers.

What Is A Secret?
As parents we have so much to worry about in regards to our children. We want to protect them from all of life's dangers, yet we want to accomplish this without putting unnecessary fear into their lives.

Surviving Little League
...we include this sport in our children's lives in order to teach teamwork, sportsmanship and to encourage fair play. But most of all, so they can have some fun.  After all, it's a game, right?

Raising Happier, More Obedient Teenagers
Do these statements have a familiar ring?  "I've had it with your attitude!" or "You're grounded!" or "If you ever talk to me like that again you're going to regret coming to this planet!" 

To Communicate With Teens, Know Them  
Parents constantly complain that their teens don’t talk to them. We claim it is because they choose to ignore us, and sometimes we are correct.

The Cloning Of Teens
Humorous observation about the apparent lack of individuality of dress sense in today's teenagers

Forge A Trusting Relationship With Your Teen
Teens are in an internal struggle, trying to balance a need to belong and a need to be distinctive. Living with your teen means building a relationship that is based on trust, love and respect.

My Queendom for a Chair
One mother's take on the exasperating phenomenon of shopping for clothes for their teenaged daughter.

Brownies with a Difference
One father’s way of making a point very clear to his kids.

Seven Steps to a Terrific Relationship with your Teen
Simple Steps for keeping 
sane while raising a Teen! Not just that, but be the KEWLEST parent around!

From the Mouths of Babes
An alarming number of children are having children of their own.  Did you know…

Teen Attitudes About Household Chores
We would all rather be doing something more fun, so is it any wonder teens dislike them so much.  Of course, like everything else in a teen’s life, expressing their negative attitude about doing chores, just has to be a ‘big deal.’

Parenting children of 
all ages

Don’t Treat Your Children Equally! Treat Them Fairly
A comedian joked that the definition of sibling rivalry is “any two children in a room.” I think that summarizes the issue pretty clearly. As parents, there is little we can do to eliminate rivalry but there are ways to calm down the intensity a bit. 

Stop, Look, Listen - Parenting Communication Tips!
How easy it is to get caught up in our daily tasks and forget how much our children need us to be mentally present, as well as physically present!

Practice Makes Perfect
This is something my mother used to tell me over and over again, when I was a child. At that time, I hated it. But now, as a parent myself, I find it be full of wisdom and instruction on how to raise a family. 

7 Lessons I Learned About Failure from My 2-Year-Old
A recent conversation on a discussion list got me thinking about the word failure. What is failure? As I was trying to determine the answer, I thought of my two-year-old son, Nate. I believe we can learn a lot from our children about failure and success.

Teaching Children Good Manners
As our children grew older, they were always told the rules of our outings, how to behave and to always speak softly if other adults were present. Sometimes, it's fine to let them get a little crazy ... just know your audience! 

The New Parent's Guide To Saving Memorabilia
A few years ago, I met some ladies at a friend's baby shower and at one point they discussed the items that they had saved from the little ones early years. It was an interesting conversation, but the more I listened, I found myself feeling a little sad...

Games Parents Play to Win!
Sometimes parenting just seems like a game...that you can never win. The other team has more energy, more time, and more players. To help parents improve the odds, we've come up with some new "game plans" that might even the score.

A Child Can Make a Difference
Your child, too, can make a difference! The majority of the children who participated in the Millennium Dreamers event were between the ages of 8- 12. These kids each had one thing in common. They have a dream. Everyone has dreams. It's just a matter of whether or not they're ever acted upon. Most children have big dreams there's no way they could materialize on their own.

In Praise of Black Sheep
Rule-breaking children make the most self-reliant and independent adults.  There's a black sheep in every flock, and there are few of us who don't know one, or didn't know one as a child. 

A Lesson in Family History
A lesson in family history is as near as your family's cemetery.  Teach your children and grandchildren about those who have come before them.

On A Wing & A Prayer
Having grown up under a father whose career is in the airline/airport industry, I have always had a passion for planes, flight and the perks that go along with being around the airlines - free travel.

In Touch With Grandparents
There are wonderful ways for your parents' and your children to stay in touch and really get to know each other.

A Half Dozen Super Saving Educational Activities for Kids and Families
Teaching kids how to learn will go a long way in helping them be more successful in school. 

Choosing Not To Choose
We've had our cable TV now for a week and three times already there's been nothing on.

Discipline is Not a Dirty Word
Discipline does not automatically mean punishment. Oftentimes, it involves disciplining ourselves first, before we expect trained behavior to appear in our children.

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