Image via Wikipedia Perhaps more than ever before, mothers are faced with the difficult problem of materialism. Today's world has created a 'must have' environment, with many children not understanding the true cost of the things they want. With new versions of their cell phone, MP3 player, and gaming systems coming out ever six months, and peers who seem to have it all, some of today's children are downright demanding of their parents and the material items they want. As parents, we must learn to tread this line delicately and make healthy decisions for our children and our … [Read more...]
Having a Relationship AND Children
July 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Image via Wikipedia In today's world, more and more parents are single. With the divorce rate on the rise, it is not uncommon for a parent to find themselves in the interesting position of trying to date and develop relationships while being a parent. This can be a very trying time for parents and children alike. Handling the process with honesty and respect will make sure that everyone handles it as well as possible. First, remember that your children, no matter what their age, are not stupid. They likely realize that you have a need to form adult relationships. Be honest with your … [Read more...]
Teaching Children to Live Without Materialism
June 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Society pushes materialism on people from the moment that they can open their eyes and see advertisements. What philosophers such as Henry David Thoreau said 150 years ago, however, has become more and more obvious. Our society’s materialism can lead to its downfall. Image by epSos.de via Flickr As a parent, you want to teach your children to enjoy the good things in life without becoming attached to material possessions. That way, they can live happily without the confines of material greed. Preventing materialism, however, can require a lot of work for parents raising children in … [Read more...]
Proecting Children From Dangerous Websites
June 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Image by Steve Rhode via Flickr Recently there has been a lot of news coverage about children setting up their own Facebook accounts without getting permission from their parents. We all know that there are dangers online that could harm our children. Whether its deranged pornographic images or online stalkers, parents need to know how they can protect children from dangers that lurk on the Internet. Only Have One Computer in the House Many children convince their parents to give them all kinds of electronics, including smart phones and computers, well before they are old … [Read more...]
Giving Your Teen an Allowance
May 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Many parents choose to give allowance money to their children, sometimes as payment for doing chores. This can help teach the value of money, and how to budget and save for a special item or event. It is one of the first steps that children can take toward becoming financially independent. One financial expert and author wrote a book detailing the pros and cons of providing an allowance to children. Learning good financial habits is necessary for these children to understand how to spend money. This will also provide limits, which provides boundaries. Some teenagers are given money whenever … [Read more...]
It’s Okay to Say No
April 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment
There are many facets to being a responsible parent, or rather a parent that raises a responsible child. We all want our children to have every possible advantage for a happy life. Unfortunately all too often we forget the one word that we absolutely must say now and then - no. This is especially true when children do what they do best - nag, whine and look at you with those sad puppy-dog eyes and adorable pout, all in an effort to get what they want. Giving into a child all the time, or even the majority of the time, is a really good way to groom them into being materialistic. A better … [Read more...]
Age Differences in Children
March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Parents have very different views when it comes to age gaps in rearing children. Some parents think that you should have all of your children within a few years, so they have a year or two between them. Other parents, on the other hand, think that you should put a few years between each child so that you can focus on the first few years of development for each child without having several of similar ages within a few years. Ultimately it is going to be up to you to determine which course of action is ideal for your family. For some people, it is ideal to have your children in rapid succession, … [Read more...]
Leading Through Example as a Parent
March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Leading Through Example as a Parent As a parent, you are going to want to be aware of the fact that children like to soak up what their parents say and do. Children are going to make a regular habit of saying the things that you say and doing the things that you do because they want to model their behavior on yours, and this is how they do a lot of their learning while they are young. When you understand that your children are modeling their behaviors and their actions based on yours, you can use this to your advantage by doing a lot of leading through example. What leading through example … [Read more...]
Teaching Healthy Relationships Through Leading Healthy Relationships
March 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Teaching Healthy Relationships Through Leading Healthy Relationships When you are a parent, there are a lot of different things that you have to teach to your children as part of life. One of the most important skills that you can teach your child or children is the benefits of healthy relationships as well as how they can find and lead healthy relationships with people as they grow up. This can be healthy friendships, family relationships and healthy love connections as well. One of the easiest ways to teach your child the tenets of a healthy and happy relationship is for you to strive … [Read more...]