Focus on Better Behavior

As children grow older they will discover that life can be a complicated and hard thing. Life can also be very magical and full of miracles. Help them take on an attitude that life can be full of possibility and wonder and therefore, magical. Try some of these tips for creating magical days; greet people with a smile. Be pleasant with people around you whether they are upbeat or not. Exercise and keep fit. Get plenty of sleep, you can face many challenges when you've slept well! Keep a journal to write down thinks you are grateful for. Sharing what you've written with the family is a great way to stay connected.

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If you're looking for a better way to relate to your teen, you may just need to try a different way of communicating. In order to see some changes, there are a few tactics that can help. Be brief and straightforward, don't carry on, just make your point and end the conversation. Having discussions are good, but don't lecture, that's the last thing your teen wants to hear.  Sometimes what you says goes, but they want to feel like they are contributing as well. Listen well. When your teen is trying to talk to you make sure you don't interrupt, let them express themselves before you start talking. Within that listen really pay attention to what they are saying you ...

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Many toddlers do not like or want to eat vegetables, how to you make sure that they are getting good nutrition? You may find that the following tricks to be helpful. Try hiding them, mixing them in with other foods. You can also try adding them unhidden to see if your child will try it all all, sometimes they might. Transform them so they don't look like the vegetable they now and hate. Adding cheese or even mushing it up might help. Call them something else, like chips, trees, or coins. Try to make eating a fun activity that they will want to participate in instead of being told what to do. Have no fear, as they get older they ...

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I came across this blog the other day where it had a list of 101 tips for parents. I like it because it's in a list form and something that you can print out and put in your office or somewhere at home as a quick reference guide if you're feeling like you need some help. There is no one rule book for parenting and all parent go through challenges raising their children. It's nice to have something to keep your chin up if you've had a bad parenting day or are just not sure how to approach a particular issue or situation.  Check out the list of parenting tips and add them to your arsenal.

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Many parents in this new media age blog about their families, but how much information is too much? Blogging can be an impulsive activity sharing the days activities and issues that arise. Will these things come back to haunt you? WIll your family be upset that you've aired their "dirty laundry'? Sharing wit others about your experiences can be helpful for you and others, just be careful about who and what you share and make sure you won't be embarrassing anyone or invading in their privacy.

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I watched the Daily Show recently and they had an author on talking about parenting and how it's harder than you think to screw up your kids. He talks about how parents have become too needy in making sure their children turn out ok. Parents shouldn't feel guilty about having their kids play on their own sometimes it teaches them independence and the don't have to rely on other people all the time. Check out the parenting video to see the interview.

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I read an article that there is an epidemic in Australia of children suffering from mental illness and depression before the age of 18. Psychologists believe that it's because these children are not getting enough play time outside of the house and away from parents. Children learn important skills like negotiating conflicts and how to socially interact with others. Experts believe that the rise in technological development has moved children indoors playing video games and watching TV sitting on the couch. Also many children who have parents that work spend a lot of their free time in adult oriented activities instead of childhood play. It seems that as long as there is a good balance in place that children will ...

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Using discipline rather than punishment allows teens to learn from their mistakes or misbehavior. Punishing only motivates teens through fear of being punished in the future. They are more likely to listen and change their attitude when they learn proactive skills that teach them responsibility. Parents must help teens develop the ability to respond to the actual problems that occur. To learn more about this theory take a look at Sean Covey's book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens".

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This is a common behavior in children. It allows them to assert their power and get attention. It can also be a result of their inability to solve their own tiffs. Teach them the difference between telling and being a tattletale, they may have trouble telling the difference between protecting someone from harm or getting them in trouble. Asking them why they are telling you will hep them realize it's probably not worth sharing if no one is hurt. It can be annoying if they tattletale often but try to avoid scolding them or getting upset, it may keep them from coming to you at all. Listen before you react, if it's a disagreement work it out with them to ...

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Before the age of three it's not crucial that children are brushing their teeth every night, but it's not a bad idea to start them at a young age for getting into the habit as they grow older. At this age you may find that she is very defiant and doesn't want to brush, don't panic it doesn't mean she won't ever do it. Try and make it fun for her, let her pick out her own tooth brush at the store. Make it an activity that you both do and brush your teeth with her. If she makes a scene let her know that keeping her teeth clean is very important but don't make it a struggle and try ...

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