We all want to be close to our kids, but treating your child like your best friend will turn her into a major brat. You don’t believe me? Well, unfortunately it’s true. Becoming friends with your son or daughter may seem like the perfect way to achieve a close relationship. And it’ll make your child feel special, powerful and grown-up.  But the desire to be liked by your little one can make it tough to set limits and stand up to her. The result is that a child that has no qualms about talking back or challenging authority and who thinks she’s the one running the show.

To be an effective parent you should know how to confront inappropriate behavior and say no to unrealistic demands. Don’t get me wrong here, it’s not bad to make friends with your child, you can develop friendship with her but don’t forget your limitations. Act like a parent and not a pushover.

*Call the shots: Lay down rules for behavior. (such as no running inside the house or throwing food at the table)Enforce them 100 percent of the time, even during playtime. Learn to be consistent because if you aren’t, don’t expect your child to follow you.

*Get a thicker skin: So what should you do when your child dissolves into tears because you tell her she can’t have more cookies? Stay calm and realize that she’s upset because she’s not getting her way, nit because she doesn’t love you. Remind yourself that children have the capacity to work through disappointments in a remarkably short period of time.

*Help your child branch out: if your child spends every spare time with you, then he probably doesn’t have much an opportunity to find out what he likes to do on his own or with other kids. You should also create opportunities for your child to be with other kids. Go to the park and allow your child to interact with his playmates.

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The current snow and terrible weather conditions have highlighted the need for schools and colleges to be able to contact parents quickly and effectively. Call-Systems Technology (CST) says it’s new ParentCall provides the answer.

ParentCall is an online web-based solution that delivers messages by email, text to mobile phones or text to voice on landlines. It’s a fast, secure and efficient method that ensures the message is delivered to the right person at the right time. ParentCall also allows the parent to reply to the message via email or text, keeping both the parent and school or college in contact at all times.

Source

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Kids get less sleep than their parents think they do. They may have trouble falling asleep or may wake in the wee hours. grappling with surprisingly worries. Remember that as your child grows, the more responsibilites he has to make and this might cause him stress. This kind of stress will give him restless nights.

To discover whether your child is having trouble drifting into dreamland, ask him how well he’s sleeping. They try these steps to set the stage for a restful night:

*Limit his activities – if your child often stays up past his bedtime to finish his homework, he may be overscheduled in the afternoon. Consider dropping an activity or two even if he protests. If he’s simply overloaded with homework, talk to his teacher.

*Turn off the TV – kids who watch excessive amounts of  TV before bed have more trouble falling asleep than other chikdren do. Shut off the electronics well before bedtime, and don’t put TV in your child’s room.

*Get jitter free – make sure your child isn’t drinking any caffeinated soda within six hours of bedtime, and avoid serving heavy meals late in the evening.

*Talk over his concerns – At night, as they lie alone on bed, children tend to worry more intensely than they do during the day. Let your child know that he’s not alone with his difficulties, and help him work them out.

* Try relaxation techniques- if tension is keeping your child up, suggest that he imagine a relaxing scene or try a calming exercise such as this one: As he rests in bed, have her tighten and relax muscles at the top of his body and then slowly progress to his toes.

Now that Christmas is just around the corner, kids will really have a hard time sleeping because of their excitement. Make sure that you tell your child that they won’t be able to enjoy the special day if they won’t get enough rest.

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Pediatricians are warning parents about an alarming rate of soda can ‘stay tabs’ being swallowed by children.  While there was a replacement due to kids removing the older version and putting them in their soda as to not litter, it seems that the new version isn’t much safer.

» Continue Reading

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At one time or another, almost every child takes something that’s not hers – whether it’s mom’s lipstick, a toy from a friend’s house, or a lollipop at the store. This will surely distressed the parents when this happens. But parents must know that their children (ages 4-5) usually get something because they have trouble of controlling their impulses. Even if they know that stealing is wrong, they won’t be able to control themselves especially if the object is colorful and attractive.

Parents must learn how to handle this kind of situation. They must try not to overreact and humiliate their child. Instead, they must use this situation as a valuable learning opportunity. Here are some helpful strategies:

• Talk about what your child wants and other ways to get it- For example, your child can put the coveted item on her birthday or Christmas wish list. She can do extra chores to get some money to buy the toy that she wants.
• Look for similar items at home – If your child tries to steal a doll from the store, point out how many dolls she already has. If she takes a pack of chocolates, remind her that you just made colorful chocolates two nights ago, and she can get as many she wants on the table.
• Be creative- try using your own experience and tell your child the consequences of doing that. Don’t make her feel that she’s a bad person; just let her realize that what she did was wrong and that you still love her.

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Parents have different ways of disciplining their children. Some are lenient; others are strict. However, they have to remind themselves that kids are just beginning to learn what is right and wrong. Discipline should be a time of learning, not a time of pressuring a child.  Pressuring your little one may stress him out, and this may cause him to misbehave more. You may consider the following suggestions when it comes to disciplining your child:

*Do not freak out. – Losing your cool in front of your child may frighten him. It will make him focus on your reaction rather than what he did wrong. If the child misbehaved in a manner that makes you lose your temper, you might use hurtful words so you would have to calm down first before you talk to him.

*Set an example. – Point out what he did wrong. You can use some children stories that will make him easily understand what you’re trying to say. Be creative in such a way that you’ll get his attention.

* Be consistent. – It is important that you are consistent on how you discipline you child. Don’t tolerate any repeated misbehavior. Your child needs to know that you mean what you say. It’s like making a promise and keeping it.

*Give warnings before punishment. -Like what I’ve said earlier, children are just beginning to learn what is right and wrong. Give them time to adjust. Giving warnings will help him understand what you’re trying to say. This will cause him to act the right way whenever his tempted to misbehave.

* Reward him for a good behavior – Children love receiving treats. Learn to reward them for their good behavior. It motivates them to do the right thing.

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Parents are disillusioned with electronic products that claim to benefit their baby’s development. Disney’s announcement last week offering refunds to all purchasers of Baby Einstein videos that falsely claimed to be educational highlights this frustration.

In their search for proven ways to help their babies build vocabulary and cognitive skills, parents have discovered Clark the Baby Shark, a series of reading toys built on dialogic reading systems recommended by early literacy experts.

The first production build of Clark Sets sold out within three weeks. Now that Clark is one year old, the company sees steady growth. The set of three reading toys is $29.95 and comes with The Parent’s Guide to Reading With Babies and Toddlers.

(Source) Press

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Our child’s education starts long before kindergarten. Parents are the first teacher of their children. It’s important for them to teach their child how to read even before they go to school.

Reading with your child is one of the most important building blocks in his education. He’ll be able to understand that “reading is worthwhile” and “that they are worthwhile” Witnessing your child develop into a young reader is one of the most fulfilling experience that you could imagine.

To raise a reader, you have to start in an early age. You can read books with your infant even if you think that they don’t understand. You’ll only get gurgles of interest when you read something to him but If you’re tempted to skip books at this age, please don’t. Just keep on reading aloud because your baby finds pattern with the sounds that he hears. Your goal is develop his understanding of the structure and uses of language.

• Look for Chubby books – This will develop  the eyemuscle of your baby. Make sure that it has a bold graphics because it gets his  attention. You can also use textured books.
• Something new – Go outside, explore things with your baby. Talk to him because it will  introduce the rhythm of language. It also nurtures his interest in the outside world.
• Using nursery rhymes – This is  a fun way to model language. So when the music starts, try dancing and moving your hands it will surely get his attention.
• Repetition – Don’t get tired of asking them the same questions like “Is this mommy’s car?”,”Is this  your daddy’s chair?” etc. Repetition is how your little ones learn.

Lakeshore has varieties of books that will help your little one enjoy reading. These books has simple words that will help your child understand the importance of having a good behavior.

Where to buy: Lakeshore

Price: $45.00

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Study shows that the human body is estimated to be 60% to 70% made of water. Water regulates body temperature and allows the nutrients to travel to all the vital organs.The following are just few benefits of letting your child drink water.

• Water is important for their digestion. It helps the body get rid of waste in form of sweat and urine.
• Water plays a vital role in your child’s immune system. It helps the kidneys and liver to function well and eliminate toxins from the blood.
• Water keeps their joints lubricated.
• Water helps the muscles and organs to work efficiently.
• Water reduces craving for sweets which often causes dehydration.

But the real question is, How can you get your tots to chug the world’s healthiest drink?

• Serve it cold- Kids usually love cold water. If your anxious about letting your child drink ice-cold water, try mixing half ice cold water and lukewarm water. Or use a transparent glass with different fancy shaped ice. Your child will definitely enjoy watching while the ice melt  while sipping his drink. But be reminded that you can use this tip once in awhile because drinking too much cold water can expend double the energy to maintain the ideal body temperature.
• Put a little flavor and color – Naturally kids prefer sweet drinks. (Who doesn’t?) So to keep them drinking water try adding a pinch of sugar, a lemon strip or a mint strip.
• Accessible water station – Always have a pitcher of water in the refrigerator, on the countertop, or beside table.  Keeping it within your little ones line of sight will set off a positive signal to drink water whenever he is thirsty.
• Do it with them – Make it a habit as a family. Have a water chart and whoever gets the highest points will get a prize.

This is also a way for you to teach your kids  the other uses of water. You can make them easily understand this by purchasing  this dream kitchen.

This product will help your child understand the value of “water” in their lives. They basically need it:

• for cooking
• for cleaning
• for washing etc.

Where to buy:  Lifestyle Deluxe Kitchen

Price: $219.99

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There’s a lot of changes when your infant finally becomes a toddler. His unfamiliar desires, needs and abilities suddenly makes you feel anxious. The following insights will somehow make you understand what your toddler would really like you to know.

• I Know how!

Whether it’s pouring her cereals, fixing her bed or doing a dozen daily tasks, your toddler wants you to understand that she can do it by herself. After she mastered walking, her sense of competence and autonomy was developed. So if she says “Mama I can do it”,  let her do it! It teaches them to be responsible

• Limitations

Toddlers are easily overwhelmed by new situations, so they need a structure “every single day”. You need to be consistent with what they can and cannot do. But make sure that you’ve explained clearly to them why they’re not aloud to do some things.

• Picky eater

It’s normal for your toddler to be choosy with food. But make sure that she eats a couple of items from each food group, and she’ll be fine. Let her enjoy eating her favorite dish. Do not force your child to eat something that she doesn’t like.

• Never get tired of answering

At this stage, toddlers will develop their communicating skills. They will start asking, Why is the sky blue?, Why is your dress red? or Why do I need to eat that? Don’t get tired of answering their questions because It’s all new to her. She’s curious with a lot of things, so be patient.

• Wild imagination

Your child’s imaginations soar, so does her fear, anxieties and nightmare. Don’t belittle them and don’t take for granted their feelings. If your child says “There is a monster inside the closet!” this is because of her imagination. It’s your responsibility to talk to her. Teaching your child how to pray will help her a lot.

These are just few points that you need to know as a parent. Learning to understand your toddler seems hard. But with great determination you’ll surely enjoy every moment with your precious child.

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