You always try to be the best parent you can be but sometimes still feel like you fall short! Do not despair, every parent feels this way at some point! Use the tips below to learn how to become a better parent and have a stronger sense of communication and effective, fair discipline.
A tip that goes unheeded by far too many parents is the suggestion that they remember to take time for themselves. Setting aside some personal time to decompress and maintain hobbies and interests will help moms and dads stay energized and engaged in the lives of their children. This will lead to a happier, more fulfilled family.
If you want to facilitate good study habits, make sure your child has a full belly. A child needs energy to study effectively. It will prevent them from becoming over tired and keep their brain working. A small snack, like an apple or some peanut butter crackers, can do wonders during study time.
Here's a cool tip for parents of twin babies: Paint your baby twins' toenails to help tell them apart. As infants, even fraternal twins can look so alike that it can be impossible to know who is who, especially when you are sleep deprived. Assign a color of nail polish to each child and paint just one toenail of each to keep straight who is who!
If your child must take a liquid medication, ask your pharmacist for dosing spoons, bulbs, or oral syringes instead of using kitchen spoons or measuring cups. Standard kitchen measurements can hold as much as three times the amount of a dosing implement, increasing the risk of overdose, stomach upset, or wasted medication.
By setting firm, yet positive, boundaries and rules for your children you can avoid a lot of family discord and everyone will get along better. For instance, tell your child to touch gently if he or she tends to hit.
Children react better to positive reinforcement than negative reinforcement. Parents also often overlook when a child does something well but tend to get angry and hand out punishments when a child does something wrong. A much better environment would be where the parents praise and reward the child for doing something well. Children are much more eager to obtain rewards than they are to avoid punishment.
Your marriage is just as important as your children, so take good care of it. You need time together as a couple to ensure that you keep the passion alive, so make sure to have a date night once a week where it's just you and your spouse. The kids will be there when you get home!
Do not believe that you have to give your children everything they want in order to make them love you. Most children crave limits and boundaries and they want to have someone that can be in charge and tell them what to do. They will push these boundaries so be prepared for that.
Baby-proofing your home is essential once your little one begins crawling. Covering electrical outlets, and tying up loose cords is important. Secure anything loose that the baby could pull down, and put all chemicals up and out of baby's reach. Children will find things to get into that even the most diligent parent can't foresee. Baby-proofing will help keep you one step ahead of your little one.
If your child starts having accidents at night after being potty-trained for a long time you may want to take them to their doctor. Most children begin having accidents after something has happened to them. A doctor will be able to evaluate them and possibly figure out what is happening.
You have to be determined when you are dealing with a child that is strong-willed. A strong-willed child needs a parent that is just as determined to help them to understand that everything can not work out the way that they want it to. It is hard to be tough with your child but in the long run it is important for them to have proper development.
Make sure that your child gets at least one hour of active play time outdoors. Outdoor play is needed to exercise his body and to develop his gross motor skills. His muscles and coordination will develop as he climbs, runs and jumps. A good hour of playing outdoors also helps him sleep better at night.
Shuttling your children from location to location in your car can get stressful, especially if you run into inevitable traffic delays. You can keep your kid's frustration in check by making sure your car is well-stocked with their favorite music. A CD of kid-friendly tunes will keep a traffic jam from turning into an ordeal.
To make teething easier on your child, trying adding chunks of sour pickle, cucumber or sweet carrot to your child's mesh teether. The flavor seeping through the teether will encourage your child to keep chewing and by this means, provide them with more relief than a simple frozen washcloth can.
Successfully establishing regular routines is vital to keeping your children happy and healthy. Children tend to thrive on routine. Uncertainty can make anyone nervous, but children are especially vulnerable to the stress and anxiety that can come with not knowing what is going on. A regular routine for their day will help make your children happy and confident.
Monitor how much TV your child watches each day and also how much video games he or she plays. It is not bad for your child to enjoy watching television and playing video games. It is bad however if it is done in excess which is usually the case. Monitor the time spent, set boundaries, and stick with it.
Your child probably is not meaning to frustrate or disobey you. In fact, he or she may be breaking rules in order to draw your attention to a bigger issue. Use the tips above to recognize how you and your child communicate so you can improve it for both of you!