Family Concerns

There have become more single parent tips over the past twenty years. There has been an increasing number of children growing up in a single parent famiy. The reason is that society has undergone dramatic and comprehensive changes in recent years.

Families making decisions often find that they are influenced by how a person handles a situation and copes with it. By looking at single parenthood statistics we are able to understand better the various factors. Being a single parent to children isn’t always easy, there are many challenges that are positive and negative no matter if your raising girls or boys.

There are positive and negatives to single parent homes. Single parenting has been shown, by some studies, to produce children with lower self-esteem, than children that have both parents.

There is no difference between a single or shared parenting style when it comes to being a well adjusted parent. Depending on the way a parent comfronts a child, and thereself can produce the dynamics of each family, this can help the emotional well-being for both the parent and the child.

1) Tension lessen between the parent and the child, since this is due to prior experience.

Frequently, both parents do not share the emotions felt by the child. Explaining the situation to the child, will help the child get a concept as to why the seperation has happened.

Communication with a child can help them understand the present situation, as well as help them to release stress they carry toward their parents as well as other people too.

2) You need to spend more quality time together. The discussions leading up to separation and divorce create a lot of tension and often lead to neglecting children. Screaming fights or cold silences become common occurances between the parents nad the child.

Having more time to address the needs of children and open communication channels between the two, are some of the effects of being a single parent. Planning bonding time and vacation time can be a result of this. If we had more time we would have more time to be in a relaxed family atmosphere.

3) Re-establish your ties with the community - when parents work together with their children they create relationships with the community that are happy and healthy.

Options are always available for single parents like, for example, asking neighbors to help out with household chores or watching the children. Often this creates a great feeling of participation for both the parent and the child, also for the neighborhood too.

4) Out of the box experience to the child- Since the child now shuttles between two separate parents, the child can broaden his/her experiences pertaining to life. This kind of child does not feel that the world revolves around them and it more sensitive and aware to the activities around them.

5) Feeling of accomplishment - If a youngster is assigned small tasks, they will get a sense of accomplishment from it. Because of the newly added responsibilities, parents often feel more open and at ease in addition to the sense of accomplishment. The reason is that a job has been performed to help the family. This validates the child and makes them feel like a vital part of the family.

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6)For single parents it is wiser to prioritize; this will help them to balance life and work Occasionally, a new project, which focuses on finding new types of paying work, is required if the family is to be supported.

In order to have balance in you life you need to prioritize your schedules, school and financial obligations. In single family homes, getting your work and home life to balance is challenging due to the added responsibility.

While a parent is single, chilren can play an active role in the disision of the parents. All parents especially single ones need caring thinking minds to help with making major decisions.

Parenting is a complicated matter. Developmental psychologists show their keen interest in exploring different aspects of parenting and its influence on the development of a child. Although different theorists work differently on highlighting different elements of parenting, Dianne Baurmind’s theory of parenting styles has probably gained the most importance. In her theory of parenting styles, Dianne Baurmind defines three exclusive parenting styles – permissive, authoritarian and authoritative. And, Dianne Baurmind asserts that parenting styles profoundly influence the personality, behavior and emotional balance of the child.

Permissive Parenting Style
Ae permissive parent follows a non-disciplinary, acceptant and affirmative parenting style while controlling child’s behaviors, impulses, actions and desires. In the permissive parenting style, parents generally talk with the child about guiding principle and provide the child the family norms. The permissive parents make only a few demands on behalf of household responsibility and logical behavior.

Parents who adopt the permissive parenting style set them neither as a model for the child to imitate nor as an active agent responsible for modifying their child’s behavior. Permissive parents prefer to place them as a resource to their child and the child is not set to follow any externally defined standards in general. The parents encourage their son or daughter to use manipulation and logic, but not any sort of overt power to achieve the parents’ standard of guidelines.

Authoritarian Parenting Style
Unlike to permissive parenting style, authoritarian parenting style places the focus on shaping, controlling and evaluating the behavior and attitudes of the child. Parents who adopt authoritarian parenting style define a set of standards which is overtly influential and put together by a higher authority. Authoritarian parents value obedience as a quality of parenting style and implement forceful measures in order to restrain self-will, particularly when the parents see that the son or daughter’s actions or behaviors conflict with the conduct set by them.

The authoritarian parents control the child’s autonomy as a standard of implementing discipline. Also, they assign the child household responsibilities with the purpose of instilling value for work. These parents offer the highest value to the traditional structure and do their best to preserve order. Authoritarian parents do not accept ‘give and take’ policy as they think that the child should exclusively follow parents’ direction.

Authoritative Parenting Style
Authoritative parenting style aims at regulating a child’s behavior in a rational, problem-solving manner. In authoritative parenting style, parents believe in verbal ‘give and take’ policy. They give respect and try to comprehend the logic behind the policy implemented by the child. The authoritative parents, in practice, try to comprehend the child’s protestations when the child says no to any rules. In authoritative parenting style, both child’s autonomy and disciplined conformity are understood, respected and valued.

Authoritative parents use strict control at points of child-parent conflict, but do not force the child to obey before learning the logic from the child’s end. Parents of authoritative style put their active parental role into effect, but value the child’s individual interest and identities as well.

Consequences on Children
Dianne Baurmind’s different parenting styles affect the child’s psychosocial development in different ways. It will be obvious, the most effective parenting style among all three parenting styles defined by Dianne Baurmind is authoritative parenting style. Children with authoritative parents are found as more socially, psychologically and emotionally competent than kids with non-authoritative parents.

Children with authoritarian parents show poor social skills and low self-esteem along with higher level of depression. Childrenwith permissive parents are mostly involved in problem behavior and lower academic performance, but generally have high self esteem and better social skills.

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Disciplining a toddler using the time out technique can be very effective, and will work with kids as young as 18-24 months old. By using this way of discipline parents are giving the child time to sit quietly and alone after misbehaving, without becoming agitated or angry with the child.

Choose a suitable place in the home where the child is isolated from interacting with others. It may be a corner in their bedroom, a space on the kitchen floor or a special chair that’s labeled specifically for time outs. The length of time should be age appropriate. A good rule of thumb is usually one minute for year of age. A kitchen timer is helpful in counting down your child’s punishment time.

Time out for toddlers is used to give them a chance to regroup and calm down. It’s doubtful they will sit totally still, and they should not be forced to try.

All kids should be asked in a firm but pleasant tone to complete a designated task or stop an undesired behavior. If their behavior continues, they should be verbally directed to behave once again, with eye contact being made and the time out spot pointed out. If after this warning the behavior still continues, they should be escorted to the time out location and told exactly why they are being sent there. Maintain a calm yet firm tone with them. When they’ve quietly served their time in the time out location it’s essential to discuss with the child why they were sent there and that if the behavior occurs again, they will again be sent to time out. Older kids should then agree to do what you told him to do or cease misbehaving. Kids who leave their time out location before their time is up must be made aware that privileges will be lost as a result.

It’s likely that your time out method will have to be modified to fit the temperament of your child and your own parenting style. And remember to reinforce positive behavior with praises, smiles and hugs.

Time out can successfully be used outside the home such as at grocery stores, shopping centers or restaurants. It’s important to emphasize to the child that time out will be enforced should they misbehave while there. Be consistent and place the child in time out should they misbehave in the store. If you don’t, they’ll get the message early on that you’re inconsistent and will be more likely to test your boundaries.

Just remember time outs help reinforce positive behavior and discourage misbehaving.

If there is a change of child development that fills many parents will dread then it’s potty training. But toilet training a toddler need not be s stressful, laborous task.
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As a parent, your attention is on raising your children, not necessarily the specific methods you apply in the process. Some people look to their own parents as role models for their parenting styles, while others do not approve with how their parents brought them up and seek to parent in a completely different way. Whichever parenting style you [apin]adopt|use[/spin], it is essential to know what category you fall into.

Parenting Style #1: The Indulging Parent
This kind of parent believes that by buying a daughter or son toys, the kid will stay quiet and not cry. While this parenting technique can work sometimes, it also results in the child being very spoiled, and not being willing to share. This type of parent also shies away from the disciplining the child – specifically, in advising the child when the child is behaving in an unacceptable manner. If you consider that you adhere to this type of parenting style, you will have|need[/spin] to find a balance between thepractical and indulgence discipline.

Parenting Style #2: The Dominating Parent
This parenting method is the one that is the most associated with parenting in previous generations. Sadly, this particular parenting method is based on making sure the child completely obeyed, and often used harsh punishment. The outcome was often maladjusted children who in turn did the same thing to their own children in a vicious cycle. If you feel that you are a dominating parent, you should definitely seek parenting help or immediately change your ways.

Parenting Style #3: The Balanced Parent
This parenting parenting method is the one that is though to be best, as well as the one that many parents strive to accomplish. This kind of parent likes to buy new things for their child, but at the same time sets boundaries. When a child acts out of place, instead of screaming at or hitting theie daughter or son, the parent, in a firm voice, directs the child to the time-out corner, or takes away a favorite privilege, such as tv, for an hour or two.

Parenting is All About Patience
Don’t forget, as much as you as a parent might strive to be perfect, there really is not such a thing as a perfect parenting style. Each child is different and reacts to discipline in different ways. But, hitting must never be part of discipline. Basically, the best parent is a loving and patient parent, one who brings up a polite, independent child.

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I’ve started keeping the door shut on my kids rooms because I can’t deal with the mess. Every time I walk by, I just shake my head and move on. Both my kids are old enough to pick up after themselves, but the mess has just gotten away from me, and now the piles are too much to expect the kids to deal with. Armed with some really good tips for organizing kids rooms, we are going in as a family to get a handle on this thing. Starting with an inventory, we discovered forgotten toys, clothes that were outgrown, and odds and ends that were taking up valuable space. Now, with a nice assortment of storage bins, and some new bookshelves, my kids rooms look like liveable, useful, space that they can be proud of. Me too!

Former students would probably attest to the fact that few things tried my patience as much as did the statement, “This is boring!” As I reflect back on my many years in the classroom, I can’t help but feel a tad bit sorry for the first kid who made the mistake of uttering those words each year. (It was rare to hear the phrase a second time because most kids vividly recalled my “sermon,” and they didn’t want to risk a repeat performance.) Well, classes aren’t TV.

The sermon went something like this. “Nobody is BORED in my classroom. I work hard to plan fun and interesting activities that will allow you to learn. When you finish your work earlier than others, there are many choices of quiet things to do. You may use the book nook, puppet theatre, computer, writing center, art center, or the manipulative math corner. Now please, do NOT let me hear the word “bored” again!”

I suspect that each school year’s first offender felt like Calvin in one of my favorite Calvin and Hobbes cartoons. In the first two frames Calvin is sitting at his school desk looking totally bored, but saying nothing. In the third frame Calvin screams, “BORRRING!” In the final frame Calvin is heading for the Principal’s office muttering, “Yeah, yeah… kill the messenger.”

Although not many kids made the mistake of verbally uttering the “B” word a second time, I suspect they thought it (or mouthed it to their friends) more than once. Why do all teachers hear this complaint on a somewhat regular basis? Is it because most kids find the day-to-day classroom work too easy? Not hardly.

Contrary to popular opinion, the “bored” child is not always the academically gifted child who is not being challenged. As a matter of fact, that is rarely the case. More often than not, the “bored” student is one who is frustrated because he is not really understanding the material being presented, or does not yet possess the skill that he is being asked to demonstrate. (None of us like to admit that we aren’t up to doing a task that we’re expected to accomplish, or that we haven’t the foggiest notion about what is being explained to us. And for most of us, it’s easier to say, “I’m bored” than it is to say, “I’m struggling.”)

When a student of any age says he is bored, he oftentimes means something quite different. He is really saying, “This isn’t fun. This is work and I don’t want to work. I want to be entertained! Furthermore, I don’t understand what she (the teacher) is talking about or what I am supposed to do. ” In the mind of the student (albeit subconsciously), his cry of boredom shifts the blame and the responsibility from himself to the teacher.

If the child is unlucky, the “boredom syndrome” will give the parent a hook on which to hang criticism of the teacher, and no one will win. The parent blames the teacher, the teacher reacts defensively, and the child continues to flounder. An opportunity for helping a kid gets lost somewhere between the pointing fingers of the parent and the defense mechanisms of the teacher. The realities of classroom and education.

And what do I suggest you do if your child says, “School is boring”? Run (forget walk) to the telephone and request a conference with your child’s teacher. Advise the teacher of your concern. Assure “him” that you are not requesting a conference to assign blame to anyone, but rather to get his opinion as to what is really going on in the classroom that might prompt a declaration of boredom. I can assure you that your child’s teacher will appreciate your concern and do everything possible to work with you to determine the cause, and work toward a solution.

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We’ve been putting it off (because we’re lazy, no other reason), but we finally dragged ourselves out to buy the girl crib bedding. Nothing too difficult, I thought, since we already knew we were going with a brown and pink theme. Maybe I was being naive to think things would go according to plan, but I didn’t think it would take more than an hour. There was just one little problem - the store we went to didn’t sell baby crib bedding! At the second store they told us they carried baby bedding, but not pink and brown. I had been expecting lots of choices because pink and brown are so hip these days, so I found it all rather weird. We decided to try one last store, but that one was also devoid of brown and pink bedding. So we went home and checked online - did a quick search for ‘brown and pink baby bedding’, and immediately found something we liked: the Maya baby bedding. Gotta love the Internet!

Before mentioning anything else, it’s important for me to point out a fact that is often overlooked. Crib bedding (especially girls crib bedding!) is adorable and can seem like a vital necessity. When planning the nursery, keep in mind that baby bedding can be the cause of suffocation. A firm mattress and tight-fitting sheets should be used to help prevent an accident in the crib. Be sure you empty the crib of anything soft or fluffy - like pillows or loose bedding - before you put your baby in. Dress baby in warm clothes or a wearable blanket in the winter, but do not use blankets.

Bedding sets are the way to go for most parents - it makes choosing the bedding much simpler. Choosing baby bedding is made more difficult because of the vast range of themes you can find - everything from pure white bedding to Paisley Park baby bedding. Once you know what you want to buy, you can be sure you’ll find it online.

To make things easy on yourself, be sure to figure out generally what you’re looking for, before you begin your hunt for baby bedding. Have you chosen a theme for the nursery? Are you planning on a bassinet or cradle instead of a crib? What color are you painting the walls? Will the bedding clash? You will need to think about all of these factors before you start looking.

There are numerous reasons why you should buy your bedding online. There are many retailers online, offering a tremendous selection of bedding. Searching for a deal is critical, otherwise everything will cost you an arm and a leg. Despite public perception, departments stores usually do not have better prices than online - in fact, it’s usually the reverse. If you want to, then compare the prices online to the prices at your local department store, but I can almost guarantee they’ll be higher offline.

Teenagers have been the butt of hundreds of sitcom jokes. New parents or those with young children are warned about those dreaded “teenage years” when rebellion sets in and trouble begins. Parents tell horror stories about sneaking out, disrespect and even tales of alcohol or drug abuse. It is enough to make any would-be parent run for the hills. But the bottom line is that parenting teens is a whole different story than being the parent of a small child.

Okay, so maybe it is not as bad as all that. Being the parent of a teenager is a lot different than having an elementary aged child, toddler or an infant. There are a different set of problems that are very age specific that each parent must eventually face. There is no avoiding it; countless parents have wished it could be so. Parenting teenagers and small children all have one basic commonality. Both require a set of rules and limitations. Some parents have a much more relaxed system than others do. The parenting teens must differ on is the actual nature of the rules.

One example of a big difference is that children will not be dealing with issues such as dating and curfews. Laws in most cities have a weekday curfew and a weekend curfew for people beneath the age of eighteen. This is to provide a structure to protect children. It is these guidelines that parents seek to undertake as well. Parenting classes and magazines advise that most teens seek rules even if they do not outwardly show it. Giving them a strict curfew and letting them know what is okay and what is wrong is a way to guide them in choices they must make.

Any parent of a teen can attest that expressing physical affection is a hit and miss situation. Teens want their own autonomy and are easily embarrassed in front of their friends if a parent wants to hug or kiss them. It is nothing personal. It is just a phase and it will pass. The important thing is to let them know that they are loved regardless of their actions.

Parenting help exists for those couples or guardians who are having difficulty parenting teens. Many schools offer counseling or can recommend a psychologist if there is problems or emotional difficulties. No teenager is beyond help and this is a fact that all experts agree on.

Parenting teenagers is a fine line between leniency and strictness. Teens should be raised to be respectful and know what the rules are. They are also entitled to a loving atmosphere where they can find support and care. It is not about pampering or caving into their demands. After all, they are not adults and do not have the experience to guide them in their decision making skills. That is what a parent is for.

Are you a camp director or Sunday School teacher looking for a craft idea for kids enrichment? Maybe you feel like you are just not the creative type, and you struggle with coming up with craft projects. It is true that some people just have a knack for finding or even inventing craft ideas, but your creativity can be improved. There are ways to make it easier to find a craft idea for kids needs.

For starters, lay aside any perfectionism. Locking yourself into believing there is only one right way to do something makes every decision harder. Regardless of the child program you are helping with, there are always plenty suitable craft ideas out there. Don’t worry about picking the wrong one! If you’ve taken into account the age and skill levels of the kids involved, your choice will be adequate.

Next, consider your budget. When picking a craft idea for kid programs, you need to be aware that some of them can be expensive. Prepackaged kits to make a fun foam picture frame or a craft stick cross are affordable for a few kids, but if you are needing to do a craft with a lot of kids, these kits might be too expensive. It might be possible do almost exactly the same project by just looking at the craft kit components and buying the same materials in bulk at the discount store. You may have to do some preparation, like cutting out shapes ahead of time, or at least making cardboard patterns for the kids to use in cutting out their own. The savings will be worth it, however.

Another consideration is this - in spite of years of indoctrination from women’s libbers, the fact remains that boys and girls prefer different sorts of crafts! If the craft seems a little girly, don’t use it at boys’ camp. Stick with lace-up leather billfolds, Indian artifacts, dinosaur art, and similar projects. Girls will like beads and anything that’s pink or purple. For a craft idea for kid camp where there are kids of both sexes, keep it on the boyish side and provide some pink materials to keep the girls happy.

One craft idea that I’ve found to be very popular with both girls and boys is face painting. They just like different designs
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These article with give you lots of tips ad advice on face painting.

One aspect of creativity that the non-creative types don’t realize is that ideas spring from other ideas. That is, if you look over a book or website of craft ideas, maybe none of them will appeal to you, but if you let them, they will spark an idea for a similar project. Use what you can and change what you must in the craft directions. For instance, the craft may have a slogan to be written across the front. If you need to change the slogan to fit your own needs, it’s perfectly OK.

A final suggestion is to realize that you don’t have to change the instructions or create something new to have a good craft idea for kid use. Feel free to follow the instructions to the letter if that works better for you. The kids will have a lovely time either way. Just pick a craft idea, for kid creativity beats adult creativity everytime! The kids will make it creative, even if you have doubts about your own ability in this area.