==== ==== For great advice on parenting, visit: http://allforthebaby.com/blog ==== ==== A Few Ways To Work On Your Parenting Raising children is something that parents say is the most rewarding part of their life, and also the hardest. They go from simply taking care of themselves to also protecting, educating and providing for their young. If you want to know more about parenting, read on into this article for some advice you can use. An important tip to consider in terms of parenting is to make sure that you take care of your marriage first and children second. This might seem odd but in fact you cannot raise your children well if you are having issues with your spouse. Fix your marriage problems so that you can then focus all attention on your children. It's important for children to spend plenty of time outside enjoying nature. Children who spend too much time inside, possibly due to TV, tend to suffer from increased stress, an inability to focus and a feeling of being trapped. Make sure to get your children outside on a regular basis. Time-outs can be an effective tool when trying to teach appropriate behavior, but don't start doling out this popular consequence without a plan. Stay consistent with the reasons for giving a timeout, avoid talking with your child while they are sitting in a time-out and then, finish off the process with a comment about something positive and you will see just how powerful a well-planned timeout can be. Spend some time to talk about your family history with your children. Stories about your ancestors can be fascinating to your children, and they will like hearing about their heritage. Show them old family photographs, and illustrate your stories around them. Your children's lives will be richer if they can make that connection. Every parent has high hopes and expectations for their child, and this is a great thing, but you also need to be realistic with your kids. Let your child know that he or she can be the next President, for example, but make sure they realize that it's a long-shot too. Parents need to teach kids that life is about options. In teaching your young child about proper behavior, discipline his inappropriate behavior when you see it. If you wait too long to discipline, he will forget what it was that he did wrong, and he will not be able to connect the discipline with the infraction. This will confuse the child and will not change his behavior. For a fun road-trip treat for your toddler, paint an old cake pan or cookie sheet with chalkboard paint and provide a piece of sidewalk chalk (or regular chalk, if your child is past the age where she might put it in her mouth). You can also glue a picture onto a large magnet and then cut it into several large pieces, making a great puzzle that your child can assemble on the pan.
Potty Training Do not push your child too hard toward potty-training before he or she is ready. Sometime between 18 months and 3 years of age, your kiddo will start to demonstrate signs of readiness, including staying dry for a couple of hours at a time and telling you before he or she needs to go. When potty training, have your toddler visit the bathroom frequently, once every hour or two. It is hard for toddlers to remember they have to go. Prevent or minimize accidents by accompanying your toddler to the restroom every few hours. This will help him remember that he might need to go. Parenting skills are not just useful to those who have their own children, but also anyone who might adopt someday or marry someone with kids from a previous relationship. Apply the tips and knowledge from this article when dealing with your young ones and you are sure to see more success in your parenting efforts soon. ==== ==== For great advice on parenting, visit: http://allforthebaby.com/blog ==== ====