==== ==== For great advice on parenting, visit: http://allforthebaby.com/blog ==== ==== Solid Advice On How To Raise Your Kids Make sure your parenting skills are the very best they can be, by adding some great new tips to your knowledge set. No matter how good you think your parenting skills are, there is always more that you can learn about being the very best parent that you can be. Take a look at the practical tips in this article. For most new mothers, it can be exhausting to care for a baby during the first few months. Most women can't wait to hand baby off to daddy for a break. But try to remember that dads need a little downtime after working all day to gear up for parent mode. Make a deal for 30 minutes or so where he can relax and unwind. He will most likely be so appreciative, he will be a happy helper the rest of the day! You are likely to get very little thanks and appreciation from your child when you set boundaries for them, but you can take comfort in the knowledge that it is in their best interest. You are going to raise a child that knows that life is not all about doing what they want all the time. Be aware that labeling your child can have detrimental effects, even if the labels are positive, such as "our smart one." Children may feel pigeonholed into certain roles or feel like failures if they do not live up to their labels. It is better to praise or address specific behaviors. 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. To improve your parenting skills, allow your children the opportunity to develop their self-reliance by taking a step back and letting them learn how to do things on their own. Doing everything for your child can actually be damaging to their self esteem because it deprives them of the knowledge and confidence to handle situations on their own. Play games with your children that involve money. Not only will you be spending some fun, quality time with them, but they will be learning important lessons about money, such as how to make change and how to budget. As they become more skilled and confident in the area of money, this will ensure that they will be adults who make wise financial decisions. Provide your child with healthy meals and snacks. Giving your child well-balanced meals early in life sets the stage for life-long health and wellness. It is okay to give them treats every now and then, but make sure that you are not doing it to show affection. This can send an unhealthy message.
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 a toddler, have him sit on the toilet or potty regularly. Toddlers struggle with communicating their need to use the restroom, so giving them many opportunities will avoid accidents before they happen. Escorting a child to the potty every two hours will prevent the majority of accidents. These routine trips may remind your child that he or she needed to go. Living up to your parenting responsibilities is an ongoing process that can be enhanced by continuing to learn new approaches and new methods. As you can see by the article above, there is still a lot to learn as you grow in your parenting skills. You will be glad you did. ==== ==== For great advice on parenting, visit: http://allforthebaby.com/blog ==== ====