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Parenting: General Parenting articles |
How can we be better parents? Can we do a better job of raising and taking care of our children? The following articles can help many of us in a wide variety of ways - from child care to teaching responsibility to our children.
Other areas at KidSource OnLine to refer to are Preventative Care and Education. Our rating system for these General Parenting articles is:
- Best, in depth and most helpful overall
- Very Good, but more specific in focus
- Good reference material
Communication Tips for Parents and Kids
"You never listen to me" is a complaint heard as often from children as parents. Good communication helps children and parents to develop confidence, feelings of self-worth,and good relationships with others. Try the tips listed in this very good article!
The most effective method to help children gain a sense of responsibility for their behavior is to engage them in problem-solving. This article describes how parents can better discipline their children by turning the 5 "R's" (resentment, resistance, recalcitrance, rigidity, and revenge) into the 5 A's - agreeable, assisting, amenable, adaptable, and accountable that are characteristic of responsibility.
This is a wonderful and insightful article that will help parents understand and cope with the various types of tantrums that young children go through.It is unique in that it described 3 types of tantrums and what parents should do.
Helping Your Child Learn Responsible Behavior
Our children deserve to learn important lessons from us and to acquire important habits with our help. They need help in learning what matters to us. We want our children to grow up to be responsible adults. This is a great booklet, filled with ideas, advice and activities for kids of all ages.
How to Teach Your Children Discipline
Children have to be taught discipline. They are not born with it. Little by little parents have to teach it to them. While teaching discipline does take time and practice, it gets easier as children learn to control their own behavior. And best of all, teaching discipline does not have to hurt either the parents or the kids. This is a great article, filled with answers to commonly asked questions and contains many helpful suggestions for parents.
I Want It My Way! Problem-Solving Techniques with Children Two to Eight
An excerpt from I Want It My Way! by Sue Dinwiddie, a book containing problem-solving techniques with children two to eight. It teachs problem-solving skills from a skilled facilitator with young children. This book contains effective strategies to deal successfully with about children's quarrels, group problems, adult-child problems, and conflicts of developmentally young children. It also has over 15 real-life episodes from child care professionals to help you hone your skills.
This is an excellent introduction to the world of parenthood. It provides a light, common sense approach to parenting and gives good advice for each phase that your child will pass through.
How do young children learn self-control, self-help, ways to get along with others, and family and school procedures? Such learning occurs when parents and teachers of infants, toddlers, or preschoolers are continuously involved in setting limits, encouraging desired behaviors, and making decisions about managing children. Read this article to learn more about how to do this!
Provided by the SIDS Foundation of Washington, this article is a compassionate and thoughtful list of the do's and don'ts when helping a grieving parent. Also, in this article is a touching section written by a parent who has lost a child. It is entitled "Please, See Me Through My Tears".
A new activity for you to do with your child each day during the summer - they're fun, educational and can be done with children of all ages!
How Can I Improve My Child's Reading
How Can I Improve My Child's Reading Parents are more concerned about their child's progress in reading than in any other subject taught in school, and rightfully so. In order for students to achieve in math, science, English, history, geography, and other subjects, reading skills must be developed to the point that most of them are automatic. This very good article will give parents suggestions and techniques to encourage reading by their children, beginning during the child's preschool years.
Back to School Time- Tips to Help Children Adjust
Back to school time often means changes for children and families: the first day of kindergarten or first grade; new preschools or child care settings; new classrooms and new teachers. Making smooth transitions between home, programs and schools can help children feel good about themselves and teach them to trust other adults and children. Helping children adapt to new situations can ease parents' minds and give them a chance to become involved in their children's education.
Developmental Considerations Concerning Children's Grief
This chart, from the SIDS Foundation of Washington, outlines by age category, the developmental considerations concerning children's grief. It will help parents realize what a child understands about death and grief, how children respond and what interventions a parent should take.
Effective Parenting Styles - Why Yesterday's Models Won't Work Today
Have you considered whether your parenting style was better suited to yesterday than to preparing your child for the twenty-first century? This article describes three different parenting styles and explains which one is best for today's changing world.
Help Children Learn To Be Responsible Citizens
Young Americans clearly need to become more attuned to their responsibilities as citizens of a democratic society. Parents and teachers must act in concert to strengthen the desire and capacity of children to fulfill civic obligations.
How Can Parents Model Good Listening Skills?
Adults, parents, and teachers set a powerful example of good or poor communication. Parents and teachers who listen to their children with interest, attention, and patience set a good example. This article is filled with suggestions and advice to help parents develop better listening skills, so they can better communicate with their children.
How To Recognize And Develop Your Children's Special Talents
This Parent Guide from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education provides families with information on how they can develop their children's talents at home, as well as how they can work with schools toward the same goals. A section on multicultural gifted programs is also included.
Listening is a core competency for communication and for relationships
Listening is such an important skill for both parents and for children to learn and to continually improve upon. This article will help you understand more the importance of listening and it provides some activities for you to do to improve your listening skills.
Parents As Partners In Children's Learning
Parents and teachers may look at young children's learning from different perspectives, but they share a common goal: making sure that children receive the best possible education. Mutual respect and communication between programs and families takes advantage of both perspectives to provide children with the kind of care and education that will help them thrive.
It is much easier to prevent sleep problems than to treat them later. Parents look forward to getting a full night of sleep, but newborns awaken every few hours. This practical and very helpful article will help parents of children from birth to age one cope with many infant sleeping problems.
Setting Limits: Steering Down the Rocky Road of Childrearing
Is your child pushing the limits? Are you unsure of how strict or lenient you should be in responding to your child? Rest assured, you are not alone. This very good article first describes several different parenting styles and then provides many useful methods and suggestions to help you if your children are continually trying to test you and the boundaries that you establish.
Teaching children not to be -- or be victims of -- bullies
Parents and teachers are sometimes reluctant to intervene in conflicts between young children. They don't want to see children harm or ridicule one another, but they want to encourage children to learn how to work out problems for themselves. In such cases, adults have a responsibility to stop violence or aggression in the classroom or at home -- both for children who demonstrate harmful behavior and for all other children. We can teach children not to take part in -- or become victims of -- bullying.
Spanking is one of the most controversial discipline methods. On one side of the debate are parents who believe it is all right to spank their children. On the other side are those who think that children should never be spanked. Somewhere in the middle are parents who believe that spanking should only be used in particular instances. This digest explores some of the reasons for spanking, examines the effectiveness of spanking, and suggests alternative discipline methods.
One of the most difficult tasks following the death of a loved one is discussing and explaining the death with the children in the family. This task is even more distressing when the parents are in the midst of their own grief. This article, from the SIDS Foundation of Washington, will help parents understand how children express grief, and it provides specific ways that parents can help grieving children.
Tips For Shopping With Your Child
Here is a good article to help over stressed parents know what to do in the store to help children behave...without spanking, hitting, or yelling.
Top 10 Ways to Teach Children Fiscal Fitness
Phoenix Home Life Mutual Insurance Company -- which sponsors the annual Fiscal Fitness(R) Survey of Americans' financial hopes, dreams and fears -- issued the following "Top 10 Ways to Teach Children Fiscal Fitness".
Tracking Down Quality Child Care Can Be Time Consuming and Expensive
In this informative article from The Bradenton Herald, you'll learn about finding quality child care. It includes a good list of helpful tips.
When Children Imitate Superheroes
Keep in mind that this type of play gives children the chance to face their fears and show off physical feats. When supervised by adults, 'superhero play' can help children improve their language skills and teach them to work together to solve problems; not to mention how it encourages creativity. When children begin pretending they are superheroes, adults can help them make the most of it. Here are some tips.
With more dual-income or single parent families, it is difficult for parents to be involved with their children's childcare situation or education. This article provides concrete ideas to help parents become actively involved given the multitude of constraints on their time. These ideas are not only for parents, but for child care providers, educators and employers.
Biters: Why They Do It and What to Do About It
Although biting isn't "abnormal" in the sense that one out of ten toddlers and two-year-olds does it, it is a disturbing and potentially harmful behavior that parents and educators must discourage from the very first episode.
Loneliness is a significant problem that can predispose young children to immediate and long-term negative consequences. However, only recently have research and intervention in educational settings focused on young children who are lonely.
So You Want to Be a Foster Parent?
Foster parenting will change your life-style. This touching article describes the challenges and rewards of foster parenting.
Early Childhood Violence Prevention
This Digest focuses on preventing violence in children's lives and suggests ways caregivers, parents, and teachers can reduce the damaging effects of violence.
Children with low self-esteem often feel like they're drowning in an ocean of inadequacy. This article will help parents improve the self-esteem of their children and it is the fourth in a series of articles from the Feingold Association. The helpful information here applies to all children, not just those who have attention deficit disorder (ADD).
When asked about their problems with their parents, teens often mention that their parents don't listen to them. Here are some tips for improving communication with your adolescent.
As Father's Day approaches, many men are reflecting on how they can be better fathers. This article gives fathers suggestions on achieving balance between work and family and talks about how that requires more than just scheduling.
Helping Children Cope with Violence
Diane E. Levin provides useful strategies for families, caregivers, and educators for dealing with violence in the media, the media environment, and supporting children's healthy development. This article contains some guidelines from her book to help children grapple with real-world violence:
Kathy McKinless, mother of four and one of the first women to become partner at worldwide professional services firm KPMG, offers tips for working mothers on how to handle work and home during the busy holidays.
If a Child Threatens to Run Away, Should Parents be Concerned?
While many children think about running away or may threaten to run away at some point during their childhood, for most children it never goes beyond a threat. It may be helpful for parents to understand some of the warning signs that may appear in a preadolescent or adolescent who is considering running away.
If an Adolescent Begins To Fail in School, What Can Parents and Teachers Do?
Understanding the factors that may put an adolescent at-risk for academic failure will help parents determine if their teen is in need of extra support. Above all, parents need to persevere. The teen years do pass, and most adolescents survive them, in spite of bumps along the way. Being aware of common problems can help parents know when it is important to reach out and ask for help before a "difficult time" develops into a more serious situation.
Low-Cost Ways to Educate Children on Money Management
Financial planners, parenting professionals and family advisors everywhere are touting the need to educate children on financial facts of life. This article provides some practical suggestions and ideas to teach children how to manage money.
Parenting and Career Development
Not only what a parent does for a living can influence a child's career choice, but the family dynamics also have a strong influence. The article looks at the ways in which parenting styles, family functioning, and parent-child interaction influence career development. It's written for an educator, but has many good points for a parent as well.
Plain Talk About...Dealing with the Angry Child
Handling children's anger can be puzzling, draining, and distressing for adults. In fact, one of the major problems in dealing with anger in children is the angry feelings that are often stirred up in us. It has been said that we as parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators need to remind ourselves that we were not always taught how to deal with anger as a fact of life during our own childhood.
Substance Exposed Infants and Children
The problems associated with prenatal substance abuse are increasing and have serious implications for the future educational needs of the children and families affected. Services, programs, and strategies that have been developed in the field of special education will have a role to play in meeting their needs.
Talking to Children About Their Strengths and Weaknesses
Demystification educates children about their strengths and weaknesses and can be used to prevent or treat self-misunderstandings.
Ten Ways Fathers Can Contribute to their Children's Health
Dr. Joseph Garcia-Prats, neonatologist at Texas Children's Hospital and himself a father of ten sons, stresses that fathers need to realize there are more aspects to their children's well-being than medical health.
Popular thinking often paints an unflattering picture of only children, portraying them as self-centered, attention-seeking, dependent, and temperamental. Despite these negative stereotypes, smaller families in general--and the one-child option--are growing in popularity.
Tips for Parents on How to Have a Positive Impact on Gift-Giving to Kids
Five scientists whose research has contributed to major biomedical advances offer parents tips on how they can make a more positive impact with the gifts they give their children. They had unique ideas, but one thing they all agreed on -- whatever else you give your kids, make sure you give them your time.
Too Sick for School or Daycare? A Few Guidelines to Promote Good Health
The kids are back in class. It's 7:15 a.m. and Andy says, "I don't feel good." You ask yourself, "Can he still go to school or daycare today?" Parenting is full of judgment calls and this one is often less than clear-cut. This article provides a few good guidelines to help parents make this decision.
Young children may have misconceptions about older people and they may dislike them, feel sorry for them, or fear them in general. But it's important for children to feel good about their elders if they are to learn to appreciate people different from themselves and accept and understand the fact that they will get older someday. When children are happy and secure with themselves, they will be ready to take on each new stage of life.
New Study on Children’s Perceptions of Race and Class on Television
For decades, educators and parents have expressed concern over the ways in which people are portrayed on television. There was a fear that children were getting a skewed concept about people's abilities and character based on stereotypical representations of gender, race, or class. This fear led to a number of research studies that analyzed the television roles of men, women, people of color, and people of various socio-economic levels.
States Alter Driving Laws: Look to Parents to be Involved in Teaching Their Teens to Drive
States across the country are beginning to address the leading cause of death among youth ages 15 to 20—traffic crashes—by altering driving laws to include more behind-the-wheel time for teens accompanied by a parent.
This Digest discusses the family as a preferred place of literacy development and highlights family literacy initiatives that reflect respect for the family as a site of learning.
How Parents Can Support Gifted Children
The key to raising gifted children is respect: respect for their uniqueness, respect for their opinions and ideas and respect for their dreams. Gifted children need parents who are responsive and flexible, who will go to bat for them when they are too young to do so for themselves. At home, children need to know that their uniqueness is cherished and that they are appreciated as persons just for being themselves. This digest helps parents understand their unique roll in raising gifted children and it contains a good list of indicators to help parents recognize giftedness in their children.
What to Expect from Your Teenagers
Perhaps you are finding your child's teen years more of a challenge than you imagined. You are not alone. This article explains the three stages in the teenage years and what a parent is to expect from each.
Planning Ahead for Holiday Expenses
The holiday season is approaching, and you know that often means increased spending. There never seems to be enough money for the things you want to buy, and every year you try to figure out how to pay for your purchases. The key to overcoming these holiday blues is to plan ahead and prepare for the expenses that come with the holiday season.
What Is a Quality Preschool Program?
Increased numbers of working mothers of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds have created a need for preschools for today's young children and are concerned about the quality of these preschools. As a result, parents are searching for guidelines for selecting a good program for their children. This article contains answers to commonly asked questions.
A Guide To Choosing An After-School Program
This Parent Guide from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education discusses the process of choosing an after-school program. Types of programs are discussed, as well as the qualities of a good one, along with what to look for in an after-school program.
Bankers to Participate in National Teach Children to Save Day
The ABA Education Foundation declared "National Teach Children to Save Day" as a way to show banking industry support for teaching children money management skills and encouraging them to save money for the future. In 1996, Americans saved only 4.9 percent of their disposable income, compared to 1970 when they saved 8 percent.
Seven Major Issues of 1997 Facing Girls in the United States
Violence, economic opportunity and changing family dynamics are three of the seven issues facing girls between the ages of five and seventeen in this country, according to the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A.
Aggression and cooperation represent two critical features in the child's social domain. Both have important roots in early family interactions, both are responsive to adult expectations and values, and both can be responsive to environmental factors. This article discusses how these features develop and what parents and caregivers can do to reduce aggression and encourage cooperation in toddlers and in preschool children.
Back to School: Fresh Start for Families
Back-to-school days can put many a parent into a frenzy as eager young faces rush home with a list of needs and new activities that can overload any calendar. What makes this overwhelming at times, is that school starting comes at a time when work, organizations, or volunteer commitments are also stepping up. Time and stress management are basic building blocks of overall good health. To help women who are struggling with the demands of a hectic life, Women's Health America offers the following suggestions.
Back-to-School Blues ... For Parents!
Just the thought of the first day of the new school year has a lot of first-time students terrified. But they're not the only ones. Studies indicate that the first day of school can be almost as stressful and emotionally upsetting for parents who are sending their kids off to school for the first time.
Bad Backs Bad for Back to School
Back to school time is, well, back, and it's the back that has some doctors concerned. This article provides suggestions for how students can avoid potential back problems due to incorrectly using backpacks to carry heavy loads of books and school supplies.
Bullying is a serious problem that can dramatically affect the ability of students to progress academically and socially. A comprehensive intervention plan that involves all students, parents, and school staff is required to ensure that all students can learn in a safe and fear-free environment.
How Can We Strengthen Children's Self-Esteem?
Most parents want their young children to have a healthy sense of self-esteem. Experts generally agree that parents and other adults who are important to children play a major role in laying a solid foundation for a child's development. The points in this article may be helpful in strengthening and supporting a healthy sense of self-esteem in your child.
National PTA Reaches Consensus on TV Ratings
The National PTA, accompanied by leaders from other child advocacy organizations, said in a meeting at the White House today that it supports a newly-revised television rating system. The system was developed in conjunction with the television industry.
Pediatricians Respond to Media Reports on Discipline
The American Academy of Pediatrics clarifies its position on discipline for children and teens. This article describes alternatives to physical punishment, such as time-outs, as preferable means of discipline.
Resources to Help Parents Begin the Discussion on Tough Issues
Talking With Kids About Tough Issues is a new joint initiative by the Kaiser Family Foundation, Children Now, and The Advertising Council, to encourage and help parents of young children start talking early about life's tough issues, including sex, AIDS, violence, and alcohol and drug abuse.
Study Finds: Mothers Are Worth $508,700!
Your Mother may be priceless to you, but in today's job market she's worth over $500,000 per year, according to an Edelman Financial Services Inc. study of the many possible occupations that a typical mother might hold during the year.
Survey Finds Parents Missing Out on Their Teen's Online Experience
On the eve of the 1998 White House Internet Summit: Digital Media Content for Children and Teens, a survey of online teens conducted by Talk City™, the Internet's leading Community site, discloses that the majority of parents of online teens aren't involved in their children's online explorations, even though 2/3 of their kids think parental involvement and controls are an effective technique.
Tips for Parents & Teachers Regarding the Colorado Tragedy
The intense news coverage of the tragedy brings school safety issues to the forefront for all of us. However, children in particular may experience anxiety, fear, and a sense of personal risk. To guide parents through discussions about the Colorado incident, the National Mental Health Association offers suggestions.
Tips to Make Moving a Positive Experience for Children
Every year, approximately 6 million kids across America move into new neighborhoods and cities. Despite the reassurances of parents, children often harbor fears of leaving friends and familiar surroundings. Here are 10 tips to help the sometimes stressful moving process go smoothly for families.
Why Are Books Such as Everyone Poops Bestsellers?
All the books focus on various aspects of the human body and human body by-products, and they are written for preschool children. Some hope that openly talking about and acknowledging these by-products may make them less of a source of embarrassment or giggles once kids enter school. Parents report using Everyone Poops when they are helping their child make the transition from diapers to using the toilet.
Learning Partners -- Being Responsible
This article highlights activities and stories which can help us teach our kids to be responsible.
'HI, HO, HI, HO, It's Off to School They Go!'
In an effort to help caregivers prepare their children for this often difficult event, the MetLife Consumer Education Center, in conjunction with nationally recognized authorities, has developed a series of free brochures that includes "Your Child's First Day At School," "Your Child and Organized Sports," "Helping Your Child Understand Money."
Teenage Girls Today More Independent, Yet Lack Self Esteem
Teenage girls today are more independent and see greater opportunities available to them than their baby boomer parents did at their age, according to a survey of health educators by The Vagisil Women's Health Center(SM). Yet, these same girls also have less self-confidence and weaker self-images than their parents' generation.
Enjoying Stress-free Summer Activities
This publication from the National Association for the Education of Young Children includes ideas for summer activities, especially those families who are working to balance the demands of adult work schedules while still providing activities for their children.
Making the First Day of School a Holiday for Parents
throughout the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union. According to Terry Ehrich, President of the First Day Foundation, "the idea is to bring the parental, family, community-involvement-in-education theme into sharper focus at the beginning of each school year. Our aim is to begin each school year with positive relationships between teachers, parents, and students, building momentum for a three-way partnership for learning through the rest of the school year"
Surviving High School - Tips for Teens and Their Parents
School Psychologist Michael Riera not only managed to survive high school, but has come back daily ever since earning his Ph.D. to help students unravel those pivotal four years. His new book, "Surviving High School," helps teens grapple with issues of sex, alcohol, drugs, violence, race, and gender with the confidence of someone who's lived to tell.
Celebrating Transitions in the Early Years
The end of the school year is a time for celebration by young children, their families, teachers, and caregivers. Yet while some families and programs see 'graduation' as an important symbol to recognize their child. Others worry that too much pomp and circumstance can lead to frustration. The important thing is to acknowledge the validity of both perspectives. Administrators, teachers, and parents can then work together. Here are some ways to consider celebrating.
New Poll Results: New Parents Views on Gender 'Child of Choice'
You say you'd like a boy or a girl but would you actually choose the sex of your child if you could? Not according to the results of a new Lamaze Family survey: 59% said no, often citing a desire to "Leave it to God" or "Mother Nature." Among the 41% answering yes, mothers and fathers chose boys over girls by nearly a 2 to 1 margin.
What Should Young Children Be Learning?
Recent research on intellectual and social development and learning is rich in implications for curriculum and teaching strategies for early childhood education. The data on children's learning suggests that preschool and kindergarten experiences require an intellectually oriented approach in which children interact in small groups as they work together on projects which help them make sense of their own experience.
A Reminder to Parents From the IRS
The Internal Revenue Service encourages parents to get ready for the upcoming tax filing season early by obtaining taxpayer identification numbers (TINs) from their day-care providers and making sure their dependents have social security numbers.
