http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130204/BLOGS/302049994/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 4 Feb 2013 12:10:07 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130204/BLOGS/302049994/-1/blogs01 Preparing a child for the passing of a loved one can be difficult, especially if emotions are high among family members. Children tend to follow the lead of the  beloved adults in their  lives, so thoughtful reassurance with a brief, positive explanation is often well received. Sadly, children can easily misunderstand and or misinterpret information as well as conversations, which can lead them to develop irrational fears of becoming [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130201/BLOGS/302019959/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Fri, 1 Feb 2013 18:10:30 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130201/BLOGS/302019959/-1/blogs01 Cold winter grey days seem like the perfect time to curl up on the couch under a big puffy comforter. Invite your child to join you as you look through family albums and baby books, telling stories from years gone by. This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to hear about some family traditions and legacies. When you [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130130/BLOGS/301309985/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:10:30 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130130/BLOGS/301309985/-1/blogs01 Do you ever feel outnumbered by your children? Sometimes it seems that just as you get one child settled,another finds a button to push and the chaos continues. There are so many opportunities for parents to reach and teach children so they are able to behave well and learn as they grow. Negative cycles can occur when parents feel out numbered or out of control. Take control with a few simple changes that require only minimal effort and produce impressive results. Don’t be that parent [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130114/BLOGS/301149932/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:19:31 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130114/BLOGS/301149932/-1/blogs01 Did you ever try to reason with your child? How well did that work? Are you a yeller or do you use threats to take away toys and privileges? Do you bribe or negotiate with your child? Is punishing and spanking part of your parenting style? If so, has it improved your child’s behavior? Recent clinical research shows that reasoning, bribing, yelling and spanking cannot change any behavior, because none of those actions teach the desired behavior. As parents, we need to teach what we do [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130107/BLOGS/301079963/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 7 Jan 2013 18:15:11 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130107/BLOGS/301079963/-1/blogs01 When a woman first learns that she is blessed with a pregnancy, most often her biggest hope is that she will deliver a healthy baby. There is a saying, “If you have your health, you have everything.” So true. No one enjoys being sick. I look around and see so many young children who are already clinically obese. My heart breaks for them. I think of their already difficult lives and the life they will lead as an obese, unhealthy adult.  Nothing good comes of childhood obesity.  Although some [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130101/BLOGS/301019995/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Tue, 1 Jan 2013 12:15:11 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20130101/BLOGS/301019995/-1/blogs01 As we ring in the new year, hope, happiness and optimism fill our hearts. Every new year seems to be filled with opportunity for fresh starts and new beginnings. Fill yours with your presence when your child is present. Look for the wonderful things your child does and says throughout each of the 365 days this year. As a mom of three grown children, I have learned how so many special moments can be overlooked while dealing with the daily stresses of life. Look for those times when your child [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121224/BLOGS/312249994/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 24 Dec 2012 12:20:11 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121224/BLOGS/312249994/-1/blogs01 Christmas time is such an exciting time for children, but exhaustion and overstimulation can contribute to unexpected meltdowns. Try a new family tradition for Christmas morning which will keep your child in bed longer, rather than waking early to see what Santa brought. Help your child by setting a calm pace for the day, and be prepared with quiet activities such as frosting prepackaged gingerbread men cookies. Several quiet [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121218/BLOGS/312189975/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Tue, 18 Dec 2012 18:15:24 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121218/BLOGS/312189975/-1/blogs01 How sad it is to watch an entire community come together to mourn the loss of innocent children and their teachers, whose lives were ended in tragedy. Parents across our country are asking how this could possibly happen, and how can we keep our children safe? How can we avoid another mass shooting tragedy such as this at Sandy Hook Elementary, in Newtown, Connecticut? Perhaps we need to return to foundations which build strong families. Maybe it’s time to slow down and share a dinner [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121217/BLOGS/312179994/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:15:21 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121217/BLOGS/312179994/-1/blogs01 Organizing your child's play area will help him be able to explore and appreciate those items even more. Toy areas can become a dumping ground for unused, broken items which havn't been touched in years. Start now and work together to group items in colored bins. Designate special areas for artwork, supplies, building toys and dolls. Ignite interest evey month by rearranging items according to that season or holiday. In January, cut snowflakes together from folded paper circles. Hang [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121210/BLOGS/312109993/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:20:09 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121210/BLOGS/312109993/-1/blogs01 Throughout the years parents have invested much time and thought into weaving a magical story of a jolly old elf sliding down the chimney with a bag filled with toys for good girls and boys. Those who don’t have chimneys may tell their children that Santa will come through the front door, or through a window. When my children were young, they used to ask that we let the fire burn down, or not light a fire at all on Christmas Eve, because Santa might get burned. Stories told by parents [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121203/BLOGS/312039974/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 3 Dec 2012 17:20:58 +0000 admin http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121203/BLOGS/312039974/-1/blogs01 Many families find ways to give to others during the holiday season. Including your own children in that mission is a gift to them, as they learn and grow while giving to others. Contact your local school or church, which are always connected with organizations in need of help. Design and send Christmas cards with your child to men and women in our armed forces. Suggest that your child do some act of kindness for an elderly neighbor, such as bring the trash can in from the curb or shovel a [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121126/BLOGS/311269991/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Tue, 27 Nov 2012 9:17:19 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121126/BLOGS/311269991/-1/blogs01 Years ago I lived as an intentional pessimist.  I expected things to go wrong, promises to be broken, traffic to be heavy, and life to be difficult.  I honestly felt well prepared by viewing life this way.  I was never disappointed when things went wrong, because I expected it.   However, shortly after making a life-changing decision for my family, I made another decision to leave my pessimism behind and view the glass as half full, [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121119/BLOGS/311199991/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:50:37 +0000 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121119/BLOGS/311199991/-1/blogs01 Children thrive on rules, routine, consistency and a calm environment. Decide on House Rules, develop a daily routine, and include your child while completing household tasks to increase his feeling of self-worth through responsibility. Young children who are raised with structure and routine will be better prepared as they move into their teen years. Teens that are expected to pitch in, help out, and think of others develop wonderful qualities which prepare them for the work force, and for [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121112/BLOGS/311129990/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Tue, 13 Nov 2012 9:00:45 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121112/BLOGS/311129990/-1/blogs01 I just love the saying that raising a family is like baking a cake from scratch… it can get real messy! There are many important ingredients which help to develop a strong, thoughtful, resilient, confident child. Sometimes parents loose sight of what is important, or how just how powerful a word of encouragement can be. Sometimes parents forget that children are children, or that they need continuous guidance, not another friend. [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121105/BLOGS/311059994/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Wed, 7 Nov 2012 16:41:26 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121105/BLOGS/311059994/-1/blogs01 Most children are experts in begging and negotiating.They can be relentless with their endurance to beg, tantrum or cry. Many times they ask or beg for something which is inappropriate for their age, so we respond with confidence. However, when the begging continued in this situation, one mom decided to give in to her daughter to teach her a lesson.  Lessons are better learned by children when their parents know and do what is right. No matter how difficult, parents need to parent and [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121102/BLOGS/311029994/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Fri, 2 Nov 2012 11:55:40 +0000 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121102/BLOGS/311029994/-1/blogs01 Some parents hate to take their children to the grocery store, or, to any store! Meltdowns and embarrassing temper tantrums become the norm when children are bored or want to buy something that is not on the list. If shopping is difficult with your child, take time to develop a list which will engage him and help him to feel he is a needed member of your shopping crew. Build a child-friendly shopping board where pictures of foods to [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121029/BLOGS/310299997/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:00:30 +0000 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121029/BLOGS/310299997/-1/blogs01 Children hit for a variety of reasons. Some of those reasons include being tired or hungry. Watch for that, and keep your child well rested and well fed. Sometimes children hit out of frustration because they can’t communicate what they want.  Some children hit because hitting is what they are exposed to when others around them hit. When your child seems to hit for no reason, take note of the situation, the time of day, and the surroundings. Try to find a pattern which triggers your [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121022/BLOGS/310229998/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:01:37 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121022/BLOGS/310229998/-1/blogs01 Are you embarassed by your child’s meltdowns or all-out temper tantrums in public? Do you ignore rude behavior or give in to those ugly tantrums, because you know that enforcing the rules will escillate the situation? You are not alone. Many parents feel it is easier to quiet their child in that difficult moment by giving him whatever he wants. Unfortunately, giving in to your child teaches him that he can have whatever he [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121015/BLOGS/310159995/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:45:42 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121015/BLOGS/310159995/-1/blogs01 Every day every parent faces challenges which cause frustration and disappointment. The problem becomes a child’s habit when it is not addressed. Yelling about it doesn’t change it. Look at each problem and decide how you are going to teach a new behavior. Remember to teach outside of the event, which means give your child the information at a time when you are not angry, and you are able to explain exactly what you want. Soon you will be solving problems and enjoying your child [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121008/BLOGS/310089994/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:45:42 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121008/BLOGS/310089994/-1/blogs01 Set your child up for a successful school year by making homework time a priority, with a positive attitude. Determine the best time of the afternoon or early evening for your child to complete his work, and be consistent with your schedule. Fill a special Homework Box with seasonal pencils, crayons, tape, glue and all the other items your child needs to complete any projects. When everything is gathered in one Homework Box, organizational skills are learned, and work is easier to complete. [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121001/BLOGS/310019995/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:45:42 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121001/BLOGS/310019995/-1/blogs01 There are several key components which help to pave a smooth pathway for learning and homework success. Homework can be viewed with reluctance by both students and parents. Generally, when we dread doing something, it takes longer, requires a bigger effort, and results in mediocrity. When we are excited and proceed with enthusiasm, the results are far superior. So, why not do an attitude adjustment and give you child the simple supports he needs to be successful. Review your parenting [...]]]> http://www.doverpost.com/article/20120924/BLOGS/309249997/-1/blogs01?rssfeed=true Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:45:41 http://www.doverpost.com/article/20120924/BLOGS/309249997/-1/blogs01 Sometimes it seems that punishing a child is a whole lot easier than taking the time to think of a natural consequence to teach a lesson. It’s just so easy to say “Go up to your room and stay there until dinnertime!” Grounding is another favorite punishment, but what do those two particular punishments actually teach? Being sent to one’s room or being grounded both communicate parental dissatisfaction with a particular behavior. But, will either punishment actually [...]]]>