While having children will completely change your life it is important not to become obsessed with them. Most people will probably love your children as much as you do, but if your life starts to revolve around them you may find your friends become quite annoyed with you and your lack of attention.
Don’t do everything for your kids. Teach them how to do things for themselves. Teach them how to cook, set the table, or do other chores. Not only will you lighten your own load, but you’ll teach them valuable skills that they’ll need when it’s time for them to raise their own families.
Meet your middle schooler at his locker when you are picking him up after school. You can use the opportunity to help him organize and clean out some of the mountains of paper that he seems to never have time to throw away when he is rushing between classes. Who knows? He might even make more of an effort from now on!
Give your young child a five to ten-minute warning when you and your child need to leave the playground by a certain time. If you tell your child too early, he will forget. If you tell him at the very last minute, he might not be mentally prepared to leave. Giving him a five to ten-minute warning will give him a chance to wrap up his activity.
Try not get your child into the habit of eating fast food frequently. They are going to think this okay, and fast food is very unhealthy. Instead, take them to places that serve healthier foods, such as salads, and sandwiches. When you can, try to make your child a homemade meal.
Make sure that you are taking time to engage in activities that YOU enjoy! We are much more effective parents when we make sure our needs are attended to, so leave your kids with your significant others for an evening and have dinner with your girlfriends, or schedule a massage.
When your children want to talk, be sure to give them your full attention. Your child needs to know that what they have to say is important. When you give them your full attention, they feel that you are listening and that you want to help them solve their problems.
When your child needs a time-out for unacceptable behavior, make sure the time-out spot is as boring as possible. Pick a spot that has nothing for them to look at or play with. Consider your child’s age when determining the amount of time your child will remain in time-out. Figure about one minute for each year of your child’s age.
Set goals that are attainable for your child. It’s great to challenge them, but if you make every goal unrealistic, they are certain to feel like a failure. Set your expectations based on your child’s age and abilities. Consider their personal interests too. This will help your child to see more successes, and fewer failures.
In order for your teenagers to get along with you, trust is very important. If you try to accuse your teen of things that they may in fact be doing, it is only going to make your relationship worse. You must trust them; in turn they will respect and have such a great relationship with you that they wouldn’t want to do anything to disappoint you.
If your child is afraid of bathing, try bringing some fun activities into the tub. From bubble bath to special finger paints, there are a variety of exciting toys that may make bath time more enticing and less of a struggle. You can also climb into the tub with your child to show that you aren’t afraid, and she shouldn’t be, either!
As you can see, there are a lot of things to keep in mind while parenting to ensure your children have the best future they can. Apply these tips in your child’s life so that they can grow to have the best opportunities in their future lives as you can give them.
Information provided by Callen Ltd, London Based Nanny Agency. Caleen Ltd – london nanny agency