Child | David's House

Talking to Teenage Children

Image by Mike “Dakinewavamon” Kline via Flickr

Most parents can agree that talking about serious topics with their teens is not an easy process. Some teenagers simply tune out conversations with parents, while others will elect not to listen and make their own decisions. However, with the dangers of drinking and driving, drug abuse, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases looming on the horizon, having an open line of communication is more important than ever.

Parenting is a difficult road, but can be very rewarding. Those who choose to have more of a buddy relationship with their children early may find themselves unable to control the behavior later on. Teenagers who are in relationships may need extra advice about how to stay safe, healthy, and protected. Some discipline may be required, when teens blatantly ignore the rules. While it’s not always easy to discipline a child, setting limits and sticking to them by forcing consequences is an important part of the growth process. Many children who have little to no boundaries at home are more likely to get into trouble.

Children who experiment with drugs and alcohol can also encounter a danger that they could battle for the rest of their lives. The effects can be problematic on their health, even as young teenagers, or affect their hearts and other major organs later in life. Those who are able to drive can also pose a great threat if they are engaging in these behaviors and then getting behind the wheel.

Choosing to have a communicative and open relationship with teens is important. This helps them to realize that they can come to their parents when problems arise, or possibly even avoid them altogether.

Filed Under: Parenting, Relationships Tagged With: Adolescence, Child, Parent

Discipline techniques

Becoming a parent has many trials and tribulations. Your children do not come with a parenting manual, so everything you do is on a trial and error basis. You have to try different methods to see what works for you and your children. Discipline is one of those trial and error basis. What works for you and your children, might not work for another family. Discipline helps children learn right from wrong. They can be taught what behaviors are acceptable and can be taught good choices from bad choices. A loving relationship with you and your child will reflect on them, and they will become more respectful. Through proper guidance and discipline children will be guided in a world filled with laws. Discipline gives children a sense of comfort. Many children like consistency. If you aren’t consistent in your method of discipline then they will never know what to expect of you, and in return they will control you rather then you controlling them. The following can be used in effective discipline techniques:

Set household rules. As a role model and a parent we cannot bargain with them. It will send them mixed messages if we do negotiate, and children will test you to see what they are capable of getting away with and what they cannot.

Deliever instructions clearly to your children. You don’t want to say “Mommy doesn’t want you to touch the knife sweetie” Instead deliver the message in a manner that is loud and clear. ”Don’t touch the knife. You can get cut, and get seriously hurt.” It is imperative for children to know when parents are serious.

Teach your children to develop eye contact. Set an example for them, and listen to them when they speak as you would expect them to listen to you.

Choose consequences that are age appropriate. Do not give a harsh punishment for minor incidents.

Filed Under: Advice, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Family, Parent

Role Models

Parents are children’s role models. They only learn from the best. If you ask your children to pick up their toys and to put them away yet you have all of your stuff thrown throughout the house, this doesn’t make a very good impression to your children.

As children get older and can better understand the difference between actions and consequences it is imperative to set house hold rules for the family. If these are clearly understood what is expected of them then you can address the consequences if one of the house hold rules become broken. Do they loose a privilege? Do they get to go to time out? This is clearly up to the parents and what you feel is effective for your child’s behavior.

It happens all to often, and I’m guilty of it myself where a parent will choose to ignore a child’s behavior or choose not to follow through with a discipline action based on the child’s behavior and this sets a bad example for the children. Remember if you want discipline to be effective you have to be consistent each and every time.

When you determine what behaviors will be punishable and the children have a clear understanding of that, it is also important to reward for good behaviors. Rewarding your children for good behavior will have such a tremendous impact on them. Try to be specific as possible when praising good behavior. Saying “Way to go” really isn’t giving your children a clear understanding of what you are pleased with. Maybe instead you can say “I’m so proud of you for playing nicely with your sister.”

Filed Under: Advice, Parenting Tagged With: Behavior, Child, Parent

Parenting

How do you teach your child that touching the socket in the wall isn’t safe? How do you effectively discipline a child that throws a tantrum?

It doesn’t matter the age of your child when it comes to discipline. What matters most is that you the parent are consistent in your method of discipline. You will send your children mixed messages and they will never know what to expect from you when it comes to their behavior.

The following are some successful techniques that have worked in discipline children of various ages.

Young children are notorious for being very curious creatures. It is very important to keep thinks like, cleaning supplies, medication, electronics, cords and such out of reach and locked up. When you find your infant or toddler going towards a prospective item that could potentially cause danger calmly say in a stern voice “No” and pick the child up and bring him or her to something of interest to them such as their toys.

Timeouts are very effective for children of all ages. It is never too early to start time outs. If a child has been kicking, biting, throwing things for example explain to the child that what he or she did was bad and bring him or her to a designated time out area such as a chair, or rug, and put them there for 1 minute per age. Long time outs are not effective when it comes to toddlers. Just enough to show them what they did was unacceptable.

It is important not to use any type of physical punishment as children that are young can’t distinguish between what they did and physical punishment. This could also teach children that hitting is ok.

Filed Under: Advice, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Child discipline, Parent

Children and Discipline

Discipline should begin almost immediately. Enjoy the moments of cuddling, holding and caressing your baby while he is little, but at the same time you can teach he or she discipline. You might be asking yourself how does one teach discipline to a infant. It’s simple. You can teach your child when he or she will be fed, teach your child when he or she will be picked up, ect. When a baby cries your first instinct is to go pick he or she up. When a child is hungry it gets fed. When a child is wet they get changed. You can begin training your infant to know the times of the feedings, the time of naps, the time of baths and so on. When you think of discipline the first thing that comes to most minds is that of a negative behavior. This is not the case with an infant or course. That’s why you are teaching him discipline, and guiding him or her along the way.

Teaching your child that with actions there are consequences can be quite the challenge. Applaud children when they make the right choices. It is necessary for children to know the benefits of good choices and the consequences of bad choices.

It is recommended that you give prediciable consequences. For example, “If you misbehave like that again, you will be going to time out.”

Teach children good morals and values. They will learn from their very own teacher, you. By you displaying your own morals and values gives your children a clear understanding of what is correct and what is inappropriate. You should soon find your children mimicking the same morals and values you have taught them. Remember you are their teacher.

Filed Under: Advice, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Child discipline, Parent

TIMEOUT!

What was it like when you were growing up? Did you get spanked with a bare hand? A belt, maybe? How about a switch? Most adults remember some sort of spanking as they were growing up. This was the most common form of discipline and punishment among parents. Other forms of punishment came in the form of soap in the mouth or being stuck in your room for days on end. Most of the children from these times will argue that these forms of punishment were affective and had no negative effect on them. However, that line of resoning is currently being challenged.

A time-out is designed to remove a child from the environment which lead them to there particular negative behavior. There is no spanking or yelling involved with this method. The child is simply placed in a designated spot for a predetermined amount of time. This allows a child, and sometimes the parent, a cooling off period. The child must remain in this spot the entire time. If he/she leaves from this spot, they are to be placed back and time is restarted. Once the cooling off period has ended, you then explain to the child why they are there and ask them to say they are sorry and then give you a hug.

The key to this method is to be consistant. You can’t give them a time-out one day and yell or spank them the next. This would defeat the purpose and you will have to start the process over. Parents that are for spanking think that this form of punishment is not effective and should not be used or should be used after a spanking. Just remember, a time-out isn’t just for them, it is also for the parent. Hitting a child teaches your child that hitting is ok and may become violent themselves. So next time you are frustrated at what your child did wrong, take a time-out.

Filed Under: Parenting, Resources Tagged With: Child, Parent, Spanking

Keeping Your Child Safe From Drugs And Alcohol

Substance and drug abuse has been prevalent in the society for quite a long time. However the incidences of young people resorting to such abuses are on the increase. The rapid pace at which teenagers and young adults are becoming addicted to such abuses has reached an alarming level. It has become extremely important to check people from falling under the trap of such abuses and save them from the negative impacts.

The first and foremost step should be taken by the parents. it is the parents who have been looking after their child right from their birth. Children spend most of their time at their home and neighborhood. Hence it becomes easier for the parents to understand if something wrong is happening in the life of their child. As parents tend to know their child in and out, they can smoke if something suspicious is happening. It is important for the parents to take note of such occurrences when the child suddenly becomes rude or violent. Sudden change in the behavior is something which is most of the time related to drug and alcohol abuse. Mood swings and changes in behavior should be noted at the earliest.

Parents should also make it a point to know whether their ward is meeting and befriending the right person or not. Teens and young adults have the tendency to act against their parents wishes. However it is the responsibility of the parents to make them understand what and who is good and bad for them. Allow you children to enjoy certain freedom which they look forward to in the process of growing up. Before that sit with them and discuss the various pros and cons of the freedom that you are about to give them. Tell them that you trust them completely so as to instill a sense of responsibility in them. Give enough time to your child, understand the various problems he might be facing and try to give him a proper solution for that.

Filed Under: Advice, Parenting Tagged With: Addiction, Child, Parent

What Are The Challenges Of Parenting?

Parenting is the process of developing your child into a good intellectual, social and disciplined human being. When it comes to kids who are very strong minded and difficult to change their nature, parenting becomes very difficult. Parents always are much tensed when it comes to parenting. According to them parenting is one of the most challenging tasks in this world. It is better to follow a pre planned strategy when any challenging situations arise in your parenting process. The challenges vary from family to family. It is up to the parents on what strategy they should up bring their child to a good human being.

For an effective parenting it is very necessary for the parent to have an update on the different technology. This is because today’s children will come up with many doubts which might be related to latest technology. Today’s children are very much good in online knowledge. It is the parent’s duty to make sure that kids are not watching any bad sites like pornography and all. This part is very challenging for most of the parents to have a constant watch on the kid. Many things what they watch on the television will start changing the life style of the kids. Majority of the parents face challenges in these sections as well to keep their kids away from such programs.

Children will start adopting the recent fashion and trends that they watch in televisions. Bringing the kids out of these conditions are too difficult for the parents because today’s kids are more stubborn and smart. Parents can try to overcome all these challenges by communicating with the kids properly, listening to their problems and by giving them more care and love. Try to develop discipline and confidence in them by giving small works and allowing them to take small decisions.

Filed Under: Parenting, Relationships Tagged With: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Child, Parent

Providing Your Child College Resources

Having children is one of the biggest responsibilities you can have, where you introduce a child to life’s inevitable ups and down and subsequently teach them how to handle them.

Needless to say, their lives and livelihoods are up to you, and as they grow up, you can teach your children all the skills they need to know if they’re going to be successful as adults. For children born into the world today, one thing that is crucial is to teach your child how important it is to go to college, no matter what they want to do later in life. It is a simple fact that you cannot get all of the skills and experience you need just by going to high school.

Of course, going to college requires a lot of advanced planning, if your kids are going to do it right. You have a lot to teach them as they prepare for the challenges of higher academic learning. This not only involves basic skills, such as learning how to handle money, develop study habits, and make decisions for themselves, but also the social skills to interact with their peers and possibly even live with roommates, on campus, away from home.

Keep in mind that you are not on alone in the quest to teach and prepare your children for college and adulthood; there are millions of parents just like you. Plus, while it is ultimately your responsibility to provide your children with all the resources they will need for college, there are websites that can help you, such as elearners.com, which can teach you about various colleges they can attend online.

With elearners.com, you and child can learn about curriculums that lead to particular professions, as well as think through the costs of different programs. While they do need to take responsibility for themselves at some point, before your child goes to college, it is a team effort between both of you.

Filed Under: Resources Tagged With: Basic skills, Child, Learning