Parenting is all about using your own common sense, and finding a few tips that can help. Effective parenting practices come from your own intuition, but a little advice from the pros never hurts. In this article we will discuss some of the most practical parenting tips to help get you off to the right start.
If you have two or more children in the house, enlist the help of older siblings to care for the younger ones. Older siblings can help with playtime and can even monitor bath times (depending on their age). If you have a teenager and a young child, you might also be able to benefit from lower cost babysitting and teach your older child some responsibility in the process.
Eat dinner with your family as often as you can. Eating dinner with your children encourages healthy eating habits. It also allows you a chance to re-connect as a family, to discuss what went on during the day. When you eat together as a family, you know where your children are and what they’re doing in the evenings, which makes it easier to curtail or control destructive behaviors.
Do not try to introduce the bottle to a normally breastfeed baby who is hungry. A hungry baby will not understand what the bottle is for and will reject it immediately because he at this point only associates food with the breast. Get the baby used to the bottle when they are not hungry so that they can learn that it provides food as well.
Being around your children a lot can be very stressful. Make sure you take time out for you. Plan a dinner date with a good friend, go for a long walk to go to the movies by yourself. That little time away will be enough for your to recharge and be the best parent you can be.
If your child must take a liquid medication, ask your pharmacist for dosing spoons, bulbs, or oral syringes instead of using kitchen spoons or measuring cups. Standard kitchen measurements can hold as much as three times the amount of a dosing implement, increasing the risk of overdose, stomach upset, or wasted medication.
Try to avoid giving children “I told you so answers.” Although in some specific cases this may be necessary there is generally a better way. It is very important for children to understand why they should not do anything because this allows them to grow as a person and to learn how to make their own good decisions.
When you are flying with a car seat, request a seat-belt extender from your airline. This item will make the belt longer and allow you easier access to the buckle when it is time to get off the plane. Many parents have trouble getting their car seat off the plane because the airplane’s belt gets caught in the car seat. An extender will eliminate the problem.
The number one, most important tip about parenting has got to be that you must be there for your child. Children need and want your physical presence as well as your listening ear. If your child knows that you are right there to listen to their needs, it will go a long way in strengthening your relationship.
Even though it may be an uncomfortable topic for parents to discuss, it is very important that you talk to your children about drugs while they are still young. This way, once they hit the age when peer pressure is common, they will know that drugs are not good for them.
Remember what is happening today will be over with tomorrow. If your kids messed up your clean living room, know that it won’t stay that way, it will be clean again tomorrow. Having this viewpoint will help you to move on.
Get your child to do chores as soon as they’re able to understand what you’re saying. From an early age your toddler should be cleaning up their own toys. There is no harm in making it a game, and you can continue turning chores into competitions until your child is old enough to move out!
One of the best things you can do for yourself as a parent is to create a support network. From moms’ or dads’ groups to friends, family, co-workers and community groups, having other parents to talk with and share the ups and downs of parenting makes the experience even sweeter. You can glean valuable advice from others who have been there.
Common sense is an integral part of successful parenting. A little advice can come in handy too. In this article we have discussed some of the most practical and sought after parenting tips. Any parent can incorporate them into their own unique style. Read through them, try out the ones that work for you, and remember to always follow your own intuition. You’ll be a true success at raising children before you know it.