February 23, 2012

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A Game Room for the Kids?

Giving your children a place to enjoy in the home is something to consider. This can be something that will enable them invite friends over. Aside from the living room, which is the usual place for www.direct.tv entertainment, a game room may just fit the bill.

Basements and other rooms are great options. Making a game room is simple, and it could even double as a family room. All you need to do is up some fun activities, many which you may already have, and put them together in one place that anyone will enjoy.

Having a room for board games, televisions, and toys is a great idea. If your kids are teens, folding custom poker tables for games of candy poker, video games, and other ideas may be more suitable. Options such as these will allow your children to have a safe environment for them and their friends.

A game room can be a wonderful addition to your home. Young children can take advantage of space for their toys and to play, and older children can do homework, relax, and anything else that is needed. Teens and college students can have an alternative to places where you may not be comfortable. Finally, regardless of age, a game room can always be a family room and a place that everyone can get together.

Consider a game room for your home. Whether you have an entire room available or can just transform a small section of the basement, a game room of some sorts can be enjoyed. Talk to your family to see how one may be implemented in the home.

Filed Under: Childhood, General Tagged With: , ,

Help Your Child Become A Professional

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As a parent, you want the best for your children. Whether you are just starting out raising babies or have a house full of teens, there are many issues that parents face. Financial planning, special needs, medical care, and even helping your child develop into a professional are subjects that many parents struggle with on a daily basis. Take time to review available resources and develop a plan to help your child grow into their potential and land a high paying job. This can help remove some of the stress.

The End Game

While we all have a desire for our children to be happy and healthy first, we also want them be successful in the career they choose. You may hope that your child develops an interest in becoming a lawyer or doctor or selects one of the highest paying jobs available. While we cannot force our children to develop interests in particular fields, we can make it easier for them to do so by providing them with a solid basis in education, behavior, health, and financial planning.

Whole Child Development

One approach is the concept of raising men and women. Instead of focusing on your child’s short term development, remember that you are raising a little person who will one day be an adult. Start instilling the qualities that professionals possess from the very beginning. This isn’t barbaric when you think about it. Professionals in the highest paying jobs are hard-working, ethical, motivated, and diligent. Whole child development simply means focusing on these qualities from the beginning.

 

Filed Under: Childhood, Resources, Teens Tagged With: , ,

Finding Justice for Your Child

Many people have lost babies and the reasons are as varied as the children lost, but what is done about the loss remains an unanswerable question for some.

At times doctors or nurses have made a mistake that caused injury or even death to the babe. To make it through an entire gestation of 9 months just to have the baby die within hours or days or months is beyond heart wrenching. Most parents are not doctors and do not know whether their child is getting adequate treatment or not. Asking someone about parental rights, like a Los Angeles malpractice attorney, couldn’t hurt.

Doctors and Nurses Are People Too

Many parents feel like the doctor and nurse are authorities, and you don’t disagree with them. However, they‘re human, and unintentional deaths or even lifetime maiming can occur. Parents should talk of these possibilities before treatment.

It would also be good to get a second opinion so the parents can get unbiased answers. One doctor cannot speak for another, but they can tell about usual treatments and medicines. They know if something went very wrong or possibly even calm the nerves of an upset parent searching for information.

Doctors and nurses are people just like you, and they shouldn’t be put up on a pedestal, as being above us. They simply have an area of expertise that the parent doesn’t have, but they are still just people. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and ask all the questions that come up.

Don’t be afraid to stand up for your child; nobody else will.

 

Filed Under: Childhood, Family Tagged With: , ,

Should Your Child get an Allowance?

Some parents may approach the question of allowance with some trepidation. These hesitations are understandable, as of course you don’t want to spoil your child or go about it in an incorrect manner. Deciding on an allowance and, if appropriate, the specifics of the allowance, can be difficult.

Most experts agree that an allowance is a good idea. It promotes the ability to make money-related decisions, which can be developed at a young age (some say as early as three or four years of age). That is actually one of the more surprising conclusions from experts: that an allowance could (or should) begin that early. Money recognition does begin at an early age though, which lends the support of an allowance around this time frame.

You may want to spend time looking at specifics of the allowance. For instance, you may not be surprised to learn that the weekly amount is agreed to coincide with the age of the child. However, most experts propose not tying the allowance with housework, citing that children need to feel that they are contributing (and not “working”). These and other issues should be carefully approached.

An allowance will hopefully allow your child to acquire important skills they will use later. Perhaps your child will save up money to purchase American girl doll clothes, which will teach them valuable habits.

Take some time to approach this topic as a family. An allowance can certainly play a valuable role in their development, from learning how to count money to saving and fiscal responsibility. Perhaps an allowance is right for your child.

Filed Under: Childhood, Teens Tagged With: , ,

Should you Save for Your Child’s College?

Children in Jerusalem. 

Image via Wikipedia

A lot of parents look at their child, seemingly so helpless and unable to do anything, and they naturally want to build the child a road through the clouds. The Earth no longer seems good enough for their baby. But while showing your child lots of love is great, at some point you have to encourage your child to become independent. You won’t be able to do this if you fight your child’s battles for him or her.

One of the hardest things you are going to have to do is instill a sense that at some point, your child is going to be on their own. At some point, no help will be forthcoming, and your interests will shift into your financial needs and not theirs. Far too many parents assume that they have to pay for their children’s college. But while helping your child to develop skills and apply for grants is wonderful, simply handing them the money to go to school is counter-productive. If you say, “be independent” and just hand them money, the lesson will be lost.

However, if you slowly wean your children off of your support in their teens, by 18 they will understand that they will have to hustle up their college fund for themselves. Do not assume that your children will take care of you when you’re old- they will have their own responsibilities by then. If you teach your children about the efficient use of loan money, the value of a dollar they have to actually earn, and the amazing power of grants, they will ultimately be more successful in handling money.

Filed Under: Childhood, Teens Tagged With: , ,

Tips for Positive Parenting

You’re a parent, a parent who wants the best for your children. But sometimes you are angry and impatient, at other times you are so loving and accepting you’d make even Mother Teresa proud.

Unfortunately, today is not one of those days. You’ve yelled more than you’d like to admit, and have spent more than the regular hours tending to the needs of your growing brood. You’re wiped out.

How can you be more positive?

  • Get the grit as well as the joys on positive parenting through various online resources.
  • Make it a point to pre-decide how you are going to respond to your child who disobeys before the incident occurs. When it does, stop for a moment before you react and go through your pre-planned response.
  • Focus on the positive. When you’re child does something well, reward them with a sticker or some other treat.
  • Teach your child how to do a particular task instead of assuming they know how to do it by watching you. Put up a step-by-step chart in their room following your tutoring.

Image Courtesy:http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebuckdaddy/4233374822/lightbox/

  • Smile. Have consequences for your children, but don’t let this interfere with your positive attitude.

Positive parenting is rarely a daily event; it is a moment by moment opportunity, an experience that is made more positive, or negative, depending on how you choose to react to it. Children can be taught the rules, can be given direction, can be helped on their way, but it’s up to you to decide how you are going to respond when their response is less than positive.

Filed Under: Childhood, Family Tagged With: , ,

Learning Things as a Parent

Being a parent is as much of a learning situation as being a child. There are things that every parent will learn or in some cases unlearn because of their children. Here are a few great examples of things parents don’t always expect to learn.

Group of children in a primary school in Paris

Image via Wikipedia

  1. How to clean formula off a wall. Babies have a tendency to spit-up and sometimes it will end up on the other side of the room.
  2. Zippers are fantastic. Children go through a TON of cloths and having something that is easy to take on and off makes it much easier on you.
  3. Don’t wash Velcro with anything else. Velcro sticks – unfortunately to everything including that expensive piece of silk lingerie you love. Oh yeah by the way that is now ruined.
  4. Storage is key. Being a parent enables you to pack 90 bags worth of things into a diaper bag and purse.
  5. Always have a stroller. Strollers are not only a great place to put your child in when you get tiered of carrying them everywhere but they also work very well as a catch-all for bags and purses.
  6. Sleeping while standing up. Sleeping becomes something you only get when no one else is looking, the minute they see that you are asleep they instantly need something.

Being a parent never ceases to be an interesting adventure. And there is no telling what you may learn especially when you are not quite certain of what your child may or may not do next.

Filed Under: Childhood, Family Tagged With: , ,

Adjusting to Life with an Adopted Child

Adopting a child can be a beautiful gift to both the parents and the kid.  However, adjusting to the adoption can take some time for all parties involved.  Here are a few tips for making  the best out of the awkward transition period.

Feelings

Realize that your new child might be scared.  Although they are probably grateful to have a permanent home instead of living in foster care, you must remember that you are still a stranger to your new child.  Your new child may be afraid of fitting in or wondering if you truly love them.

Make The Child Feel at Home

Find out what your child’s favorite snacks and favorite TV shows are.  Put in an effort to surround the child with things that will make them happy. At the same time, don’t spoil the child to the point where he or she may feel like a hotel guest.  You want the child to feel at home.  Make sure the child is comfortable going into the pantry to grab juice or a snack.  Ask the child to help out with simple tasks such as setting the table so that he or she feels involved.

Rules

Make sure your adopted child understand the rules of your home.  The rules of the house probably vary from the rules of a foster home or orphanage. Help to set the rules up front by making a chore chart or other poster board. It is especially important to establish rules such as curfew, time allowed on the computer and what time homework has to be completed by if you are mixing a household of natural birthed children and adopted children.  You want all children to be treated equally so that the adopted child doesn’t feel like you love your birth child more and your natural child doesn’t feel like you favor the adopted child because they are new to the household.

Filed Under: Childhood, Family Tagged With: , ,

Rare Conditions that Affect Children

Every parent wants their child to be healthy and happy.  Parents worry about their children getting fevers, viruses and may even have fears of their children falling victim to a serious illness such as cancer.   There are many rare conditions that parents should know about that also affect children.

Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prader Will Syndrome is a dangerous condition that can cause childhood obesity.  This genetic disease causes children to be constantly hungry causing them to eat dangerously large amounts of food.  The disease can be tricky to diagnose at first because many Prader-Willi babies may actually be too thin at first and increase in weight as they get a little older.  There is currently no cure and very few treatments for this condition.

Spina Bifida

Spina Bifida is a condition that causes children to be born with a gap in their spine.  Since the spine is not formed correctly and there may be nerve damage, people with spina bifida may have problems walking correctly if at all.  There are currently surgeries to help with spina bifida, but there is no cure.  Kids with this disorder may need walkers or wheelchairs to get around.

Kawasaki Disease

You have probably never heard of Kawasaki Disease, but more than 3,500 kids in America alone get sick from this illness.  This disease is a rare virus that can be fatal if not treated.  Symptoms may mimic other illnesses.  Symptoms include swollen limbs, fever, chapped lips and a severe rash.  As long as this condition is caught early enough, it can be treated and cured.  Most kids with Kawasaki are younger than six years of age.  This is a one time disorder and not a chronic condition.

Filed Under: Childhood, Resources Tagged With: , ,

Tips for Raising a Handicapped Child

Raising a handicapped child can be difficult for the entire family.  Although challenging, with planning and time, you can provide a great life for your handicapped child.

Plan for the Future

If your child has a permanent disability, it is important to obtain adequate life insurance so that he can be taken care of after you are gone.  Although this is a difficult situation to think about, there are some disabilities that may be able to leave a child unable to work for life.

Make Your Home More Accessible

If your child has a disability which can be made easier by making some accommodations in the house, it is important to do these things so that your child can be more independent.  If you have a child who is short in stature due to a disability, provide stools so that she can reach sinks and help with the dishes and brush her teeth.  If your child is wheelchair bound, get her a tool to help her reach objects.  Kids like to feel like that can do tasks and contribute.

Test the Waters

Not all children with every disability are created equal.  When it comes to schooling, see what makes your child comfortable.  Some children may prefer to be home schooled or go to a special school to avoid teasing by other children.  Other children may have an easy time fitting in despite their disability and enjoy time in a regular public school.  Don’t hold your child back because you are afraid of what he can not do.  Let him try things, you can always change the arrangements if your child is unhappy.

Someone to Relate To

Help your child to make friends with another child with the same or a similar disability.  As your child grows into his or her teen years, it will be nice to have a friend who he or she can relate to.

Filed Under: Childhood, Family Tagged With: , ,
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