Most people become parents with no previous training beyond what they learned from their parents. If that on-the-job training has some holes in it, have a look at this article and take some of its advice. Doing research allows you to be a confident parent who uses intuition and second-hand knowledge.
Praising children when they behave well is part of being a good parent. Children need affection and attention. If kids cannot grab caregivers' attention with good behavior, they resort to poor behavior. Parents who neglect to focus on the child's good behavior by praising them for it may actually be encouraging the child to act in negative ways.
Apply a little lavender oil to your neck and hold your infant close to help your baby calm down. The scent of lavender is soothing and relaxing to adults and children alike. This trick works too if you want to get your baby to take a nap, since lavender oil has an extremely calming effect.
Playing is essential for children. Playtime is essential. A good parent knows that they should do their best to be more active in their child's playtime.
When your child describes a problem to you, try to see it from his perspective. Something as small as a missing crayon might not seem like a big deal, but to your child, it can make him very upset.
If you are expecting a baby, spending lots of money on nursery furnishings is not necessary. Basic nursery staples like cribs, diapers and blankets are readily available at major retailers, like Walmart, and are far more affordable than their department store counterparts. Friends and family members may be willing to donate items that are no longer being used.
If you want your child to learn a new behavior, track his progress using a chart. For example, if you divide a chart into 24 squares, you can fill one of the squares with a sticker each time your child completes the new task. Once a certain number of stickers have been placed on the chart, it is time for a reward. Charts are useful because they give your child a visual record of accomplishments and provide motivation to keep up the good work to get a reward.
You need to teach your child a hand signal that means he is behaving incorrectly. Not only will this gesture eliminate the need for strong words, but it also simultaneously signifies your cooperative effort.
Create a written list of rules that your children must follow. It is important that they understand the consequences for not following the expectations that have been established. Children thrive when their environment is a structured one. Creating such an environment requires that these rules and consequences are clearly understood by all. Not only do they encourage good behavior, rules can make the job of being a parent easier for both your significant other and you.
When trying to prepare your child for bedtime, always keep the same routine. With a proper routine, your child will connect bedtime with sleeping. When he changes into his pajamas, brushes his teeth, and listens to a story, he knows that sleeping will be next. As your child begins to understand the sequence of events, he or she will offer up less resistance.
When potty training a young child, be sure get him to try regularly, every hour or so. Toddlers are not always aware of the need to use the restroom, and many times they only inform you after the fact. Taking them into the bathroom every couple of hours will help ensure that they don't have an accident. Soon, he will start to notice the urges himself.
Instead of telling your children what not to do, put the emphasis on what they should do. When a child is told they shouldn't do a certain thing, they are more inclined to attempt it because they feel a restriction of freedom. Stressing the positive aspect of things they are permitted to do can increase their confidence and sense of control.
Make sure there is a clean spot on your counter, and roll up a towel. Lay your child down with their back on the towel, and run the water over their hair. Many toddlers fear having their hair rinsed by dunking their head underwater, so this method should take away some of that anxiety.
Routines help people know what to anticipate throughout the day, without surprises. Focus especially on homework time, meal times and bedtime. Being consistent will help a child be more well-behaved.
When potty training a toddler, be sure you walk him to the "potty" regularly. Your toddler hasn't yet learned to let you know that he needs to go, and sometimes it's too late. To minimize accidents, take your child to the bathroom every two hours. The action of sitting down on the potty might remind your child that he does actually need to go.
On the occasions when calming your baby is elusive, apply lavender oil to your neck and cuddle the baby. The smell of the lavender oil will immediately soothe your little one. This will also work well if you are trying to help your baby fall asleep.
If you plan to travel with preschoolers or toddlers, bring along familiar comforting items. While adults view vacations as a much-needed respite from the rest of the world, travel can be very stressful for young children. Keep a favorite blanket or toy around, this will help the adjustment to a new location.
Contribute to a 529 plan to start. These savings plans are state operated, and intended to assist you in saving towards college tuition. Tax benefits are another advantage.
Keep toddler toys rotated from the bottom box. Toddlers normally become bored with a toy after a couple of days, unless the toy is special in some way. Keeping things in rotation preserves the sense of curiosity kids have in their toys, and removes the need to keep buying new ones.
It is important that you get time to yourself, away from your children. Have a family member or friend watch your children, even if it is just for a few hours. Parents that do not get personal or adult time away from children have higher levels of stress that magnify throughout the home.
Giving your kids medicine can be a chore, if you mix it with jelly or honey, they will tolerate taking it better. You can stir a little sugar in with the medicine, or use some orange juice. When applying eye drops, have your child keep their eyes closed, and put the drop directly on the eyelid. When the eye is opened, the drops will fall into place.
Although being a parent is a very rewarding experience, it can difficult at times. Whether you are the parent of a newborn or already have several older children, there is an unending stream of questions and challenges when it comes to parenting. Just remember the advice here when you are searching for some advice to help resolve child-rearing issues that inevitably arise.
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