Nightmares & Night Terrors in Children- One of the most common concerns of parents is sleep
disturbances, including nightmares and night terrors. Nightmares
occur quite commonly in young children.
On Fast Food and Silver Bullets- When I sat down to write "What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Childhood Vaccinations," I vividly recalled how, when I was a small child, my mother had taken me to the local high school auditorium to stand in line with many other children to get my sugar cube laced with the polio vaccine. I must have also received a vaccination for measles, mumps, and rubella, but I got the measles anyway. The chickenpox vaccine wasn't available when I was young, so I dutifully got my red spots like so many of my friends. We all survived.
Other People's Kids- Do you have a friend, relative or neighbor with kids who drive you crazy
with their misbehavior? I think we all know one family that fits this
description. It puts you into a very uncomfortable position. You know you
can't discipline the kids, but you want to be able to enjoy your time with
their family. What to do?
Pajama Games: Getting children to go to bed- They know every excuse in the book: I need a drink of water. I forgot to give you a hug goodnight. I heard a noise outside my window. Bedtime can be a nightly power struggle for parents when children do not want to go to bed resulting in no winners. Here are some ways parents and children have both won the pajama game:
Positive Thinking for Kids- During their growth and development, children go through many stages of self-doubt. They are always comparing themselves to others, and they often see themselves as coming up short. As parents, we can offset this natural tendency in our children by giving them the skills to think more positively. It is important that you really listen to your children, and help them overcome their negative thoughts and beliefs. This is, of course, easier to do if you practice positive thinking yourself.
Quality Time After Daycare- One of the biggest problems working parents may very well face is the guilt of being away from their children for 8+ hours per day. At times, maybe even feeling as if they are not the ones raising their own child, but that that job is being done by a childcare provider. Finding a happy medium is not an easy task to say in the least.
Raising Well Mannered Children- "Manners are caught, not taught." What a true statement! I learned an important secret from my children's teacher: The first step to teaching kids good manners is to make sure you model them yourself.
Reclaiming Play: Helping Children Learn and Thrive in School- Child development theorists, researchers, and educators have long known that play is one of children's most valuable resources, vital to their social, emotional, and cognitive growth. Through play children make sense of the world around them and work through new experiences, ideas, and feelings.
Saying Sorry- Hannah hit Josh with a block. I did the appropriate thing. I asked Hannah to tell Josh that she was sorry for hitting him. Hannah refused. I guess she wasn't sorry. A few minutes later, Josh kicked over Hannah's blocks. For some crazy reason I thought that Josh might behave in a civil and respectful manner and say he was sorry. He wasn't.
Seven Tips for Eating Out with Kids- Ah... those good old days. Before you had kids, you could eat out just about any time you wanted. There were no worries about wait times and kid-friendly menu choices. Yes, it is more complicated to eat out when you've got a couple of kids in tow, but don't give up altogether.
Simple Mommy Secrets to Choosing the Right Chores for Kids- Several years ago I learned a Mommy Secret from my girlfriend about kids' chores that I've never forgot. Cindy and I were busy chatting away when she announced to her kids: "Chore time!" As quick as a wink they jumped up from playing and scurried to their kitchen where they proceeded to unload dishes, and put clean ones in the cupboard. And they did so without an ounce of help or uttering one complaint. When finished they turned for their mom's sanction (she nodded approvingly), and then grinned and ran back to play.
Stop Picking Your Nose!- Nose picking is often done to relieve anxiety and bring comfort. Because the nose is always at hand (excuse me, I couldn't resist!), it's an addictive habit.
Talking to Your Child: Death of a Pet- The loss of a family pet can be a traumatic time for everyone, but the grief can be especially difficult for children. Death is a tough topic for many parents to discuss with their kids, but it's an important conversation to have.
Tantrums, Fussing and Whining- If you ask parents to list the most frustrating discipline problems during early childhood, you would find that these three items appear on every list. All children master their own version of these behaviors - every parent has to deal with them!
Teaching Good Manners- Good manners are a very important key to your child's social
success, but no child is born with good manners. Teaching them
is a parents responsibility.
The Frequent Mover's Card- More and more people and families are relocating to new cities, states, and sometimes countries for their companies. For those folks who do this often, there should be a frequent mover's card!
The Respectful Child- Often I encounter parents who complain about their child's lack of respect for them, only to hear them turn around and screech at the same child, "Stop it! What is the matter with you? You're behaving like a wild animal!"
Throwing, Catching, & More: Help Develop Your Child's Sports Skills- Motor skills in which an object is typically manipulated (usually by the hands or the feet) are known as manipulative skills. Throwing, catching, and kicking fall into this category - and, as you can imagine, learning and mastering these skills come in handy in a number of game situations. Following the principle of "fundamentals first," you want to be sure your child acquires the ability to execute these important movements.
When Children Lie- Children lie for a variety of reasons. They lie to keep their parents
happy with them, they lie so they won't get in trouble, they lie to
cover embarrassment or inadequacy, or they lie because they don't
make the clear distinction between fact and fiction. Teaching your
child the value of telling the truth takes time, teaching and patience.
Before kids head back to school there's lots of planning to be done. Whether you are looking for fun crafts, great recipes, or frugal shopping ideas, you'll find it all here. Here are a few examples to get you started...
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Send your own photos as an e-card
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Family Matters Radio
FMR is a nationally syndicated radio program developed to help you live your best life, hosted by Caroline & Jacquie. No rants and raves - you get enough of that from your kids. Choose a segment below to begin listening!
"Manners are caught, not taught." What a true statement! I learned an important secret from my children's teacher: The first step to teaching kids good manners is to make sure you model them yourself.
Child development theorists, researchers, and educators have long known that play is one of children's most valuable resources, vital to their social, emotional, and cognitive growth. Through play children make sense of the world around them and work through new experiences, ideas, and feelings.
The loss of a family pet can be a traumatic time for everyone, but the grief can be especially difficult for children. Death is a tough topic for many parents to discuss with their kids, but it's an important conversation to have.
If you ask parents to list the most frustrating discipline problems during early childhood, you would find that these three items appear on every list. All children master their own version of these behaviors - every parent has to deal with them!
More and more people and families are relocating to new cities, states, and sometimes countries for their companies. For those folks who do this often, there should be a frequent mover's card!
Missed the last couple of newsletters? Haven't visited for a while? This section highlights articles and crafts that have recently been added to FC...
Start your own album by 
