Teaching Children To Talk With Respectful

Children need to learn respect and one way they learn to be respectful is by watching how their parents interact with one another. If you and your spouse yell a lot, your children will also be yellers. If you constantly confront each other when you disagree, your children will learn to do the same. Teaching your children to respect your husband is going to take time. Start by giving them a time out every time they begin to yell at your husband. Once the time out is over, ask your children why they felt it was necessary to yell and talk back. Don't judge, but listen to their concerns and feelings. Then discuss the matter and come to a calm, rational solution. In time, your children will stop going to the time out area and begin speaking with respect.

Baby's Own Room

Putting your baby in his own room is a comfort issue between you and your husband. If your child has no heath issues, he can probably start sleeping in his own room now. However, I would strongly suggest that you get a baby monitor so that you can hear his breathing and cries.

Also, keep in mind that if your son isn't sleeping through the night yet, you'll have to get up and walk to the other room before you can tend to him. The extra time it takes you to get to the other room could mean the difference between waking up your other children and spouse, and letting them sleep through the night. Also, you might find feedings and diaper changes a lot easier on your personal sleep if you keep your son close by—at least until he sleeps through the night.

Telling Your Child No

Telling your child no is never easy. But there's no other way to say it. When your child wants something you cannot afford, say, "No, you cannot have that. We can't afford that right now." If you explain you cannot afford the item instead of simply saying, "No," you can put a stop to all the nagging. It won't happen over night, but in time, your children will come to understand and accept your answer.

Organizing Your Child's Toys

Organizing your son's room should not be something you dread. Make it fun by letting your son make a mess. Throw all your son's toys in the middle of the room, then take three boxes and label them: donate, trash, keep. One by one, go through the toys with your son and throw away any broken toys, donate any toys he no longer plays with, and keep all toys he's still attached to. Once all your son's toys have been picked through, it's time to organize. Place large toys in a toy box and small toys in small boxes on a bookshelf in your son's room.

Stop The Fighting With Bickering Children

Children often fight and bicker, but if it's getting out of hand, it may be time for a mini-vacation—from each other. Call up a few relatives, call in a few favors, and have each child spend the weekend at a different house. Then take a mini-vacation yourself and rekindle the romance in your relationship. The time apart will definitely be a welcome treat and your kids will come back with lots of fun stories to share with one another.

Tidy Room Tricks : Keeping Your Child's Room Clean

You can help minimize the mess by boxing up all your children's toys, labeling the boxes, and storing them in the garage or basement. Then once a week, have your child box up his (or her) existing toys and take one new box to his (or her) room—to explore! The great thing about this method is that you haven't thrown out any favorite or expensive toys, and your child will feel as though he (or she) has received a new set of toys every week!

Going To Park Without Supervision

If the park in question is only a few blocks away, is not highly infested with crime, drugs, or other dangerous activity, and has some form of open area, consider letting your child walk to the park with the stipulation that he (or she) has to carry a two-way walkie-talkie and must keep it on at all times. If you beep or ask a question, he (or she) must answer or you will be down at that park faster than he (or she) can say boo!

Toddler Nightmares

In the beginning it may seem easy to let your toddler sleep in your bed, but you'll have a hard time getting her to sleep in her own bed when the nightmares stop. Instead, consider placing a sleeping bag on the floor next to your bed. When your child gets up in the evenings, she can simply walk into your room and lay down. In time, those nightmares should go away and your child will be able to sleep through the night in her own room.

Giving Your Child An Allowance

Allowances teach your children responsibility. How much money you give your daughter will depend on how old she is, how much money you have available in your budget, and how much work she does around the house. You can follow the time-out rule and give your daughter one dollar for every year of her age, you can pay her minimum wage, or you can give her a set fee. If you're looking for an exact amount, you could give her $5 per week to blow and then require her to do extra chores around the house for other "wants."

Using Waisted Time Wisely

Use that time wisely. Balance checkbooks, write letters, catch up on your sewing, listen to a Bible study, or complete a project that can be done while sitting in the car. I pick my daughter up from school, travel over to junior high and wait a half hour to pick up my son. We use that time to get her homework done, including reading and vocabulary.

Volunteering In School With Teenagers

You can still be a part of his (or her) school life by volunteering for the school's extra-curricular activities. Be a chaperone at one of the school dances, be an assistant coach for your child's sports team, attend your child's award ceremony or band recital, and let your child know that any time he/she would like you to come to his (or her) classroom to watch one of his (or her) presentations or to simply take his (or her) to lunch, you'll be there. And you promise not to embarrass him/her.

Comforting Teething Babies

Teething babies need your patience more than ever. Offer your teething baby comfort by cuddling her and giving her soft, teething toys. Massage her gums with your fingers. Use Ambisol to numb the teething area and ask your doctor about pain relievers. If your baby is old enough, let her suck on a popcycle.

Give Me 5 Minutes And I'll Give You Quality Time

Whether you work from home, take your work home, or just have a BUSY lifestyle, finding ways to balance your life can be hard. You should never feel like a bad parent because you can't devote as much time as you'd like with your children. But you can feel better about your parenting skills by giving your children more of you. The next time your child comes to you asking for a little help, to watch a movie with him/her, or to watch him perform a new trick, ask your child to give you five minutes to save your work or finish your task. Then spend those precious moments with your child. Even if you only have a few minutes to spare, five minutes of devoted time is worth more than anything you could ever buy or give your child.