Parenting

Although a lot of media attention is given to marijuana or other illicit drug use, alcohol remains the number one drug of choice for many teens despite the long-term dangers.

This article explains why it's so common for teens to lack confidence and gives suggestions to boost your self-esteem.

Tips and suggestions for making playing with toy cars fun for your kids as well as helping their development.

All symptoms of ODD and bipolar disorder have resolved in my son since we started using non-flushing niacin (vitamin B3). He has been 95% symptom-free of his conditions for 11 months now. There is hope. Here's my story.

Become and stay organized with these real life tried and tested tips. Every busy mom needs to learn these winning secrets to being an organized mom.

It is important to have cell phone rules for kids. Your family cell phone policy should include limits on cell phones at night and at school, and you should monitor cell phone contacts for young kids.

When my 4-year-old son was diagnosed with autism, I worried about his future. Could he attend public school, go to college, and get a job? Given his limited social skills, though, the thing I worried about most was whether he'd have friends. With my help, he most definitely did!

A natural playground contains elements from nature, such as trees, grass, rocks, sand, and water. It's a great place for both active play and creative play.

Most people have heard of the “dive reflex,” which apparently means that babies are born able to swim. But there is more to the dive reflex than most of us assume, and some of its effects may not be what you would want for your baby. If you are thinking about teaching a young baby to swim read this article first.

Today's dads are, on the whole, much more involved than fathers have been in the past. Still, all fathers need encouragement to be present to their developing children.

When my not-picky baby turned into a choosy toddler, I developed the Three Foods Method to get him to try any food. I now have a choosy but open-minded grade schooler who eats almost anything.

Here are the top ten tips for young mothers and first-time parents for creating a healthy and happy relationship with your newborn baby.

I am sharing with you the things I've learned being a parent to an 11-year-old boy. Topics include independence, girls, setting rules, friends, and the importance of family time.

If you're wondering how to help your child grow up soundly when one of their parents is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, here's advice from an adult-child of a bipolar father.

Speech and language delays are a concern for many parents, who wonder if their child is simply a "late talker"or if there is a true language disorder present. Learn the signs of a language delay: early intervention is vital to successful treatment.

Achievement comes from within. Even though there are people who teach, motivate, and encourage us in our quest, what we do and what we achieve is up to us. We are in charge of our success. Yet, when it comes to achievement, we’re not all made to do the same things; we are all different.

If your child is beginning to read chapter books and likes funny books, here is a list of kids' all-time favorites.

This is a collection of the nicest things you can say to children to build their confidence and make them feel loved.

Here are six rounds of Family Feud questions for kids. It's a great game for encouraging kids to build reasoning and recollection skills, imagine how others think, and have fun with each other.

Why growing up as a military brat is a unique experience. My childhood as a Navy Junior, daughter of a career Naval officer and Annapolis grad shaped me more than I ever knew

Introverted children might be difficult to understand, especially for extroverted parents. Their thoughts and actions can differ from what is assumed to be normal. This article provides some tips on how to build a strong and meaningful relationship with your introverted child.

A mother and teacher details 5 of the most common and consequential parenting mistakes that moms and dads make. If you're not putting your marriage first and not letting your kids fail, you're going down a perilous path. It's not too late, though, to alter course and save yourself a lot of grief.

Help your baby sleep through the night as kindly and gently as possible. Use these 7 Top tips to help your baby fall into a deep and peaceful sleep...

Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the US. As a former fat kid, the author understands all too well its long-ranging negative impact. While concerned parents want to intervene, they often make matters worse. By focusing only on the weight and not the bigger picture, moms and dads can miss the mark.

We recently ran across a picture for Matilda's Activity Tower on Pinterest. We immediately saw the usefulness and made one for ourselves. Learn why we love this tower and see a few changes we made.

If you are a parent travelling solo with a baby or small children, learn from my mistakes and make your trip go smoothly. I’ve run of nappies/diapers while stranded overnight so you don’t have to, I’ve left the toddler’s favourite blanket in a suitcase that went astray so you don’t have to…

Want to start writing about your experiences as a mom? Here are lots of ideas for topics that can inspire, encourage and entertain. We've all been there!

Moms and dads nag their kids even though research shows it's highly ineffective and damages the parent-child relationship. If they take the time to figure out why they resort to badgering, they can stop this destructive habit and find better ways to motivate their youngsters.

This article discusses tricks for getting your children to love eating vegetables. Preparing them with flavorful ingredients and letting children share ownership in the preparation of vegetables are a few suggested tips.

It's a common belief that bribes are a bad idea, used only by desperate parents. But used correctly in the form of positive reinforcement, this parenting strategy can help children learn what's expected of them and become compliant with parental instructions.

As adults, women who grew up with emotionally absent mothers can feel flat. Because their inner world got ignored as children, they may not know how to nurture it now. But by understanding their past they can make peace with it, embrace all their feelings, and say goodbye to the blahs.

Family dinner time is an important part of raising successful children. Here's how to make your family dinners peaceful and pleasant with good table manners.

Exploring the issue of whether children have a right to participate in decisions that shape their lives or should they be protected from decision making?

Dealing with a serious illness with your child can be a harrowing experience. In this article, you will learn how to treat and prevent serious illnesses such as RSV, Croup, and Whooping Cough in children.

A collection of the tried and tested home remedies for diaper rash (nappy rash), proven to work quickly and safely to relieve your baby's discomfort.

Avoid the mistake of overindulgent parenting that could create self-centered, narcissistic children. Set limits with love and increase your chances of raising children who become healthy adults.

Having a black-sounding name can subject a person to prejudice and employment discrimination. Parents should be aware of this when naming their children.

Toddlers and children may experience a speech delay for a variety of reasons. Use these strategies at home to encourage kids to talk.

My cousins and I grew up with single mothers. These five assets helped us survive the odds predicted for fatherless children. They offer hope, not despair, to single mothers and fatherless children.

Self-absorption, negativity, an inability to plan ahead...these are characteristics of teens that can drive moms and dads nutty. When parents appreciate that their kids' brains are still developing, though, and this behavior is normal, they can relax, stop worrying, and sail through the teen years.

How parental neglect in childhood effected me into adulthood. This article also includes research on how this type of neglect may affect others with similar experiences.

There should be an instruction book for raising another person to adulthood. See parenting fails that make your own bad parenting moments seem not quite so bad. Six important lessons to teach your kids.

Are kids these days being pushed too far with sports, after school activities, clubs, and all the things their parents wished they had as children? Is over scheduling crushing little spirits and minds?

Exposing your child to more than one language early on can benefit them in the future.

A visit from the Tooth Fairy can be a lot of fun. Here are a bunch of ideas to help build a Tooth Fairy tradition and make wonderful memories for your family.

Advertising is a prevalent influence in children's lives. How has it changed over the years, what effect does it have, and what can parents do to counteract its influence?

When you're getting ready for a new baby, deciding what you need now and what you may never use can be pretty overwhelming. Here's my personal list of must-haves and naaaaahhhhs.

Are you looking for a way to break the summer boredom for your kids? Learn how to create Mom Camp, a one week craze of activities to pile on the fun and good times. Your kids will be begging for more Mom Camp!

What is the difference between picky eating and a feeding problem? Learn the top ten signs that signal the need for medical investigation of picky eating in children.

Family game nights are always a great way to bond as a family, even more so if you switch it up and play truth or dare together! Try out this list of 100+ truths and dares for kids!

What you should know if CPS becomes involved in your family, based on my years of experience as a CPS worker.

For many parents, the argument for whether or not to let their new baby suck his or her thumb after birth is a big one. I'll discuss the pros and cons, as well as tips to stop thumb sucking.

Recognizing an inflexible explosive child and what you can do to decrease your child’s frustration and angry outbursts

Fevers are a body's natural method for fighting of viral or bacterial infections. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to lower a fever—a combination of fever-reducing medications and natural fever reducers may be used to comfort a sick child.

Patterns are all around us and they help children to understand the natural order of every day life. Patterns build math vocabulary and concepts.

Helping children cope with death is one of the hardest things you will encounter. But the most important thing is to let them deal with death on their terms.

Recycle toilet paper rolls into binoculars, a kazoo, race tracks, marble runs, and other fun toys for toddlers. These inexpensive crafts will inspire a lot of imaginative play!

Even natural toothpastes aimed at toddlers can contain ingredients that you would not want your child to swallow. This article reviews several natural toothpastes, taking a close look at ingredients as well as taste.

Take back your morning with these 5 habits for a more productive day.

Divorce creates a lot of stress for your kids, especially when they are forced to adjust to living at two homes with different sets of expectations.

Be prepared for your newborn with this list of baby essentials. Learn what you need for the baby and how you can save money buying items for your new baby.

Looking to jazz up your youth group? Starting a new group at your church? Here are more than 50 ideas that will make your weekly youth meetings the place to be!

Sometimes our actions do not reinforce our words. This article cautions against sending mixed messages and provides suggestions for ensuring that your kids understand that "no" means "no".

Childhood memories are the ones that will remain for a lifetime. Here are ways you can create beautiful memories for your children.

Why not make the conversation around the dinner table a little more animated by playing a clean game of family "Never Have I Ever"!

Engaging children is easy when you know how. It can be difficult at first (believe me I know!) but follow the tips below and you will soon find that engaging with children and keeping their attention has become second nature. If you don't have a...

Help your child build stronger creative writing skills through a variety of games and other suggested activities. Includes writing prompts for teens.

The article discusses how young children use the internet and provides strategies for keeping children safe when they are online.

With the right programming, a television can provide entertainment and education for children. However, as we all know, it contains a significant amount of negative images. Learn more about its influence and how to counteract it.

If your baby is peeing through their diapers every night, it will inevitably cause problems sleeping for both you and your little one. Here are nine of the best tips for stopping nighttime diaper leaks.

With competitive job markets, and a need for people to step up and take leadership roles, it has become important that we instill strong leadership qualities in our children. Here are some tips and ideas on how to shape the future leaders of the world.

Reading the statistics on what happens as a premature baby grows up can frighten parents. But statistics only paint half the picture. Read this article to see how to look behind them.

Not everything our parents told us when we were kids has become irrelevant. In fact, these five pieces of advice have stood the test of time and are even supported by scientific research.

This article will break down three different ways to get a baby that is accustomed to breastfeeding to finally take a bottle.

This advice is relevant in recovering from ANY abusive relationship, not just at the hands of narcissistic parents, but also spouses/lovers, siblings, bosses, etc.

Great toys for three year olds are simple and meet the developmental needs of a child moving from babyhood to childhood. Preschoolers need toys that foster language, gross motor, and social/emotional development. Don't break the bank—find out what toys matter for this age group!

Modern cell phones can be great things for kids to have but they present a number of risks as well. Find out what a parent can do to protect their kids or monitor their activity.

Ways to teach your children empathy (caring for other people and caring for animals), and why that is so important. Being empathetic is essential to success in all areas of a person's life. Empathy begins at home.

Want to cloth diaper for the first time but have no idea where to start? Here's what I used to cloth diaper my girls from infancy through toddlerhood and what I would have added to my registry in hindsight.

This is the story of how I was affected by my controlling mother, and how I overcame the psychological consequences of overbearing parents.

This article provides suggestions of books to read with a baby from newborn to one year. It includes tips on contrast and textures, along with recommendations of the best books from my personal experience.

Deciding when to have kids can be a complicated process, but deciding when to close the book on the baby-making chapter can be even more so. Here's my top reasons for not having any more kids.

Chinese New Year marks the beginning of the Chinese calendar year, and each year is named after an animal. This tale of the Chinese zodiac is an animal story based on the great race. Add it to your collection of short bedtime stories for kids.

In this article, you will learn lots of fun and unexpected ways to use glow sticks, including games and party ideas as well as decor ideas for weddings and birthdays.

Car insurance for teen drivers cost more since accidents by teenage drivers are the number one cause of death among teens. Tips to help decide if your teenager is ready to drive are given.

Want to buy infant formula that's hypoallergenic, dairy-free or lactose-free? They're useful when baby has dairy or soy allergy or intolerance, suffers with colic. stomach ache, gas or spit up. Maybe you're vegan or Jewish or Muslim and need a specialist formula for lifestyle reasons...

Don't be bored this summer! Here are 101 fun hobbies for teenage girls; everything from playing on your phone to hanging out with friends! You're sure to find something fun to do!

Be prepared with necessary supplies for your baby or young children as well in the event of an emergency or disaster. The article includes extra items to consider for your baby or young child(ren).

It's important to understand the positive and negative effects of technology on kids so that you can make the best decisions possible for your children and what they are exposed to. Technology isn't all bad—it has some great positives—but you need to truly understand the scary side of it.

A parent lets go of her child during stages of child development, allowing the child to grow up and eventually become independent. This can be more difficult for the parent than it is for the child.

The overuse of social media, including Facebook, can have a definite impact on teenagers and parents should be aware of the potential negative effects on kids.

How many children can one woman give birth to in a lifetime? How many children can one man father? Who is the oldest and youngest mother, father, and grand parent on record? How big was the world's heaviest infant? Perplexing questions with startling answer, all right here, along with many other reproductive records.

Sometimes a stroller is needed for an older, larger child. This article reviews different stroller types for big kids, and provides examples of stroller alternatives, jogging strollers, and large umbrella strollers.

Most of us experienced some degree of name-calling when we were kids, from siblings and classmates. But what happens to a person's psyche when those hurtful words came from their own parent? New research reveals that verbal abuse can be just as damaging as other forms of mistreatment.

Crave advice from an experienced mom? I give the best advice I learned in parenting my five children into adulthood.

The Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer & Stroll Trike is a great toy for any young child who likes to play outside. With the steering handle, you can push your child around even if he is too young to pedal. And when he gets bigger, you can remove the steering handle so he can pedal on his own.

Learn the rules to some easy and classic card games which are good to play with children. With classics like Snap, Old Maid, Go Fish, Crazy Eights and Rummy, card games are a great way to spend some family time together.

The weather is finally getting warmer and the days are growing longer. It's time to get outside with the kids and do fun things that cost virtually nothing. Go on a scavenger hunt. Eat green eggs and ham to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday. Make a "bug bottle," and learn how to compost!

There are adaptive toys for special needs children, you just have to know where to find them. This article offers a list of resources for choosing, finding, and adapting toys.

Find out what environmental factors determine how your child will develop. You may have more control than you think.