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Separation anxiety can be a very traumatic thing for both parents and children.  Often times, parents feel a sense of anxiety when leaving their child for the first time.  And in some instances, the children can feel the sense of anxiety and it will actually raise their own anxiety.  However, there are a variety of different steps you can take and work through the anxiety.  Typically speaking, separation anxiety begins around the ages of 8 months to 18 months.  And while it may seem like a terrible ordeal to go through, your little one will learn some valuable lessons.  Your child will learn that while you may leave, you will always return. 

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by Jennifer Shakeel

In today’s society it is hard for an grown adult to have high self esteem, so imagine what it is like for a child. Bombarded by images on television, in magazines, billboards as well as the radio that very few people can live up to. It is important that we are teaching our children how to like who they are as people. Liking yourself is what self esteem is.

There are a number of books you can read and books that you can get for your child that all talk about self esteem and how to improve it, but if you are interested in what works the best then you need to take a look at what you are doing as a parent. The best role model in the world is you. How you talk to your child, and respond to what they say has a huge impact on their level of self esteem.

I will never forget the day that my daughter came home and asked me if I thought she was fat. I asked her why she would ever think she was fat, “I don’t look like Britney Spears.” I looked at her and told her that she was an absolutely beautiful 5 year old that had way more going for her then Miss Britney did, and so far I have been right. Yes, I said five years old… she was in kindergarten. It broke my heart really.

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By Dr. Caron Goode

One of most frustrating stages of toddlerhood can be when a child learns to master the word “no.”

Between the ages of 15 and 30 months, a toddler begins to realize that he is a separate person from his parents; a person who has his own will and his own mind. As this realization sets in, a child begins to discover his independence and begins to practice asserting this independence to all who will listen. It’s this stage of development that is usually marked by a child singing a seemingly continuous chorus of a loud and proud “no.”

Although on the surface it may seem that the child is being defiant and difficult, a young child who is constantly saying “no” is in a monumental phase of early childhood development. When parents aren’t coached to recognize this stage for what it is, the result can be frequent power struggles between parent and child.

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Today’s teenagers are constantly subjected to various types of anxiety and stress. Doing a good job parenting can be a challenge in these situations. As parents, church leaders, teachers, activity directors, and any other type of individual that deals directly with teenagers, it is essential to know and understand the amount of stress this age group faces, as well as the potential anxiety that may be experienced. As a parent, it is often difficulty to approach a teenager and discuss the topics of potential anxiety and even basic stress. However, it is not only our responsibility as parents, but necessary for the emotional intellect of our teenage children.

What is Teen Stress?

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Parenting and being a parent is probably the hardest job a person can have. It involves long hours, sacrifices, and constant adaptability. It is also the most rewarding job any person can have. The method of raising children changes over the years as more and more information is provided and more studies into what works and what does not are presented. There is one thing however that does not change no matter what parenting style you have chosen to use with your children and that is the battles you will have in regards to authority.

It is the nature of children to rise up against their parents on issues when they are younger to see what they can get away with as they grow older to gain their independence. As a parent it is important to know when to stand your ground and when letting the child make the decision for themselves is appropriate.

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It is the parent’s responsibility to help teach and prepare our children for what lies ahead in their lives, to show them what the values of Green Living, and learning about the earth are really all about. These Green Living Tips are targeted more to the parents than to the children, simply because the child will be at such a young age. Whatever a parent does with their kids will be as much fun for the parent as for the child.

When a parent starts teaching their children while they are young, it sets in their mind and most of the time, the things you teach them will always be with them. If you live in a rural area, and you have a garden spot, give your child a small space for them to grow something of their own. For instance, Don’t just plant vegetables, make it fun for the youngsters, let them plant things that they would like, even if it is something like gourds, or watermelons. A parent would take the time to make sort of a game with their young ones, buying some seeds, showing the child how to plant them and then taking their child outside often to check the progress of the plants. Once the plant blooms, if it is a flower, the child will get to see and smell the work that they have put into this project. If the plant was a food source, the child will get to taste the fruit of their hard work. There is not only gardening in the spring, but there are fall veggies that can be planted. You can even sit down with your children and let them help pick out the flowers and vegetables for next years garden.

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by Angie Shiflett

Many parents eventually learn that their child has a medical issue, illness, or disability. This can be an emotionally overwhelming time for the family. I know, because I have been there. My oldest son was born with a minor physical deformity. The doctors referred to it as a “unilateral cleft lip”. They informed me that he would require the care and attention of many specialists throughout his childhood, and that he would need to have plastic surgery at approximately three months of age. I never thought that I would parent a child who had a condition like this, but I had always believed that regardless of what came our way with our children, I would love them none the less. Here, I will offer you my experience when it comes to parenting a child with special needs.

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How Working Parents Can Build and Keep Stong Family Bonds

Parenting is a tough job, and in today’s society being a parent is harder than ever. Most households with two parents, are looking at or also need two incomes. Both parents are working full time and nowadays, full time is rarely a 40 hour week. Many times working parents are putting in 60, 80 or more hours. If they are not at the office or job site working, they are traveling or bringing it home with them to finish up. Unfortunately, even working this hard sometimes, the ends barely meet when it comes paying the bills and other financial obligations.

As a result, children are often left in the care of schools, daycares, and after care programs. This leaves parents struggling to provide for their families both financially and emotionally. Being disconnected leads to a host of problems, and leads children to believe that they can not come and talk to you as their parent when they need assistance. There are a few things that as working parents you can do to help provide and maintain a connection with your children.

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By Julie Baumgardner

Once the decision was made to start a family, John and Susan went from living in a loft and having people over all the time to living in a house in a quiet neighborhood with friends coming over significantly less often. “It was definitely a dramatic change for us,” said Susan. “It was hard to give up our two-seater convertible, but we knew it wasn’t a family car. We had hoped we could keep it and add a family car, but since we couldn’t predict our expenses after Caroline’s birth, we traded it in.”  Caroline arrived in October of 2005. Even though she has a great temperament and her parents describe her as an “easy” baby, she still rocked their world.

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More and more families are becoming blended families which means that parents are remarrying and children and gaining new step parents.  This can also mean some rocky roads ahead.  Blended families rarely mesh together easily and seamlessly, there is usually a great deal of adjustment and often a lot of conflict.  Step children may be resentful to the new parent, feeling that the step parent wants to take the biological parent’s place.  Children can become surly, depressed and combative.  They may act out at home or at school causing their parents a great deal of stress and worry.  This is normal, but that knowledge does not make the transition any easier.  These tips, however, might.

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Earth Day and kids go hand in hand. This is a special day set aside to bring awareness to conservation efforts and help educate people on how to be more earth friendly.  Parents can use April 22nd to teach their kids how to respect the earth and what they can do to make a difference.

One thing that most people do anyway is to recycle.  If you don’t, contact your trash service and request recycling pick up.  Most trash companies will do this for free, but you may need to use their special recycling bin.  Kids can learn to recycle in several different ways.  First, teach them how to identify whether an item is able to be recycled or not.  The easiest way to check this is to look for the recycling symbol on the item.  Things like plastic bottles and newspapers are almost always recyclable.

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by Pam Smith 

Building a relationship with step kids may not always be an easy task. This can be especially true if you are dealing with older kids. Many step kids live with the notion that their parents will one day get back together. After all, they were once in love, why can’t they be again. Therefore, in their minds they only have enough room in their hearts for one mom and one dad. However, there are a variety of different steps you can take, in order to make your transition into step parenting a smoother, more enjoyable one.

One of the first steps to keep in mind is that you are not there to replace their biological parent. It is important that you understand your role as their step parent and share that with your step kids. In most instances, a step kid will be more receptive if they understand you are not trying to replace their mom or dad. Therefore, start your relationship off as merely their friend.

When you first begin your role as a step parent, it is important that you start slowly. Don’t jump into the situation head first. Instead, gradually work to build a relationship. The more time you take getting to know your step kids, the better your relationship will be. If you are the lucky step parent of younger children, come down to their level. Spend time playing games with them or going to the local park. Older kids may enjoy a shopping trip to the mall or a long bike ride.

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Parenting is much more than just teaching your kids right and wrong, good or bad, or health and fitness. It is also about “respect”. I’m not talking about your kids or teens necessarily  
respecting you, it is about you having respect for them, particularly for their privacy. By respecting your children, they will be more open and respect you.

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Parents always hope for the best when bringing a child into the world. When my son was born and I held him for the first time, I could not stop the tears. I wanted my him to be happy and knew that I would do whatever I could for my child and that I would do anything to help him achieve and reach his lifes goals.

The first step in this quest is teaching our kids about responsibility. This starts the moment the child is able to understand and do simple things to the time they reache the teenage years.

Here are some things that will help teach the teens about responsibility.

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