Parenting | Parent's Planet

Parenting tips

When it comes to parenting no one ever told you it was going to be an easy ride. Parents aren’t given a parenting manual, they just learn on a trial and error basis. What used to work for you when you were a child, might not work with your own children. The following are some tips for being effective with discipling your children.

if you want to get through to your children and refrain from spanking the key is consistency. If you say that you are going to do something if the child misbehaves and you don’t act on that, they child will then get the picture that they can most likely get away with the behavior, and the next time they do it, your threats won’t mean anything.

If your child misbehaves consider taking away what they love the most. This could range from anything to a particular privlege, a toy, an electronic devise ect.

Make sure to set guidelines. Write out your household rules. Explain them to your child, and also explain to your children what will happen should they choose to misbehave and not follow the household rules. It is imparitive to make sure that you are consistent and that you follow through with what you say you will do. Speak on your childs level and make sure that they know that if they misbehave that the same discipline will happen each time. If they can predict the consequences for their misbehavior then more likely then not you will find that the children will behave.

Filed Under: Family, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Family, Parent

Top 3 Reasons to Refinance Your Car Loan

Refinancing a car loan is a good way to save money in uncertain economic times. If you’re uncertain about refinancing a car loan, there are several good reasons that could change your mind.

If you or your spouse have recently been laid off or demoted, money is probably tight. Refinancing your car and extending the time of the loan can free up money every month, helping you keep up on other bills. This could be a way for parents who just brought a child into the world to maximize the money available for their baby.

Many people buy cars when they are young and have either poor credit or very little credit history. Banks often give higher interest rates to people in this situation. If you’re locked into a car loan with a high interest rate, refinancing may get you a lower rate. Doing this will save you money every month. Additionally, having a lower interest rate means that you’ll pay less interest over the life of the loan.

While some people with no credit take a higher interest rate, others may have a cosigner on their car loans. If you have a cosigner, but time has elapsed since initially agreeing to the loan, you may be able to find a more competitive interest rate. Paying on time raises your credit score and makes you eligible for a loan with a lower interest rate and no cosigner. Looking up car refinance loans in this situation not only saves you money, it takes a burden off of your cosigner.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Credit history, Interest rate, Loan

New Mother, Newborn: Tips for Parenting

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There’s no force in this world more natural than motherhood. This is the expectation all women share, with knowledge meant to be gleaned through pregnancy and efforts meant to be easy.

The truth, however, is far less simple.

New parents may instead falter. Their children can prove to be enigmatic: with every desire misunderstood and every need mistaken. And this can lead to anxiety — which can greatly impact attempts at mothering.

It’s imperative therefore that first-time parents remember these suggestions:

Understand Limitations

Perfection isn’t easily won. It’s gained instead through time (earned with years, not instinct). It’s vital then that all new mothers recognize their limitations. Never assume that experience isn’t needed. Choose instead to remember that each day will offer new lessons and new understandings.

Seek Support

Help is an unfortunate word: this is the belief of many first-time mothers. No aid should be needed; no support should be sought. Their children should be reliant only on them. This is the natural order of parenthood. That order must be forgotten, however. Ask for assistance. Allow those with practical knowledge to provide suggestions. Learn from their mistakes. Accept their advice.

Defy Shame

Uncertainty is too common. Inadequacy is all too familiar. Mothers may find themselves struggling to blend the obligations of their past lives with their new ones. Every gesture may seem to fail. Every attempt can seem strained. And this can summon feelings of shame and anger. Do not accept them. Remember instead to remain calm. Don’t become overwhelmed. Voice all concerns and receive help for them — rather than burying them all.

Use these suggestions to battle worries and gain balance.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: childsupport, Home, Mother, Parent

Learning to Love Reading with 10 Titles for Kids

Children with extra pressures and anxieties might find reading difficult or unproductive. It’s possible that the content of the books they’ve read thus far don’t speak to them, or they provide additional tension in their lives. The following 10 books contain subject matter that is peaceful and relatable. The books vary in reading level and subject matter, but all of them are sure to interest young children and produce in them a desire to learn and read more.

All-of-a-Kind Family
The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
Betsy-Tracy
The Cobble Street Cousins
One Morning in Maine
Cheaper by the Dozen
The Penderwicks
Little House on the Prairie
Homer Price
The Great Brain

The titles above will hopefully provide a spark in children and lead them to love reading. Children and families living in poverty have lower levels of literacy for various reasons. It’s tough for children to find time to read when they have to deal with the stresses of their lives. They might have to take care of their little sister or brother when they get home from school, or they might live in a district with low-funded schools that can’t provide every student with books.

Luckily, there are a number of charities that raise money for families in need. Kars 4 Kids, for example, accepts donations of cars and uses the proceeds of the car sales to benefit underprivileged children. If charities such as Kars4kids can continue to assist families, perhaps the rates of literacy will increase.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Book, childrens literature, Readability

Keeping Your Sanity While Raising Your Children

Have you ever wondered how parents keep their sanity while raising their children? How did your parents do it? Nowadays there are so many things we have to worry about that your parents did not have to consider when raising you. There are environmental dangers, social dangers, technology dangers, etc. How do we sort it all out, deal with the day-to-day problems of raising children, and manage it all without losing it? Well, we love our children and it is our job to “keep it together.” It isn’t always easy, but it is worth it.

As far as the dangers in the world, there is nothing we can really do to change the fact that those dangers are there; but, we can do whatever possible to protect our children from them. Do your research. Learn about the dangers, how to avoid them, and how to protect your children before they even reach the age that it is an issue. Set very firm boundaries for your children and stick to them. Teach your children your expectations, values, and goals for them. Trust your children.

Keeping your sanity also has a lot to do with how you manage contention, arguments, and defiance. These attributes begin in your child at a very young age. The level of defiance with change over time, which means the way you deal with your child’s behavior will also change. Talk to other parents and get ideas from them about how they have managed the difficulties you may be dealing with. Take a deep breath and try to focus on the issue at hand. When all else fails… take a hot bath, read a good book, recharge yourself, and try again tomorrow!

Filed Under: Budgeting, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Health, Parent

Fetal Development in the Third Trimester

You have made it this far in your pregnancy and you are nearing the end. Your baby has gone from a single egg and sperm to a fully developed little person! As you enter your third trimester there are still many changes going on with your body and your baby’s body. There is a lot of growing and development that still needs to take place before your baby is ready to be born.

As you enter the seventh month of your pregnancy you will notice that your baby is probably pretty active now. You can feel his movements most of the day and night. The movements are obvious enough now that other people may even be able to see the baby’s movements. He can open and shut his eyes and can even cry. The baby may even develop hiccups. His bones are fully developed at this point and he will continue to increase in body fat and size.

In the eighth month there is not a lot of new development. Your baby will continue to grow and increase his body fat and size. He will be maturing during this time in preparation for life in the outside world. Your baby may spend most of his time sleeping now.

You finally made it! You are in the last month of your pregnancy. In the ninth month the baby is preparing for the birthing process. He will be moving around to position his head in the downward position in preparation for entering the birth canal. Although he may spend a lot of time resting and sleeping, you will most likely notice a lot of active times as well.

Filed Under: Budgeting, Parenting Tagged With: Dwarfism, Infant, Pregnancy

How Long Should You Wait Before Introducing Your Date to Your Kids?

Trying to meet that someone special can present a special set of challenges when you have kids. Rejoining the dating world can sometimes be hard to do. Not only do you need to be honest with potential partners, you also have to look out for your children’s emotional health.

Whether you are just looking for someone to share good times with, or you’re trying to find someone with whom to build a long-term relationship, your children’s feelings play an important part in how the relationship progresses. How your children feel about you dating is an important factor. Are they enthusiastic about you meeting someone, or are they resistant to sharing your attention? While their opinions should not necessarily dictate what you do, they can help you figure out when the time is right to introduce them to your partner.

Most women don’t want to rush this occasion, and some feel more comfortable when they know the relationship shows some potential. Not only do you not want to bring home someone you are not yet totally comfortable with, but you also don’t want to get your children too emotionally involved with your partner if the relationship does not work out. Sometimes, it’s best to use a wait-and-see approach. This can help you get a better handle on everyone’s feelings.

One way to speed up the process is by meeting prospective partners online. Getting to know someone via the Internet can eliminate many of the difficulties that come with balancing dating and kids. Not only is it a fun way to meet people without the drama of social situations, but it’s usually easier to weed out guys who aren’t interested in seeing single moms with families. Likewise, when you can talk to someone about kids long before you commit to going out, you have already conquered one important obstacle.

No matter what your situation, you can find a partner both you and your kids will love.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Dating, Interpersonal relationship

Keeping the Home Computer Tuned Up

Keeping children on an electronic ‘leash’ used to be nearly impossible. If a parent was out of the house, an intrepid child could easily gain access to virtual places that any responsible parent wouldn’t want their child to visit. That’s changed, and as the Internet’s offerings have deepened in recent decades, so too have the security advances that keep your child’s computer use in line with your rules. Of course, it’s important to allow your child enough freedom on a computer that they can retain some interest in what it offers. With too many restrictions, a child’s interest in this essential device will dim.

Determining what to allow and what to prevent is difficult. Keeping your kids away from porn and chat rooms where strangers can enter and solicit sexual behavior is obvious. Figuring out what time limits to set on computer use is more difficult. Fortunately, with parental controls included in numerous software packages, approaching these points is straightforward. So too is knowing what to worry about, as programs are sold which include protections and safeguards that you’ve possibly never thought of, nor considered. Have you ever thought of putting a firm time limit on computer use, so your kids aren’t playing online games at two in the morning, as you sleep? In a way, today’s computers are every parent’s dream come true, as they can be modeled after a parent’s wishes.

Keeping a child’s online experience safe is one important step in computing. Another is to keep a computer running well. A poorly running machine is a nuisance that’s best avoided, just like skipping oil changes in a car. PC Tools registry software helps keep your computer operating smoothly. Just as keeping your child from visiting online sites that offer unacceptable content to your child is essential, so too is keeping your registry clean and the operating performance of your computer swift.

Filed Under: Budgeting, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Online game, Registry cleaner

Bringing the Pump to Work

Managing breastfeeding while maintaining a busy career can be hectic, and some days you may feel like throwing your pump in the garbage. How can you uphold the responsibilities of your demanding job while defending your conviction to breastfeed?

Be committed. Juggling aspects of work life with those of parenting are demanding, and settling for formula is a quick and easy solution to your problems. If you’ve decided that breastfeeding is best for the health of you and your baby, don’t give in, no matter how tempting the alternative.

Begin breastfeeding early and establish a regular feeding schedule before you return to work. This will ensure some regularity to your milk production, making those break times for pumping more consistent and bearable for your co-workers.

Talk to your supervisor about the specifics of when and where you should pump. Since you need to keep the pumping time as similar to the regular feeding time as possible, you can expect to pump every two to three hours. You may want to see if your boss or co-workers object to you pumping at your desk or in the break room. The restroom or an empty office may be better options.

Take as much maternity leave as possible, even if that means using vacation time or unpaid leave. The longer you breastfeed, the easier the transition back to work will be. Consider telecommuting if your company offers it, or start by going back to work part-time. If your place of employment offers on-site day care, feedings will be much simpler.

If you must hire a caregiver, make sure she is familiar with breast milk feedings. If not, explain to her thoroughly how to go about thawing and warming up the milk and have a written system in place such as labels to make the instruction more clear.

Talk to sympathetic co-workers or friends who have pumped at work, and fall back on that support system when necessary.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Breast milk, Breastfeeding, Employment

Perfect Presents

Being a kid is tough. Your peers do not judge you based on compassion or intelligence. Part of being a kid is fitting in. Parents need to help their children fit in by providing them with enough clothes and toys so that their sons and daughters are not without toys, and risk being social outcasts at school. For parents, getting their son or daughter the best birthday present is not only a manner of pleasing their child but also an act that can solve their difficulties with fitting in at school.

Letting the kids fit in at school might be a practical reason for giving the children what they want, but one of the more fulfilling parts of being a parent is spoiling the children on their birthdays. Back in the 1950s, giving a child a preferred present might have meant cutting back a bit prior to picking out a favored bicycle. Since the 1990s, electronics have been on the top of most wish lists. The Sony Playstation came out at the end of the 90s. It was the premier video game system, which followed in a line of systems that dated back to the Atari home entertainment system. Once of the most popular gifts now is the Playstation 3, which originally cost more than $600 when it was issued to the public.

The cost of gifts for children has increased in recent years. This means that parents need to seek out alternative sources of funding to pay for top of the line gifts for their children. Paydayone.com is an excellent resource to find temporary loans to pay for gifts for birthdays, Christmas or nearly any other occasion. Part of being a parent is making the dreams of your children come true. Paydayone.com can turn an average birthday into a spectacular one.

Filed Under: Family, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Gift, Parent, PlayStation