Raising Children With Positive Self-Esteem

Self-esteem is important throughout life, but it is in childhood when its foundation is laid. It's our job as parents to help our children build self-esteem. We may do and say things that are bad for our kids' self-esteem without even realizing it, so it is important to make a conscious effort to help them develop and maintain a positive opinion about themselves.

Listening to Your Child

One thing that parents often overlook is the fact that children need us to listen to what they have to say. When we don't, they feel unworthy of our attention. And that can put a damper on their self-esteem.

Making it a point to listen fully to what your child has to say will let him know that you value his stories and opinions. Sometimes we just don't have the time to listen at the very moment they want to talk, but it's important to let them know that it's not because we don't want to. Set a time to sit down and talk if necessary, and stick with it.

When Your Child Misbehaves

When children are misbehaving, it is easy to forget about keeping their self-esteem intact. But it is very important to make the distinction between bad behavior and a bad child.

By describing the specific behavior as bad rather than telling your child that he himself is bad, you can let him know that it is not him as a person that you disapprove of. It is his actions. Children who feel that their parents disapprove of them are not only more likely to develop low self-esteem, they also tend to misbehave more.

Give the Right Kinds of Compliments

Complementing your child when he does well is important, because it reinforces both self-esteem and good behavior. But even complements can sometimes do damage. Backhanded complements do nothing but cause hurt feelings. Try to refrain from alluding to negative things your child has done when giving complements. You can accomplish much more by keeping praise completely positive.

It's also important not to overdo the praise. While it is great to recognize the good things your child does, it is possible to put too much pressure on him. Being specific with your praise, such as telling your child you are proud of him for bringing his math grade up from a C to an A, accomplishes more than telling him that he is the smartest kid in the class or the world.

It is important to start building a child's self-esteem at a young age. Doing so will encourage him to be the best that he can be and to resist peer pressure. By listening to our children and keeping their self-esteem in mind at all times, we can raise them to be happy, confident people.

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Baby Sleep Problems - What Effect Does Feeding Have?

By Chris Towland

New Mums and Dads and even parents with several kids, often find that their little baby may not be sleeping as well as he or she should.

Many parents look for the underlying cause of the problem, hoping to find a simple answer. This also leaves some parents questioning if feeding could have something to do with the problem.

The intent of this article is to investigate further into the different aspects of feeding your small baby and examine the effects that feeding could perhaps have on a babys sleeping routine and habits.

First, we should list the particular feeding areas that we will be discussing. These are:
Mixing Breast-feeding and Bottle Feedings
Feeding your baby to sleep
What are YOU eating and can it affect your babys sleeping pattern?
Can solids help your baby sleep?

Mixing Breast-feeding and Bottle Feedings

It is believed that a mixture of bottle and breast in feedings could potentially lead to sleeping problems. There are a couple of different reasons for this when you are breast-feeding your little baby. With each feeding, the breast is signaling to the brain that more milk needs to be produced for the following feeding. When a bottle is incorporated into feedings, this process could be interfered with. The breast will start to produce less milk due to the less frequent breast feedings.

Also, during the times when you do breast-feed your baby, he or she will not get as full with the breast-feeding because of the lessening of milk supply. Therefore your baby will require feeding more frequently which will mean his or her sleep patterns will be interrupted by the need for feeding.

Feeding your baby to sleep

Feeding your child until he or she goes to sleep may be creating a problem with their sleep patterns. Your baby will soon begin to recognize that you feed him or her at bedtime. This will become something they depend on and expect. Normally, this will be the situation with each waking throughout the night as well.

There are of course, techniques you can use to stop your baby from depending on feedings to fall asleep.

Firstly, change the time or the amount of time you feed your baby when nearing his or her bedtime. Doing so will gradually remove the association of bedtime with feeding.

Another option is to feed your child earlier in the evening instead of as a bedtime routine. When you do these things your baby will not associate feeding with bedtime. This will help your baby to learn to fall asleep on his or her own accord.

What are YOU eating and can it affect your babys sleeping pattern?

The answer quite simply is yes. As a breast-feeding mom, everything that you drink or eat will affect your breast milk. If you do not eat the correct amount of foods and calories daily, your breast milk is greatly affected. It is important that you eat the recommended three meals daily and maybe a few snacks in between. Your milk needs to have adequate calories in it in order for your baby to feel nicely full and satisfied. If it does not, he or she will continue to feed longer until full.

You need to eat healthier foods and eat them more regularly, as well as having plenty to drink throughout the day. This will help your milk supply, thus helping your baby and his or her sleep patterns. The fuller your baby feels, the better he or she will sleep.


Will solids help your baby to sleep?

Many people believe this will help, but studies have not associated any change in babies who were fed by the breast and / or bottle and those who are fed solids. This has not been proven to help the baby to sleep at all. Generally, Doctors do not recommend adding solid foods prior to six months of age.

Chris Towland

If your baby is having sleep problems then take a look at The Baby Sleep Solution audio program. It's the quickest way to solve your baby sleep problem - guaranteed! Take a look now at: www.BabySleepSolution.com

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Is My Teen Ready for Spring Break Away from Home?

Spring break is coming up, and you're looking forward to spending some quality time with the kids. Maybe you've even planned a trip or some activities for the week. And then your teen comes to you and asks if she can take a trip with her friends. What do you do?

This is a tough question for many parents. We've all heard the horror stories of teens and young adults who have been victims of crime during spring break. Your first instinct may be to panic and say no, but wait. It's important to hear your teen out before making a decision.

Once your teen has told you what it is she wants to do, ask her some questions. Here are a few that it's good to know the answers to, if she hasn't already told you:

* Will there be a responsible adult chaperone present?
* What is the destination, and where would she be staying?
* Who else is going, and are these the kinds of people she would be allowed to hang out with at home?
* Who is in charge of setting up the travel, activities, and accommodations?

Has Your Teen Earned Your Trust?

When considering letting your teen go on a spring break trip without you, it is important to examine any trust issues. If you have had problems with your teen lying to you on a regular basis, it is probably not a good idea to allow her to go. If you're not sure that she is telling you the truth about the trip, it's possible that she could end up in danger.

If, on the other hand, your teen has always been honest with you, it is best to give her request serious consideration. If she has answered all of your questions to your satisfaction, that is good. But it's also a good idea to do some investigating of your own.

What Kind of Research Should I Do?

First, see what you can find out about the proposed destination. Is it frequented by spring breakers? What is the crime rate? Have there been reports of kidnappings or other crimes against kids there on spring break?

If the destination looks okay, check out the people behind the trip. If it is planned by an organization, do some research to find out if they are on the up and up. Some unscrupulous organizations take advantage of young people who are looking to have some spring break fun.

If everything checks out, consider letting your teen go on the trip. She is at a stage where developing independence is very important, and such a trip could be good for her. Just be sure that she understands that the rules of conduct that would apply at home also apply while she is away, and that she knows everything she needs to know to stay safe.

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Easter Game Ideas for Kids

Easter is a wonderful time of year that is full of joy. The kids are full of energy, especially after all the candy from their Easter baskets. What better way to wear off some of that energy than to play some games?

Peter Cotton Tail Relay - There are a couple of ways to play this relay game. Both use cotton balls and have the players divide into two teams. For the first variation, the kids have a bowl of cotton balls in front of them (one cotton ball for each child) and an empty bowl on the other side of the room. Give each team a spoon (a small plastic spoon for older kids, and a larger serving spoon for younger kids). Each child picks up one cotton ball in their spoon, and carries it to the empty bowl, runs back and hands off the spoon to the next child. The first team to transport all the cotton balls to the other bowl wins. They can't touch the cotton ball with their other hand except to pick it up if it falls to put it back on the spoon.

The other version of this game needs to be played indoors, as the children have to use their own straw to blow the cotton ball to a line and back again. The first team to get all their cotton balls across the finish line and back across the finish line wins.

Colored Eggs - Another fun game to play at Easter is Colored Eggs. This game can also be played two ways. If they are outdoors, it can be played like tag, with "eggs" standing together, with the wolf between them and the Easter Bunny. One child is The Wolf, who wants to steal all the colored eggs from the basket. Another child is the Easter Bunny and gives all the eggs their color, by whispering the color to each child and moves to the other side of the playing area (with the wolf standing between the bunny and the eggs). When the wolf calls out a color, the egg of that color must run to the Easter Bunny before the wolf tags them. The first child tagged becomes the next Wolf and the Wolf becomes the Easter Bunny.

If the children are inside, there is only a Wolf and an adult is the Easter Bunny, giving out the colors. It is then played like musical chairs and the wolf can call two or three colors at a time. The eggs all jump up and run to an empty chair. The last child standing becomes the next Wolf. The Wolf can also "upset the basket" and all the eggs have to run for a new chair.

Mother Bunny, May I? - A simple game for younger children is playing Mother, May I? but have the child call Mother Bunny instead of Mother. The only moves they can make are bunny hops.

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Three Homemade Easter Basket Ideas for Boys

What kid doesn't enjoy getting a basket of treats on Easter morning? Boys quickly outgrow stuffed bunnies and chicks, but still want a basket for Easter. It can be fun to put together unique baskets for the sons, grandsons and nephews in your family. By focusing on their interests, and adding their favorite sweet treats, it can be pretty easy to put together great themed baskets. Here are three ideas to inspire you to create your own homemade Easter baskets.

Sports - Whether the boys in your family play sports, or just enjoy watching their favorite team, a sport themed basket is sure to score big. Sports trading cards are always popular with young boys. Another easy idea is to use sports themed pencils and erasers; sometimes you can even find them for specific teams. If you are feeling creative, you can make cookies or candy with cutters or molds shaped like balls, bats and other sport equipment. Age appropriate books about their favorite sports or athletes can also be a great addition to their basket. If you buy a simple bucket, it can be decorated to fit the theme either with paint or stickers. One suggestion would be to draw lines on the outside of a bucket to look like a basketball hoop.

Vehicles - Boys of all ages love cars and trucks. A few small cars or trucks are a great gift idea. Older boys might enjoy putting together models. There are many nice snap-together models that don't require any glue or painting. If your boy enjoys drawing, there are books that can teach them how to draw and design their own cars. Car shaped cookies and candy can be fun. Remote control cars are also a great gift. There are even a number of kid friendly movies about cars out there. A cute basket could be made from a new NASCAR trashcan.

Science - Do you have a future scientist in your family? An archeologist? Putting together a science-themed kit is as easy as one, two, three. Find a few simple things, like a magnifying glass, small telescope, possibly some rocks, . Plastic dinosaurs are always popular. There are even kits you can find where the kids can "dig up" bones just like an archeologist. Adding dinosaur cookies and bug shaped candy provide the finishing touch. A book with kid-friendly experiments done with household items can be a great gift that is fun for the whole family.

Putting together your own Easter basket is not only fun, it is a more personal gift. With some smart shopping, it can be less expensive than the pre-packaged ones as well. It is easy to adapt any boy's interests into a nice gift for Easter.

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St. Patrick's Day Games & Activities for Kids of All Ages

St. Patrick's Day evokes images of Ireland, green and pots of gold. Here are a few games and activities to make your St. Patrick's Day celebrations a little more fun.

Shamrock cookies - A favorite treat this time of year is shamrock cookies. Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe, or purchase refrigerated cookie dough. If you don't have a shamrock shaped cookie cutter, you could use a heart shaped one. Cut three hearts, putting the points together, and then add a small strip of dough for the stem. There are a few options for making them green: you could add green food coloring to the dough, sprinkle them with green sugar before baking, or use green frosting -with or without sprinkles. They are sure to be a delicious treat.

Find the Pot o' Gold - A fun treasure hunt game can keep kids entertained for quite a while. Make a pot from a small plastic bucket and some gold paper, or you could fill the bucket with gold coin candy. The children could take turns being the leprechaun and hide the pot o' gold, and the other children can hunt for the treasure. The kids could either simply look for it or make it a game of hot and cold, with the leprechaun giving hints as to where the gold is hidden. Another variation is to hide the individual candy coins around the area and let the children look for them.

Rainbow Mobile - Create a simple rainbow mobile that will make nice decorations for your St. Patrick's Day party. Start with a paper plate, cut in half, and cut out the center to make the rainbow. Color the rainbow colors, using paint, markers or crayons. Cut out a shamrock from green construction paper. You can also make a pot of gold, using black for the pot and a few gold coins from yellow paper. Provide the kids with patterns to trace around. Put a small hole in the top of the rainbow and at the bottom of both ends. Attach the shamrock and pot of gold to both ends. Hang the mobile with the string from the top of the bow. You can make a simpler version for younger children with all shamrocks from the end of the rainbows.

Leprechaun Hat - A cute table favor that the kids can make is a leprechaun hat. Take Styrofoam coffee cups, turn them upside down on a foil lined cookie sheet. Place them in the oven on low for a few minutes and watch them as they change. When it looks like a hat brim has formed, remove them from the oven and let cool. Once they are cooled, they can be painted green. Cut black strips to make a band and gold to make buckles to glue on it. Decorate them with small shamrocks if you want.

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Plan For The Perfect Teen Summer

Aurelia Williams owner of the Parenting My Teen talk-show, held a 2-day seminar event, 'School's Out! Plan For The Perfect Teen Summer' on May 16th - 17th, 2007 featuring 4 experts that discussed many positive things that parents and teens can be focusing on during summer. Things like: Education, money, staying out of trouble and more.

The seminar included:

- A 10 Week Summer Action plan with ideas for keeping your teens occupied.

- Access to the recordings of four great speakers with advice for you on 'summer with your teen'. The recordings also include a question and answer session.

-11 page report on Summer Learning For Your Teen: That discusses "summer brain drain", the loss of learning that occurs in students over the summer and how parents of teens can help prevent summer learning loss.

-15 page report on all the basic skills your teen needs to live on his/her own down the road.

-A 90 minute audio explaining Nine Easy Steps to Solve Conflicts with your Child or Teen (complete with handouts).

-1 page report on how to assist your teen in the search for a summer job.

She just informed me that this package is still available for download for a very affordable price. If you are struggling for ideas to keep your teen busy this summer I recommend you get this special report today, summer will be here before you know it ;)

==> Click here to learn how to plan for the perfect teen summer!

Three Homemade Easter Basket Ideas for Girls

Making a one of a kind Easter basket for the little ladies in your life can create a special holiday memory. There are many different themes that you can use for a basket. With a little time and effort, you can have something that rivals the pre-packaged baskets from the store.

Flowers - What little girl doesn't like flowers? There are any number of adorable baskets and buckets with flowers on them. You could even put her things in a clay flowerpot. Decorating a plain container with either paint or stickers can personalize it even more. You could purchase a few packages of flower seeds and kid garden tools so she can plant her own flowerbed. Chocolate roses could also be a nice touch. You can find them in most stores, or buy molds and make your own. Depending on her personality, adding some gummy worms could be fun as well. Top it all off with a new Easter bonnet that can double as a gardening hat, covered in flowers.

Animals - If she loves animals (and what little girl doesn't?), you could put together a basket featuring her favorite animal. If the animal has a distinctive pattern, such as a zebra or giraffe, you could decorate the outside of a simple basket or bucket with the same pattern. You could probably even find a stencil at your local craft store. A small stuffed version of the animal is usually easy to find, instead of using the standard Easter bunny. There are many books and movies to chose from about animals of all shapes and sizes. It should be no problem to find an enjoyable one. Of course, no matter what her favorite animal is, she'll still enjoy having a chocolate bunny in her basket.

Fashion - Many girls love playing dress up and getting into mommy's makeup and clothes. Putting together some age appropriate makeup, or even play makeup for the younger girls, would be a nice treat. Add in some things for her hair, like barrettes, clips, ribbons, or headbands. A matching comb, brush, and mirror set can make a nice gift to add to the basket as well. Depending on the young lady's age, you could put in some of the candy jewelry, like necklaces and ring pops. The older girls would enjoy some fun jewelry as well.

There are many other possible themes for girls. If she collects a particular toy or figurine it can be used as a theme. Add some pretty tissue paper or Easter grass, some ribbons or bows and your basket is almost complete. There's an almost endless choice of candy out there to add for the finishing touch.

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Do Cloth Diapers Make Potty Training Easier?

Parents of today's toddlers can choose from numerous products designed to help with potty training. There are potty chairs, potty seats, potty books, and potty dolls. There are sticker charts, flushable wipes, and even alarm watches that remind your child that it's time to go to the potty.

One of the most frequently used potty training aids is the pull-up. It's a thin disposable diaper that is made like underwear so that the child can pull it off and on when it's time to use the potty. Some have symbols on them that fade when wet, and some are made with tear-away sides in case of accidents. But there is some debate as to their effectiveness.

The problem with pull-ups and diapers is that they absorb too well. They pull moisture away from the child's skin, and that is a good thing for babies. But toddlers who are potty training can benefit from the motivation that a wet diaper provides.

Advantages of Cloth Diapers

Moms who use cloth diapers have a bit of an advantage when it comes to potty training. Cloth diapers allow the child to feel the wetness and discomfort caused by urination and bowel movements. Most children find this quite unpleasant, and it provides a unique incentive to start using the potty.

Another good thing about cloth diapers when it comes to potty training is that they're cheaper than disposable pull-ups. So if your toddler has a lot of accidents you will have to wash diapers more often, but that is cheaper than buying more pull-ups.

Disadvantages of Cloth Diapers

One problem with cloth diapers as opposed to pull-ups is that they are usually harder for the child to pull down on his own. So during the learning stages, he may need more help than he would otherwise when going to the potty.

Another disadvantage of cloth diapers is evidenced when traveling. If the child uses the diaper, you will have to find somewhere to store it until you get back home. If you're not prepared, you could be in for a smelly car ride, especially if you're on a long trip.

Cloth Diapers May Make Potty Training Quicker

Although they can be less convenient than disposables, many moms are choosing to use cloth diapers. Those who are attempting to potty training often find that their children learn quickly. In fact, statistics show that toddlers who wear cloth diapers are fully trained six months before those who wear disposable diapers or pull-ups.

Cloth diapers are inexpensive and better for the environment than disposable diapers. They also provide an advantage to moms who are attempting to potty train. So even though cloth diapers are less convenient than disposables in some ways, using them may result in less time in diapers for your child.

Elimination Communication (EC) Potty Training Explained

Parents often dread potty training. Teaching a child to use the toilet after he has gotten accustomed to using a diaper seems like a daunting task. But many parents claim that elimination communication potty training, or EC for short, is less stressful and more effective than traditional methods.

What is Elimination Communication?

EC has been used in many cultures for centuries. It is simply the practice of learning to recognize the signs that your child needs to use the bathroom, and taking him to the toilet when you see them. It is generally started before six months of age, but some parents start later than that.

Each child has his own individual way of communicating that he is about to urinate or have a bowel movement. It's up to the parents to pick up on these signs. Some things to look for include passing gas, grunting, squirming, or a serious look on your child's face. Your child may do some or all of these things, or he may give cues that are unique to him.

Once you've figured out the signs, you can start taking the child to the potty when you see them. Parents often develop signs, either verbal or visual, that let the child know that they are in a place where it is acceptable to eliminate. If he does, some praise will reinforce the behavior and make him more likely to continue with it.

To Diaper or Not to Diaper?

One reason that some parents choose the Elimination Communicationmethod is because it can reduce the need for diapers. While you will probably need some backup in the early stages, the possibility of not having to buy diapers or fill up the landfills with them once the child starts using the toilet is quite appealing. Some parents find that using cloth diapers enhances their children's success with elimination communication due to the fact that they can feel the results of elimination.

Some parents choose not to use diapers at all when practicing EC potty training. Many of these parents claim that their children rarely have a bowel movement in their underpants. It is often necessary, however, to use a diaper when on the road or away from home.

The Debate About EC

Some experts feel that elimination communication potty training is inappropriate due to the fact that it is started at such a young age. They claim that because children under two years old do not have fully developed muscles, they cannot control their urination and bowel movements. There are also psychologists who argue that early toilet training can cause problems later in life.

EC supporters claim that it is not damaging to the child because he is not pressured into going to the toilet on his own. If done correctly, EC puts the caregiver in charge of getting the child to the toilet when he needs to go. The child will realize what is going on and start going to the bathroom on his own when the time comes.

Elimination communication sounds unusual to some parents, but it is an easy concept to implement. It has the potential to make potty training easier and less stressful, and it could save you a lot of money in the long run. Once you've deciphered the signs that indicate your child needs to go to the bathroom, the hardest part is over.

Elimination Communication on the news:

Potty Training Readiness - Is My Child Ready to Start Potty Training?

One of the most pressing questions parents have about their toddlers is, "When can I start potty training?" Few moms and dads enjoy spending money on diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream any longer than absolutely necessary. Yet it is important not to push your child into potty training before she is ready.

Different children develop at different rates, so they reach potty training readiness at different ages. Most children are ready sometime between 2 and 3 years of age. But some are ready earlier, and some aren't ready until later.

More important than age are a child's physical, mental, and emotional readiness. These can be gauged by looking for certain signs, including the following:

* She urinates and has bowel movements at fairly regular intervals.
* She wakes up from naps dry.
* She can pull her pants and underpants up and down.
* She doesn't like the feeling of a wet or dirty diaper.
* She displays interest in going to the bathroom.
* She can follow simple instructions.
* She recognizes the physical signs that she needs to go.

Most children achieve physiological readiness for potty training between 12 and 24 months. This means that they can hold their urine or bowel movements long enough to make it to the bathroom. While this is an important milestone in potty training readiness, mental and emotional readiness must also be achieved before training can be successful.

Several cognitive skills are needed for potty training. Knowing that she is about to urinate or have a bowel movement is an important first step for your toddler. She will need to know and understand certain words associated with potty training, such as "potty" and "underwear". She should also be able to understand instructions so that you can explain to her what to do when she needs to go to the potty.

The final thing your child needs in order to be ready for potty training is emotional readiness. This includes such things as a desire for independence, a need for approval, and social awareness. These factors will determine whether or not your child wants to start using the potty. If a toddler is physically and mentally ready but simply is not interested in being potty trained, there is little hope for success. Waiting until she shows a desire to use the potty will save you both a lot of frustration.

Even if your child displays all the signs of potty training readiness, you may need to wait if there are other major changes going on. If a new sibling is on the way or you are moving, there will be too much going on for your child to concentrate on potty training. This could result in setbacks, so you will probably come out ahead by waiting until things calm down a bit.

There is no right or wrong age to start potty training your child. But it is important to wait until your child is developmentally ready to start. Following her cues can help you determine when she is ready to start using the potty.