Be a Better Parent in the New Year

What’s your New Years Resolution? Many people choose something related to weight loss, or money, or productivity. This year, why not pick a resolution that will be much more meaningful? Resolve to take steps to be a better parent in the new year. Parenting can be as rewarding as it is difficult. It is easy to see why parents often make mistakes. Everyone does it – nobody is perfect! Ideally, people learn from those mistakes so they do not repeat them. What I’m trying to say is that parenting is a skill that can always be improved upon. It is … Continue reading

Lending a Helping Hand

“Charity begins at home.” If I had a dime for each time my parents used that expression while I was growing up, I’d be rich enough to start my own charity. Its repetition was annoying, but effective nonetheless. My brothers and I learned the value of loyalty, and the importance of taking care of the people close to you. Now that I’m a parent, I try to provide opportunities for my child to lend a hand at home, so that when it comes time to help others outside our inner sanctum, she jumps at the chance without giving it a … Continue reading

Helping With Homework

When Hailey was younger one of our biggest challenges was homework. After work and school there was so much to do that often homework was the last thing we thought about and it would be done in a hurry with no other thought than getting it done so we could go to bed. When you are a single parent it is hard to make time for everything but our children’s education is so important that we have to make time to let them know how important it is. I wish I knew where that dream family lives, the one with … Continue reading

Things You Just Get Over With Another Baby

I just added baby number 3 to my bunch. It’s been a whirlwind the past 3 1/2 months as we all get used to this new bundle, and as I, the mama, get used to having three kids!! It seems like so many people to raise. And, to some it is, but to other Moms, my little trio of children probably doesn’t seem like any trouble at all. I love this picture of my three little ones. It’s perfection in my mind. It’s real motherhood. It was 10 am and we were all still in PJs and baby brother was … Continue reading

Helping Your Child Overcome Shyness

My son is naturally shy. Researchers claim that it’s a genetic trait. So in reality, my son’s shyness does not surprise me at all. As a child, I wouldn’t even play games at my friend’s birthday parties. I had an intense fear of failure and I was worried the kids wouldn’t like me. Looking back, the fears were highly irrational, but try telling that to a six year old little girl! I had a few close friends, but I didn’t branch out too much. I was well liked and very focused in school, but when it came to social settings, … Continue reading

Getting to Know your “Real Child”

I have written before about how different my two kids are. Part of that stems from having one boy and one girl, however, most of that comes from some sort of unique personality make-up that I believe they were born with. My sister and I have had many discussions about this when discussing various behavior problems with both her children and mine. There is a lot we can do to shape and mold are kids, but deep down, they are their own unique selves, and it is our job to help them discover who that person truly is and who … Continue reading

Helping Your Child Climb to Success

When a child struggles with a subject it is hard on both the child and the mom. It is hard to see your child try so hard to succeed and still have difficulty or continue to experience failure. The child begins to feel badly about herself and soon other subjects will suffer as she loses confidence. A homeschooling mom also feels like she is failing since she is the one in charge of her child’s education. The double role of mom and teacher during a time like gets confused and the mom part feels the pain while the teacher part … Continue reading

With A Brush Of Love helps Autistic Children

Could the color in your child’s room be affecting his or her behavior? It might be a strange concept to consider, but there appears to be some truth to it. Lauren Henry, the Founder and President of With a Brush of Love, is helping children with autism to experience their optimal learning environment. An article on today’s Huffington Post describes more about Lauren Henry’s ideas. She has a background in child psychology, education, and art. She observed that students who were on the autism spectrum often became overwhelmed by the environment in the mainstream classroom they have been included into. … Continue reading

Mommy Blog Bashers

Have you ever considered that you could be helping a struggling single mom of four young children make ends meet each time you click on a link that leads to her blog? Earlier this year Oprah Winfrey devoted an entire show to the “Secret Lives of Moms.” It featured an audience full of women drooling at the chance to discuss the joys and pitfalls associated with raising the next generation. A portion of the episode spoke to a “new” kind of motherhood, in which women no longer suffer in silence about negative parenting experiences, mistakes and lack of maternal instincts. … Continue reading

Helping Your Child to Lose Weight

Have you noticed additional pounds creeping up on your child? Childhood obesity is a major health problem and preventing it before it starts is ideal. If you child has added a few extra pounds recently it is best to head off any more weight gain before it gets out of control. If you child is already overweight you can help him to lose the weight that he needs in order to get healthier. Here are a few tips on helping your child to lose weight: Do not use the word “diet”. It is best to obliterate that word from your … Continue reading