You are reading the archive for the category: Parenting
Filed as Advice, Parenting, Parenting News, Teenagers and tagged college, education, fees, finances, harvard, school with 1 reply
The best thing a parent can give to their kids is quality education. That is a given. But while that is defined, the next problem would be how to get them into quality schools to which educational levels are bound to vary depending on the amount they have to pay.
Money is not the gauge for getting good education. But with escalating costs these days, tuition fees are not spared from holding annual increases. Minimal as they may seem to most people these days, each penny added to the old enrollment fees are a pinch in the arm. With that said, what does a parent do to be able to sustain the level of education that these people are supposed to inherit?
If you think that is enough, wait until you need to get them to college. It takes a fortune to get your teenager to top schools such as Harvard. Parents at times have to figure to do something about it and chances are, a lot of big sacrifices will be made such as getting secondary to third jobs to balance the weighing scale of everyday living and investments for your kids’ education.
This seems to be a problem for most parents these days and while the task seems improbable to conquer, these are included in life’s goals. It is not purely for personal satisfaction but rather leaving something worthy that money cannot buy. Degrees, diplomas and education are perhaps it. And the real fulfillment sets in when you see them marching down the aisle with their diploma in tow.
Source
Filed as Children, Parenting and tagged baby, brat, child, maturity, personal development, spoiled, youngest with no replies
Notice in families that most of the time, it is the youngest child that is the favorite and most over-protected offspring in the mix. Why is this so?
It has been a tradition that has been passed for some years now. The youngest will always be the spoiled one and the hardest to let go. One reason here is that he or she will always be the baby of the family no matter what age he or she may be. She is the last descendant of a clan and apparently she is the baby of the family.
Now it may seem unfair for most, especially if you are in a large family. The youngest may seem to be the one with the least drive to be responsible and be on their own not because they don’t want to but because they are closely monitored by their parents. As much as possible, parents don’t want them to get their hands dirty or see them suffering. It would be safe to say that parents do not want their youngest child having a hard time. They will do as much as they can to please them.
So where does this lead the youngest children as far as personal development is concerned? Well some have become rebellious while others have had a different outlook in life. They are most likely to have an easier time to evolve and live life according to how it should be.
Normally they would have a hard time trying to discover their true selves. But as far as life is concerned, just look around and you will see why the baby of the family will always be their baby forever.
Filed as Children, Parenting, Parenting News and tagged india, laws, manji yamada, Parenting, surrogate law with no replies
No disrespect meant to the various traditions that each country or region would have as far as the scope of their governing laws are concerned but when you put the life of a child on the line and make it complicated because of one stupid law, that is bound to draw the ire of any parent from anywhere in the world.
Take India for instance. We are all aware of the age of test tube and surrogate reproduction. While it is apparent that the real father and mother would be the sperm and the eggs donated by a man and a woman the absence of a surrogate law deprives Indian babies of a normal life. In short, innocent offsprings are put in a bind just because of legal complications.
Manji Yamada was born last month after eggs from an Indian donor were fertilised using the Japanese man’s sperm and implanted in the womb of the surrogate Indian mother.
Her biological father split from his wife after the fertilisation process, and his former spouse no longer wants the baby.
In the absence of a surrogacy law in India, the child — who is an Indian citizen — will have to be adopted by her Japanese father Ikufumi Yamada, 45.
Source
If you think that is enough, it only gets worse. Under Indian laws, a single father cannot adopt a baby girl. So imagine this case, even the biological father cannot adopt his own flesh and blood.
Just like most governing systems, there is bound to be a loophole. But as far as placing parenting and kids in the fray, this is too much. What proof can still be needed when in fact that this child and father are obviously biologically related? So much for democracy! They seem to make this issue from good to bad.
Filed as Advice, Parenting and tagged Children, Parenting, Teenagers with no replies
The maturity level of a parent plays an important role in determining how well couples can bring up a child. We have been hearing of a lot of teenaged parents in the world today and you will notice that there are some things that they have to get used to despite being guided by full-pledged parents as their own mom and dad.
Teenage parents are usually torn when it comes to what they want and living up to the responsibility of being a good parent. You may call it as a period of adjustment for the since traditionally, they should be enjoying the prime of their teenage life. In fact, some teenagers do not really understand what they are up against when they become parents either by accident or choice. Of the two, it seems teenage parents occur due to the former and immature decisions.
These days, rarely would you see teenage parents last long. We see those evidently parting ways since as they say; they are not yet ready to face parenthood. They realize this only a couple of years later, rash decisions which they only admit once they fail to live up to the billing of good parents.
In the end, only one of the parents will remain standing. It is normally the mother who will always get the sole rights assuming to the offspring and as trends show to us. Unless of course you are psychologically unstable (like Britney Spears perhaps?), most of the time, women will get full rights to a child even if you go through the courts. A father normally can have rights after the child turns 7 years old to which he can already make decisions and choices on his or her own.
Teenage parenting does seem complicated. But the thought alone in the early going should be carefully evaluated. Parenting is a serious responsibility. It is not as easy as most people would think.
Source
Filed as Advice, Parenting and tagged babies, Children, Parenting, single parenting with no replies
Raising a child is the duty of a mother and a father. But at these times, we see the swelling number of children who have to live with only one parent. The normal one we see are the mother and a child who have been abandoned by their father although there are rare cases of a child being left under the wing of their dad. Whichever case it may be, parenting a child alone is quite hard. Having to provide for another mouth and then nurturing them to stay healthy, you have t wonder how single parents do it.
The responsibility that they impose on themselves is something to behold. Some may call being a single parent a mistake on their part that they have to live with. But whether it is a mistake or not, the child you bear is someone who should not be blamed nor made to suffer. They are the supposed fruit of your loin and while they have little options as far as living is concerned, it would be best to look at them as trophies and inspirations rather than excess baggage.
It is not easy being a single parent. Needs such as food and clothing are not easy to provide, especially during these hard times when a single parent has to consider how they will live and cover daily expenses to be able to survive. Some parents even go to the extent of passing up their own needs such as clothing or some things needed to generate money just to bring a smile in the face of a child. For what is worth, that smile is worth more than anything that money can buy.
Single parents will have a hard time during their state but it does not mean that they will forever be single. For sure someone will come to help them out along the way. But binding them with your child is the next challenge.
That is another entry we will take up next.
Filed as Advice, Parenting, Teenagers and tagged drivers license, drunk driving, Teenagers with no replies
If you happen to have a teenager who owns a driver’s license, it would be wise to hold on to it and just hand it to them when they need it. That is of course if you will allow them. This way, you will be able to know where they would be going to and if there are potential hazards with regards to where they may be going.
The number of accidents in teenagers due to being drunk and then driving is growing in numbers and while many parents continue to monitor their children, it cannot be discounted that they will not always divulge the truth with regards to their activities. The bad thing about it all is that they would be informed of untoward incidents such as driving accidents which may be playing in the area of death at the worst case scenario.
As a parent, grabbing hold of their driver’s license is easy. But you also have to consider how it would look on the side of your teenager. It is at this point that you will hear them trying to reason with you such as saying that they are no longer kids. This is a normal reaction and it can go as far as other cases. Teenagers just want to show you that they can be responsible without thinking of the things that can ultimately happen to them.
When you find yourself in these cases, the need to balance the situation arises. For one, you don’t want to embarrass your son or daughter. You just want to avoid the unthinkable circumstances that teenagers today are forgetting what it means to be responsible and to safeguard their health and safety.
In this aspect, it is perhaps one of the challenges as a parent. While you may not want to show them you are being strict about things, it remains that you have to make sure that they grow up right and do not waste their life on one foolish mishap such as drinking and driving.
Source
Filed as Advice, Children, Parenting and tagged baby, Children, developmental stages, father, mother, Parenting, spoiling with no replies
w
Many would call it strange but while we are all familiar with the usual motherly love and care given to children, fathers provide the same care as well if given the choice. Especially at the rate that women need to work to help in the financial burdens of families today, fathers have to step up and provide attention during their free time as well.
Ideally, it seems that fathers are least capable of providing the wanted care of children today. But there are exceptions. At first it may seem difficult but with patience and some tips coming from the seasoned mothers, fathers can likewise be at par on how to take care of children.
But perhaps one thing that should be put in check would be the manner of care that would place children under the borderline cases of potential spoiling. Spoiling children as we all know is treating them like kings or queens, disregarding mistakes so that they can feel great all the time. While some parents just want the best for their child, this type of approach may be good for now but can be risky later on when their kids grow up.
Fathers may be prone to this considering that a father’s wrath is something that child will perceive as fear. That is perhaps if there is one thing that fathers should instill in themselves is self-control and patience.
Tantrums and hard-headedness of children is only normal. But to handle them should not be to give in to making them think that they can get away with it. Set a bar on it and know when to scold them and when not to. They are in the developmental stages and it would be best to straighten them out during these stages.
Filed as Advice, Children, Parenting and tagged big shoes, Children, idolize, kids, Parenting, responsibility, single parent with no replies
We may not necessarily like it but we see a lot of single parents in the form of unwed mothers or divorced couples who have to fill up the slack of taking care of their child alone. To most, it seems like a daunting task while for others, it is a challenge that only life can give.
Parenting is a joy if you use the proper approach. It is not a burden as some would say. Remember, you are part of brining that child to life and for sure the rewards will be heartfelt in the end. Your mission is to ensure that this child grows up to be responsible and sane, taking on life in the way that a mature adult should approach it.
Filling in Big Shoes
Ideally, taking the place of both a mother and a father is indeed big shoes to fill. But just like anything, hard work and sacrifices return large rewards. This is not in the form of money but in the form of security and lighter feeling. It is an expression only a parent can feel and once you get there, see the appreciation and tender loving care reciprocated unto you, you are sure to feel that it was worth every effort to bring up a child single-handedly.
Being a Role Model
Seeing that you are the only one who is bringing up your kid will surely be something that a child will appreciate. In fact, do not be surprised if they idolize you, follow your footsteps in making sure that they have a good life ahead. This is common and once that happens, tears of joy are sure to fall down your eyes.
As a whole, do not be surprised on how it is to be a single parent. Depending on your approach, it can be the best thing that happened to you. Always think positive.
Filed as Advice, Children, Parenting and tagged attention, babies, checkups, doctor, health, pediatrician, physician, vaccinations with 1 reply
Knowing babies and children, the doctor is the last person they would want to see. So they don’t know much about what a doctor or a pediatrician is at their age but the thing is they need the regular check-ups to ensure their overall health. Vaccinations and scheduled checkups are normal these days to make sure our babies are free from the usual diseases that are spreading today.
The question remains however, how do you condition the mind of your baby to see the pediatrician and avoid seeing those making tantrums and overly getting out of hand. Babies would normally shriek wildly especially if a stranger in the person of pediatrician would touch them. So how do you make up for it?
There are various ways. But the most important thing to note is the attention that they normally focus on. Babies and kids feel secure knowing their mom or dad is around. That is why most of the time, we see parents assisting doctors since if not, you would see a child crying like crazy.
In a pediatrician’s office we would normally see toys or colorful stuff that captures the child’s attention. They are placed there for a reason and that is to set the child’s mind somewhere else. While to most, it may be something that can be temporary but it is all about timing as well. Normally a physician would want to get it over and done with. But the thing is you have to time it perfectly. Otherwise expect the child to throw up on the spot or worse, suffer from trauma when it comes to check-up time with the doctor.
Be aware of these things. Just know how to put their mind somewhere else for a couple of hours and you will see improvements when your child has to see a doctor for checkup or other medical concerns.
Filed as Children, Parenting and tagged baby, gift of life, toddler with no replies
Most people reach a stage where babies will get all the attention and limelight to brighten their day. As a parent, you would think that the love and affection you always provide would be focused on your partner. But once your baby enters your world, you would be surprised at the difference in terms of attention and care that you would give a child over your hubby or spouse.
This is not geared towards creating quarrels and time defections as far as marriages are concerned. The gift of life in children is simply astounding. We cannot really explain how creating a life and caring for it and even getting entertained by them in their own little way really changes the mood we are in.
First words and mannerisms will always make our hearts beat faster due to the joy that they give. While there is no direct communication between a toddler and his or her parents, various means of communicating is really amazing. Knowing when they want to be fed or want a particular toy is something that only parents can understand and such is the beauty of knowing the usual parent-child relationship.
At some point, you may even see your partner frowning for the attention you give to your child. While many would call this immature, you cannot help but need to balance the attention you give to both.
A word of caution though. Know the boundaries of when to discipline and spoil your child. It may not show now but when your child progresses and grows up, you may have a difficult time trying to reason with them. Know your limits especially in proper raising of your child.
