It’s a slow process.
With authority over children comes the responsibility to discipline children with respect. Sometimes we all feel a lack of respect for an irrational child with no concept of civility, but parents must remember to respect their children for who they will become, not what they are in the moment.
I was recently babysitting my 9-year old nephew while his parents went out on date night. We mostly sat around his house playing cards and talking, but then he got to going about his good grades, and I was suddenly not very interested in talking with him anymore.
My 6 year old is smart. Not brilliant, not a genius, but quick, bright, perceptive, sensitive, and intelligent. Her information retention is impressive, and her verbal skills often have people thinking that she’s a year or two older than she is. And I never, ever use the word smart in front of her if I …
I overheard an interesting debate between two young fathers the other day as they discussed what kind of books their children should read. They were in agreement that reading is beneficial for children as it fosters a stronger relationship between parent and child, contributes to the development of academic and speech skills and helps develop a mastery …
Look, you’re expected to spend $242,000 on your newborn until he or she is 18. Don’t tell me you’re just going to accept this as your own fact? You can change this. Don’t say no to savings. Get all the savings that you can get with hand me downs. There’s no shame in that!
At one time or another, all parents need to take on the role of teachers in a classroom, using teacher tools that help manage children. Managing classroom noise level with common sense is not all that common, after all. But it will happen to you – it might come at a church retreat or a large …
I remember waking up before school and telling my mother I didn’t want to go. “Give me two reasons why you don’t want to go?” she asked. “Well, the kids all hate me and the teachers hate me, too,” I replied. “Oh that’s not a good reason not to go to school. Now, get up …
Last year, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics released that there are 1,770,000 homeschooled students in the US. This is a huge jump from 1.5 million students in 2007. Now, 1.7 million may not sound much since it represents just 3.4% of children of school age, but the fact still remains …
Some thought a lack of toddler empathy is an evolutionary imperative to help children focus on developing their own survival skills first. They were wrong. I stopped believing what the scientists and development psychologists report about empathy after raising my own toddler. My toddler’s favorite game is called “Give Mommy Things.” All day, she picks …
My nephew told me an awful story recently. He was on his way home from school and decided to take a shortcut. Suddenly, he saw another kid coming at him. He suspected nothing at first, but then the bigger kid punched my nephew in the gut! He said he had done nothing to provoke such …
The ‘we cannot afford it’ argument impacts my kids in ways other arguments don’t. Unfortunately for us, teaching kids about money means telling the truth. Recently, my parents gave each of my girls (aged 6 and 3) some cash as a late Christmas present and encouraged them to spend it however they wanted. A few …
Sometimes when my baby signs for more food, or that he’s had enough to eat already, on-lookers come over to the table to tell me how smart my baby must be. Actually, it allows us to be lazy. My recommendation is to start with three basic baby sign language hand gestures and expand from there. …
If you don’t trust your parental instinct more than parenting books, you’re setting your family up for failure. Strangers don’t know best, after all. The reason your parental instinct is better than parenting books is the same reason you don’t drop the kids off at a stranger’s house – it can be dangerous. First of all, …
Statistics show that your son could have a 30% chance of going to jail during his life. Chores for kids will keep them out of jail – and make them happy. It’s no joke – nobody in the world incarcerates more kids than the United States, but experts agree that by creating a rigid schedule and …
M is asleep in her Dad’s arms. There is a huge wet spot on his shirt, where she’s been drooling. He points at her with his free arm and then at her crib. “I really need to go to the bathroom,” he mouths, not wanting to wake her. Although it’s becoming more common, there’s still …
My son does not decide whether he will go to church or not. I know that as parents we have a responsibility to allow our children to grow and choose their direction in life, allowing them to succeed and fail by their own direction. We won’t have a hand in many decisions he’ll make in …
The nasty looks were palpable when I took the first sip of my daiquiri. I shrugged it off, but then a well-dressed woman came over to our table and said “You shouldn’t drink in front of your child. You’ll teach them that it’s okay.” It was a Saturday night. I had just been nominated for …
When someone asks is TV bad for kids I offer to introduce them to my son, Chase, who has an incredible vocabulary. Not only does he use sophisticated words for a 9-year old, but he uses them correctly. And how did he learn these words? That’s right – he watches TV. Add me to the …
M reaches into a drawer beside my bed. I thought I had locked that drawer. She pulls it out and waves it around in the air squealing “Shiny!” Unfortunately, the in-laws are over. The whole room is suddenly silent. I rush over and take it from her, sure that my face is redder than the …
My family does not eat red meat during Lent. Most Christians believe we have to make some sort of sacrifice just like what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Some even fast to atone for their sins. Where I’m from in the Philippines there are even some people who participate in the reenactment of Christ’s …
