Recently, I had one of those parenting moments when I was witness to a memorable, touching exchange between two of my three sons that made me think, "oh yeah, that's why I had more than one child." It was a...
Continue reading "Baby Bear Helps Out"
Relationships
Meeting your teen's first boyfriend is never an easy step to take as a parent. Here are five tips to make it easier: 1. Don't air issues in front of them. Even if you told your daughter she could not...
Continue reading "Meet the Boyfriend: Tips for Meeting Your Teen's First Boyfriend"
Watching your children grow up is always a bit of a scary prospect, especially when they start to bring home their dates, and most especially when they announce that the girl they bring in the door is their girlfriend--most especially,...
Continue reading "Meet the Parents: Your Teen's First Girlfriend"
When your teen gets their first boyfriend, it can bring about all kinds of fears. What kind of boy is it? Is he going to pressure her for sex? Are they going to be involved in the kind of activities...
Continue reading "Meet the Parents: Your Teen's First Boyfriend"
The following is a look at what to do when you don't like your kid's friends: Recognize that forbidding friends can backfire on you: Kids have a tendency to do exactly the opposite of what you want them to do....
Continue reading "You Can't Pick Your Child's Friends, Or Can You?"
What you can do if you do not like your kid's friends? Many parents face the dilemma of a child choosing friends unwisely. So, here is how to handle it: 1. Never make a big deal out of it. Usually...
Continue reading "When Your Child's Friend is A Bad Egg"
If your marriage is in crisis, you may be searching for answers and information on what to do to repair your marriage. While well-meaning family and friends, books, articles and even television shows have advice and information on how to...
Continue reading "Expert Advice for Repairing Your Marriage"
Most therapists agree that, regardless of what's ailing it, any marriage can be salvaged and improved if the two people involved are willing to fight for it. While many couples today are often overwhelmed by the demands of modern day...
Continue reading "Your Healthy, Happy Marriage: Tips to Get and Keep Things Great"
Marriages today are ever-changing with higher stress levels and more challenges than ever before. Couples face more pressures they must deal with while simultaneously working to maintain and grow their relationship with their spouse. Too often, the pressures of parenting...
Continue reading "Marriage 101: Signs of Trouble and How to Fix Them"
Successful, happy marriages require work and effort on the part of both partners to remain happy and intact. Yet, too often, couples get caught up in the day-to-day demands of their lives and they forget to nourish the most important...
Continue reading "Marriage 101: 7 Bad Habits to Banish From Your Relationship"
Many couples spend years engaged in never-ending verbal arguments which usually end in what therapists call emotional disengagement, or when a feuding couple can simply ignore each other for days on end. Emotionally, these couples are simmering inside and lonely...
Continue reading "Marriage Repair: The Emotional Toolbox to Heal Your Relationship"
If you want your children to adjust to a new baby, there are some specific areas you have to be careful about, and some specific things you can do. The following are five tips for helping older siblings adjust to...
Continue reading "I'm A Big Brother! Adjusting to a New Baby"
Having a new baby in the house can be a big change for everyone, but it generally affects older siblings more, as they start to get less attention. The following is a few tips for how to help older siblings...
Continue reading "Tips on Helping Older Siblings Adjust to Life with Baby"
Playground cliques can be hard on kids in elementary school through high school, if you are on the outside looking in, it can be hard on their self esteem. As a parent, knowing what you can do to help your...
Continue reading "Helping Your Child Fit In on the Playground"
Marriages can go a little stale if you are not making efforts to put romance into them on a daily basis. The following are ten ways to put romance in your marriage everyday: 1. Write notes. You and your spouse...
Continue reading "The Big Ten: Ways to Score Romance with Your Spouse"
Many people, when studying modern marriage, are dismayed at the number which are ending in divorce and the reasons why they seem to be failing. While there are a myriad of reasons why a marriage might be damaged, there are...
Continue reading "Marriage Derailed: Common Marital Issues and Suggested Resolutions"
The following are some great tips for helping older siblings adjust to life with a new baby: 1. Read books to your child about other kids who have had a new baby come into their home. There are several books...
Continue reading "Life with Baby: For the Older Siblings"
Marriages often lack romance. It is almost as if you got it out of your system before you got married. This is not a good thing. Romance fuels marriage and helps it stay fun. So, try the following ten things...
Continue reading "Ten More Steps to Everyday Romance"
There has perhaps never been a more difficult climate for marriage than today's climate. With the pressures of jobs, careers, families and finances couples find themselves under increasing demands. The stress of these demands often finds couples internalizing problems that...
Continue reading "Avoiding Divorce: Great Tips for Saving a Marriage on The Brink"
One of the best things you can do for your marriage is make an effort to amp up the amount of romance you have in it. There are small gestures, and little things you can do each day to improve...
Continue reading "10 Simple Ways to Put Romance in Your Marriage Everyday"
o Avoid Marital Suicide - When one or both partners decide the only cure for what ails their marriage is divorce, this is known as marital suicide. At some point in every marriage, one or both partners question whether or...
Continue reading "Marriage 102: Little Things to Improve Your Marriage In Big Ways"
The sad truth about today's marriages is that many of them fail. Most marriages start out great but the stress and difficulties of everyday life often take their toll. While money, careers and family demands often play a part in...
Continue reading "Marriage 101: 5 Common Marriage-Ending Pitfalls to Avoid"
Sibling rivalry is a subject that most parents are not well equipped to handle. They simple assume that when brothers and sisters are part of a family they just will get along. Sadly, this subject is prone to evoke self-doubt,...
Continue reading "5 Ways to Help Siblings Get Along"
Your tween probably has a lot to say, and can talk and talk. They will talk to you, to their friends, etc. They will use the phone, the Internet, texting, email, instant messaging, and more to communicate. Sometimes this communication...
Continue reading "Keeping Your Tween's Talk Positive"
Gossip can be hurtful, and is not something parents want their child to perpetuate. So, what can you do as a parent to keep your tween's chatter from turning into gossip? One, set a rule against it. If you do...
Continue reading "Chatter or Gossip: Your Child's Conversations"
If you want to keep your tween's chatter from turning to gossip there are a few things you can do: First, be the best example you can. From childhood, kids mimic what they see from their parents. When they are...
Continue reading "Keeping Your Tween's Chatter from Turning into Gossip"
All of us love games, but most of us also love to go outside and play. We love the warm air and sunshine. Studies show that people are actually much happier when they spend time outdoors in the sun. We...
Continue reading "Fun with Friends in Outdoor Games"
With so many extra curricular activities going on with our kids these days, it gets more and more difficult for them to find time to spend with friends. And anyone who is familiar with child development will attest to the...
Continue reading "Best Times of Day for Playdate Scheduling"
Sharing toys is never easy for young children whether they have to share with siblings or friends. Playdates are a great place for children to learn and have the opportunity to share toys with friends and a great place for...
Continue reading "Tips for Toy Sharing at Playdates"
One of the best parts about growing up (for a child anyway) is being able to invite friends over to the house to play. The difficult part about playing with friends, however, is that with conflicting schedules and so many...
Continue reading "Tips for Making Playdates More Successful"
Providing snacks at playdates today has become somewhat trickier than it use to be. Some parents are alright with others providing snacks, others want to bring their own snacks, and then there are parents that have children who seem to...
Continue reading "Playdates and Snacks"
Playing today has taken on an entirely different meaning. Children no longer play freely, up and down the block with one another. No, playdates are the way to have children interact and socialize with each other and some can be...
Continue reading "Playdate Etiquette"
In today's society, playdates are becoming quite common. Most children don't have the time to just run out and play anymore so scheduling playdates is the popular thing to do. If you are new to the playdate world then there...
Continue reading "Outside Playdate Guide"
Playdates have changed somewhat from the old fashioned days. Instead of children just knocking on doors and asking their friends to come and play, scheduled times are arranged for children to play together for a certain period of time. If...
Continue reading "Inside Playdate Guide"
Just as adults don't always get along, toddlers and young children don't always play well together. You can, however, help prepare them for successful playdates with some thoughtful planning. Interacting with other children helps improve socials skills and gets them...
Continue reading "How to Prepare Your Child for a Playdate"
When children spend time together it is almost impossible for them to go the whole time without a fight or argument breaking out. Whether they are toddlers or teenagers, being together with friends means that disagreements will inevitably occur. But...
Continue reading "How to Handle Fighting During A Playdate"
Playdates have become much more sophisticated than they use to be. In fact having a "playdate" was practically unheard of. We have moved from allowing our children to roam the streets freely to busy and hectic schedules; parents carpooling children...
Continue reading "Guide to Great Playdates"
Some parents believe the best time to get to know a child's friend is when they enter the adolescent years and are embarking on a independence and more freedom. Although this time is crucially important in knowing who your child...
Continue reading "Why You Should Get to Know Your Child's Friend"
It seems that with busy schedules, responsibilities, and work that parents are finding less time to spend with their children. And what's even worse than that, is that they may not even know what their children are doing or where...
Continue reading "Parent Involvement in Your Child's Social Life"
While Attachment parenting is marketed as a unique and loving way to parent, this method of parenting has its detractors as well. While every type of parenting advice and model has both pros and cons, it is important that prospective...
Continue reading "Pros and Cons of Attachment Parenting"
As children become more independent they begin to form relationships with friends, siblings, and other adults. Parent involvement in children's relationships is extremely important so children can model and learn appropriate and healthy relationships. Let's talk a little more about...
Continue reading "Parent Involvement in Children's Relationships"
Most, if not all, children will tell you that the best part of their day is playing with friends during lunch, recess, or after school. Making friends is probably one of the most valuable things children can do as they...
Continue reading "How to Be Involved in Your Child's Social Life"
When you first found out you were going to be a parent you probably had mixed emotions. There is the excitement of taking on the new role. There is the fear of not really knowing what to do, or how...
Continue reading "What it Takes to Become a Better Parent"
Being a parent can be as challenging as any career, and just as rewarding, if not more so. Parenting stretches your abilities, tests your patience, and helps you become the person you are. So, what can you do if you...
Continue reading "Tips Any Parent Could Use for Being A Better Mom or Dad"
If you asked your child what things you could do to be a better parent, chances are they would answer you with things like this: Let me eat ice cream for breakfast. Let me stay up later at night. Let...
Continue reading "The Reality of Becoming A Better Parent"
While parenting can be tough, it is also extremely rewarding. So, try these ten tips each day to become a better parent: 1.Smile. How you start a day is a big deal. If you want to be a good parent,...
Continue reading "Ten Ways to Be a Better Parent"
Many books have been written on the topic of minimizing sibling rivalries. Therefore many different opinions and suggestions exist. It is impossible to give a text book response to exactly what the parent is responsible for controlling when it comes...
Continue reading "Parents' Role Regarding Sibling Rivalry"
It is always best to prevent a problem from occurring than it is to have to deal with that problem after the fact right? The same is true with sibling rivalries. Being preemptive about sibling rivalries may not eliminate the...
Continue reading "Need to Know: Preempt Sibling Rivalry"
Most, if not all families, with children who are relatively close in age have dealt with or are dealing with sibling rivalry issues. If your children don't get along 100% of the time you as a parent are not entirely...
Continue reading "Ways to Minimize Sibling Rivalries"
Of course you want to keep the peace in your house by curbing sibling rivalries. The only problem is that you either may not know how to do this or you may have run out of patience. The truth of...
Continue reading "Curb Sibling Rivalry and Keep the Peace at Home"
Chances are that if you are not an only child, you have had some sort of conflict with one of your siblings. Sibling rivalries are very normal and happen to most families. Now that you have children of your own...
Continue reading "Tips for Keeping the Peace Despite Sibling Rivalry"
No good parent enjoys hearing the sound of their children bickering with each other. When children fight it is sad for parents because obviously they want for their children to get along with each other and love each other as...
Continue reading "Controlling Sibling Rivalries"
Introduction If you are a mother of more than one child you can probably contribute your own two cents to the topic of sibling rivalries. Sibling rivalries occur in almost every family and can even follow your children into adulthood...
Continue reading "How to Keep the Peace Between Siblings"
Introduction At some point everyone has an argument with their sibling. Sometimes these rivalries are tame and other times they can be quite serious. If you are a parent of more than one child chances are that you have witnessed...
Continue reading "How to Deal with Sibling Rivalries"
School is a huge part of your child's life. On average your child spends more time at school or at school related activities than they spend awake at home. It should therefore come as no surprise that school related rivalries...
Continue reading "Keeping the Peace: Sibling Rivalry and School"
Just like your gender and temperament influences your personality, birth order has also been proven to affect personality. Psychologists like Alfred Adler, who was one of the first to suggest that birth order affects personality, believe that there are...
Continue reading "Why Birth Order Affects Personality"
Birth order has been proven to have at least some significant effects on personality types. Although you may not bear all the traits of your birth order type, chances are good that you have at least some of them. Here...
Continue reading "Trends in Birth Order and Personality Type"
We've all heard it before: "you just have second child syndrome" or "leave her alone, she's just suffering from middle child syndrome." But how accurate is the "second child syndrome?" Does it really affect birth order and personality? Is it...
Continue reading "Second Child Syndrome, Birth Order and Personality"
From only the first few weeks of life, we begin to show signs of our own distinct and unique personalities. These personalities are amplified by our temperament, interests, social status, group of friends, and birth order. And if you're one...
Continue reading "Strong Personalities: Which Birth Order Are They?"
When your kids leave home your life changes, and many people develop what is called empty nest syndrome. The really bad part, however, is that many long-term married couples divorce one another after the kids leave home and they have...
Continue reading "Avoiding Empty Nest-Induced Divorce"
Birth order has been shown to affect a child's personality. The forerunner of this idea was Alfred Adler, who was a contemporary of Sigmund Freud. Adler suggested that birth order was a major determinant of the main influences on personality....
Continue reading "How Does Birth Order Affect A Child's Personality"
Here are the typical symptoms of people who struggle with an empty nest, and suggestions for coping with each of them: Sadness: It is totally natural to be sad when your children leave home. Both moms and dads can experience...
Continue reading "Top Tips for Coping With An Empty Nest"
When your children have filled your life, the realization that they'll soon be gone or are gone, can leave you sad and leave you with feelings you are not sure how to cope with. Let's take a look at home...
Continue reading "Dealing With Empty Nest Syndrome"
Birth order has been shown to affect your personality, even into adulthood. Although there are other areas that may have affected your personality, studies have shown that first borns, second borns, onlys and youngest borns really do respond and react...
Continue reading "Does Birth Order Really Make A Difference in Personality?"
Does birth order really affect personality? Are second children more likely to have issues than the youngest? Are only children really spoiled brats or are they just independent? Learn the answers to all of these questions here. Birth order and...
Continue reading "Birth Order and Personality"
Birth order has been considered a primary influence on personality since the time of Alfred Adler, a psychologist who was one of the first to consider birth order. Obviously, each child has different characteristics, regardless of their birth order. ...
Continue reading "The Personality Type of a First Child"
Each child is born with a distinct and different personality. But did you know that the order in which a child is born can also influence your child's personality? Here is a bit of information on birth order so you...
Continue reading "Personality and Your Child's Birth Order"
When your children are toddlers and you are constantly changing diapers, filling bottles, putting kids down for naps, and watching Elmo, you might be looking forward to the day that your kids leave home with anticipation. You think how wonderful...
Continue reading "The Stay-At-Home Parent and the Empty Nest"
To understand how to cope with empty nest syndrome so it does not turn into full blown depression, you first need to understand what it is. What is empty nest syndrome, and who does it affect? Empty Nest Syndrome (ENS)...
Continue reading "Coping With Empty Nest Before It Becomes Depression"
A common struggle many parents face is the syndrome called empty nest. Their whole life they have the goal of setting their children free to pursue their dreams, but once it actually happens, they can become depressed or sad. This...
Continue reading "Coping With An Empty Nest"
The way you see and feel about yourself is vital to your success and happiness. Attaining a positive body image is important in this process. There are many aspects of your life that are affected by your body image. In...
Continue reading "Why Positive Body Image is Important"
Body image; what is it anyway? Why are so many people these days infatuated with their body image? For a lot of people body image is how they appear; what they look like on the outside. But if you understand...
Continue reading "Helping Others Improve Body Image"
In a media crazed world it is getting harder and harder to achieve a positive body image. Women want so much to look like this or that model; they want those legs; someone else’s butt. When will it stop? There...
Continue reading "Pointers For A Positive Body Image"
Moms and dads feel concern for their children in all stages of life. Many people think that their kids will move out, get married, and they will stop worrying about them. However, this is just not so. Your worries change,...
Continue reading "Your Married Children: What You Worry About"
According to the new census data, there are currently four million American multigenerational households in the United States. Commonly there are two types of multigenerational families. One type of family structure consists of a grandparent or older relative taking on...
Continue reading "Multi-Generational Housing Issues"
You are going to have issues in a multigenerational household for the sheer fact that people are from different generations, thus they think and act differently. You are also going to have problems legally and emotionally because of the stress...
Continue reading "What You Need To Know About Multigenerational Households"
Multigenerational families are becoming increasingly common throughout the United States, and because of this it is important to learn how to prevent and deal with the issues that accompany such a family structure. Currently, there are nearly four million American...
Continue reading "Preventing Some Difficulties Related To Multigenerational Families"
The United States Department of Commerce Census Bureau defines multigenerational households as households that consist of three or more generations of parents and their families. There are two types of family structures that the majority of multigenerational households fall into....
Continue reading "Some Solutions For Multigenerational Households"
A lot of times you say things you do not mean; this is very damaging to relationships. Communication is the key to any relationship. Saying things you do not mean is bad communication. When you have bad communication, lots of...
Continue reading "Say What You Mean; Mean What You Say"
The sad truth is that many times we are manipulated because of the relationships we are in. "Why wouldn't you lend me money, aren't we friends?" or "You have to forgive me; I am your spouse!" Relationships cause us to...
Continue reading "Avoiding Manipulators In Relationships"
All too often in life we live in the past. For example, "In high school I was this, I used to love that, I was great at this". In relationships this can be a problem. You have to live in...
Continue reading "Live In The Now With Your Partner"
The reason emotions are so important in relationships may seem obvious, but it is not insignificant. As human beings, we use both our body and our mind. It is with our minds that we experience emotions. Can you imagine a...
Continue reading "Emotionally Charged Relationships"
Many people struggle to know the difference in their own feelings, or they confuse feelings of lust for love, or vice versa. So, when you are in a relationship, how do you know if it is lust or love that...
Continue reading "Lust or Love?"
What kind of communication do you need in a relationship? Good communication! Let's face it; relationships thrive on good communication. So I guess that means we need to look at what constitutes good communication. Good communication is when both partners...
Continue reading "Good Relationships Communicate!"
All of our relationships are multi–faceted, meaning there are many dimensions. It does not really matter what type of relationship it is, love, or friendship, there are going to be dimensions that cause ups, downs, and sometimes lead to the...
Continue reading "Relationship Dimensions"
The further you get in school the more difficult it will be not only to understand the subject matter but also to be able to handle the increased demands of different teachers, exams and projects. Now add to this increased...
Continue reading "Tips For Staying On Top of Homework, Friends And Fun"
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