Parenting: The Challenge

This is a humorous blog post about a mother who talks about being naked in front of her children. It of course raises the question, when should you stop being naked around your children? It seems as though if you don't make a big deal out of it it's harmless. This doesn't mean you will want to flaunt your nakedness around, but we were born without clothes and being around the house naked seems benign. As long as your children don't feel uncomfortable or shameful about it you are not doing anything wrong.

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Children like to imitate what they hear from others. You've got to really pay attention to what you say around them. When they begin to speak, sometimes they will say something that's different from what they hear. It can be difficult communicating with them. Keep what you say clean and pay attention to what you talk about so you can know what they are exposed to. When they do say something you don't understand, ask them to repeat it or have them show you what they are talking about.

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This article talks about a study done on 2000 children from birth to age 13 to find how their temperament as a baby formed the teenage they became. A lot of it points to genetics, but also parenting style. They found that babies who were less moody and more predictable had a very low risk of future behavior problems. It just goes to show that your parenting does indeed make a difference in how your child behaves later on in life.

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In Florida a National Survey of Families and Households was done to find out if those without children were happier than those with. Childless couples showed to be happier. Being a parent is a tough job. I think the reason it seems that childless couples are happier is because they have more time for themselves and don't have to look after anyone. They have the freedom to do whatever they want whenever they want. As a parent I think having a child is one of the happiest experiences someone can ever have. Even with al of the hard work and not knowing where money will come from. It's something you can't ever get until you do it.

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As a parent it is important to schedule in time to play with your child. When they are small they appreciate it just the time that you are with them while they are playing. As they get older being involved with their play becomes more important. Let them choose what to play and go along with their agenda. Play the parts that they assign to you. Play time with your child is also a good time for you to relax. You can give yourself a break and just spend time with your child. You can build a great bond with them during play time.

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A lot of people talk about things that need to get handled before they can have children. Maybe it's getting rid of debt, or buying a house, or just slowing down at work. The truth is there is really no "right" or "good" time to have kids, you just have to do it. If you keep waiting for that time you will never have kids! Just know that when you bring kids into the world, you will make it work however you do because it will be necessary.

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I read an article about parents being afraid that their children are so wrapped up in technology that they are losing their relationship with their kids. They fear that all of their time is consumed by programs on television depicting sex and violence. My question is, why are you afraid? You are the parent and are able to monitor what they are watching and playing. It sounds to me like these parents think the have no control over what their children are exposed to. Maybe they could enforce some rules about how much and what kind of technology they are exposed to.

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Being in the kitchen with your kids is a great way to connect. It may also get your kids interested in foods they would normally not want to even try. Having them involved in the cooking provides opportunities to share family recipes and make sure they are eating healthy. Sure there will be some times that they will have an unhealthy snack but what's important is that they eat well most of the time, not making sure it's not every single price of food they eat. Not only will it give you some valuable time with them, but you will be teaching them skill they will be able to use for a lifetime.

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How do you know when a child is old enough to stay home alone? Or how old they should be to go to the mall for the day or walk to school? Not all children achieve the same milestones at the same time. How can you tell when they are ready? A good way to start is asking the "what if" questions. Set up scenarios and ask what they would do in the situation. This will help you decide if they are mature enough to handle the situation. You will gain some insight as to what they can and cannot handle.

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It is recommended that children do not watch more than one or two hours of TV per day. For the most part I do agree with this. There are plenty other activities they can do besides TV. I would also advise parents not to have a TV in their childrens' rooms. On the other hand I think some TV is ok, and is great for when parents need a break. There are plenty of educational programs now and you can always pick out a movie instead of a show. Now that there are DVRs you can pick out specific programming that you find would be beneficial to your children when the time comes for TV watching. I think ...

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