Character Building from KidsDiscuss.com

5 Parenting Tips: What You Need for Your Newborn Baby

If you're a parent getting ready for your newborn, do you have what you need? Our guest blogger, Mike Hawks, from Austraila, is here to share what you need from his article, 5 Things to Do When Your Baby is Born. Let's hear his advice.

   What Parents Need for their Newborns

Babies are absolutely lovable, but their care is one of the scariest things for many mothers. There are many aspects to look after for which you need to purchase various things. Many mothers often purchase numerous useless items, which serve no purpose after they have used it once.

As a mom, you will have to address various needs of your child. During the early days, your child will have a similar routine, such as feeding, sleeping and frequent change of diapers.

The other two significant things you should consider are bathing and travelling. You need to get yourself prepared for many things well in advance for all these things.

In this article, you will find 5 useful tips to follow when your baby is born. Maintain all the below mentioned requisitions in sufficient quantity.

1. Diapers and Other Items: You will need diapers the most along with other things. Many moms choose to purchase disposable nappies, whereas if you are environmentally cautious, you can also opt for green disposable diapers.

2. Baby Skin Products: Pile up stocks of cotton balls, diaper ointments and wipes to take good care of your baby’s skin. Newborn babies have extremely sensitive and soft skin so you must ensure you keep bacteria away.

Some moms also prefer using washcloth and warm water in place of wipes to avoid their fragrance and harsh chemicals. The good news is that there are many fragrance and chemical free diapers available now. Change the diapers often, as extreme dryness and air blockage can rupture the skin.

3. Baby Cribs: Babies sleep up to sixteen hours in a day during their early months. So as your newborn will spend most of the time sleeping, you should invest in a quality baby crib. Ensure it is set properly at the correct place. The mattress should be parallel without any excess bedding.

However, you should remember never to use a pillow for an infant until the age of 12 months.

4. Baby Feeding Bottles: Babies require feeding after every two hours. Demand feeding is a good approach, but you should also develop a free-feeding routine in conjunction to keep the baby’s digestive system regulated. Ensure the baby burps because it releases the air taken from the bottle.

Boil the bottle parts regularly to avoid bacteria from accumulating. Preferably, purchase 3 to 4 baby feeding bottles as you will need one while cleaning the other. One spare bottle set should always be there for emergency needs.

5. Sterilizer: Sterilizers are really beneficial for your newborn’s hygiene. You can clean up those milk bottles in the sterilizer very easily. You do not need to spend a huge sum of money on a sterilizer, purchase an average-priced steam sterilizer and cleaning brush.

There are various types of sterilizer available, purchase the one that includes bottle brushes for easy use. However, if you want to purchase a sterilizer without a brush, make sure you purchase bottle brushes that go along with the sterilizer.

Let's give a big THANK YOU to Mike for his parenting tips. They will help many parents get ready with the right equipment for their new babies.

     

Mike Hawks

You may connect with Mike at: www.toysparadise.com.au

 Bonus Article: Motivation – 5 Ways Parents Can Motivate Pre-School Kids

 Parents, it's your turn to take the stage:

What are your opinions about this blog post or your suggestions for helping your kids? Please answer in the comment link below.

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

Sign up for my FREE Parenting Newsletter and receive 80 fun activities to share with your kids.

******If you liked this article, please send it to your social media sites below.

Warning: Don't Use 2 of These 5 Parenting Tips with Bullies

Parenting Tip: Sing about Bullies

Learn how 2 poor parenting tips and 3 better tips help your kids overcome bullies. Dr. MacMannis, our guest blogger, is a child psychologist, school consultant, lecturer, and award-winning songwriter. He creates songs and activities for social and emotional learning. Let's find out his advice on how to deal with bullies.  

Tips for Kids When Dealing with Bullies

2 Poor Ways to Deal with Bullies:

First poor way ~ act aggressively back, which is just what some bullies want.

Second poor way ~ be passive and go along with what the bully says.

3 Better Parenting Tips for Handling Bullies:

First better way ~ Bullies are also less likely to pick on kids when they are with other friends.

Second better way ~ It can help to stand up to the bully (or bullies) and say, “Cut it out!” Then walk away, or tell an adult.

Third better way ~ An excellent means of learning these skills is to listen to the award-winning song “Bye, Bye Bully”, from Ready to Rock Kids. Your child will soon be singing in full chorus:

Bye,Bye Bully Song:

“Hey you, cut it out.
And if you can’t, you’ll be without me
‘Cause I’ll walk away with my head up high
And say, by the way, goodbye.

Bye, bye bully…
Names will never hurt me, no matter what you say.
I’ll tell the teacher that it’s not okay
I’ll just ignore you, no matter what you say.
A bully’s just unhappy, and havin’ a bad day. Poor bully.”

Hearing this song a number of times has a profound affect on children’s levels of confidence. It gives them tools to become empowered and show the bully that what they're doing is not okay.

 *******

Dr. Don MacMannis

Let's give Don a BIG HAND:
Please connect with Don MacMannis, PhD. at his fun music website ~ Dr. Mac Music ~ http://drmacmusic.com/

Bonus Article:

5 Parenting Tips: When Bullies Call Your Child Names

at:  http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/feature_article.asp?fa_id=82

Parents, it's your turn to take the stage:

What are your opinions about this blog post or your suggestions for helping your kids? Please answer in the comment link below.

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

Sign up for my Newsletter at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/ and receive 80 fun activities to play with your kids.

******If you liked this blog post, please send it to your social media sites below.

7 Parenting Tips: How Love of Music Builds Potential in Kids

 

        Music Builds Potential in Kids

If you'd like music to bring out the potential in your kids, listen to our nanny expert, Debbie Denard. She is sharing her article 7 Ways to Teach Kids to Appreciate Music More. Which tips can you start using today?

Why Parents Must Teach Music Appreciation

Studies abound regarding the effects of music on children. From the Mozart Effect to the question of violent lyrics, scientists are working to find out what exactly happens when the brain is exposed to different types of music.

Most of the studies are still inconclusive but one thing is certain – music is an integral part of life, and for children, the older they get the more important music becomes. Schools have cut music programs due to budget deficits, so teaching music appreciation to children is often left to the parents. Here are some ideas to help you teach your kids to appreciate music more.  

First Tip ~ Start early to Build Music Potential – Studies show that even in infancy music has an impact on the human brain. They have also shown that classical music can lower the blood pressure and calm an upset infant. Singing simple songs to your children is the beginning of music appreciation.  

Second Tip ~ Teach Your Child to Sing and Love Music – Fun little rhyming songs are very easy for children to learn, even with a very limited vocabulary. They will pick up the words and tune quickly and find that singing is a great way to lift their own spirits.  

Third Tip ~ Music and dance Builds Music Potential – Expose your kids to different types of music through the avenue of dance. For example check out your local college or university to see if they have a dance series. This can be a wonderful way to show your children how culturally diverse music is, and they will enjoy seeing the different dance forms from a variety of cultures.

Dancing to different styles of music is fun and an added bonus is the exercise it provides. You can teach the kids different rhythms as they move their feet to the beat of the music, and you can talk about the different types of music used in the dancing.  

Fourth Tip ~ Show good music videos – Some kids enjoy watching music videos. There are also music videos that are inspiring, uplifting and just plain entertaining, such as Disney’s Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. Animusic has been featured on PBS and is a company that specializes in unique 3D computer generated music videos.

Kids are intrigued by the images they see moving to even the subtlest of musical nuances. Many teachers use these videos to teach about tempo, harmony, rhythm, anticipation and other related concepts.  

Fifth Tip ~ Introduce Your Child to an Instrument – “If you make friends with an instrument you will have a friend for life.” Many great musicians will attest to this credo. Learning to play an instrument can lead to a life-long love of music.

When possible, create opportunities for your child to see a soloist playing her particular instrument for inspiration. Keep in mind that the voice is an instrument also.

Voice lessons can bring out a shy singer and work miracles for the tuneless. Always encourage your child even when you must suffer through the squeaks of the strings and squawks of the woodwinds or the wrong notes on the piano. Practice makes pretty good, if not perfect!  

Sixth Tip ~ Sing in the Car for Fun – A long trip can be made shorter and more fun by singing. Old standards can be enjoyable and teaching your kids some of the songs you grew up with can also be fun. Try harmonizing and singing to different rhythms.

There is a plethora of sing-a-long CD’s and downloads available, so create a travel mix, and not only will your children appreciate the music more, they will also appreciate the fond memories of the family singing together on the trip to Grandma’s house.

Seventh Tip ~ Make a Musical Date – Many orchestras have children’s programs throughout the year. Take advantage of these opportunities and make a pleasurable date with your child. Dress up, attend the event, then go to lunch or dinner and have a discussion about the music. Find out what your child liked or didn’t like or what had the most impact.

High school musicals, local church or community choir events and chamber concerts offer inexpensive alternatives to the more formal orchestra setting. The main thing is to choose an event that you feel your child will enjoy.

Let's give Debbie Denard a BIG HAND! She offered 7 excellent parenting tips for helping our children love music. Some of them will find they have a talent for music. Both the love of music and talent for music are wonderful benefits.

Connect with Debbie Denard at http://www.nanny.net/

Parents, it's your turn to take the stage:

What are your opinions about this blog post or your suggestions for helping your kids love music? Please answer in the comment link below.

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

Sign up for my Newsletter at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/ and receive 80 fun activities to play with your kids.

******If you liked this article, please send it to your social media sites below.

Childhood Obesity: 8 Parenting Tips that Work!

If you're a parent with an obese child, here are 8 parenting tips to consider. Our parenting expert, William Anderson, LMHC, shared them in his article What Can a Mother do to Help Her Overweight or Obese Child? Let's find out his advice.

I Know How To Solve the Obesity Problem

"I was the fattest kid in school all my school life. It’s a miserable way to spend a childhood, or any time, for that matter. To look at me today no one would guess it. I’ve been at my ideal body weight for over twenty years. I’m a mental health counselor. Some assume I have no idea what it’s like to be fat. But I know too well. I was obese and morbidly obese for 25 years, and I thought I was a hopeless case for a long time. But I discovered how to solve the problem 20 years ago, lost 140 pounds, and I’ve been helping others since. I know how to solve the obesity problem.

For Fat Kids, It's Every Day

For two-thirds of us, the obesity epidemic is very personal. The physical suffering and cost of medical treatment due to obesity-related diseases is bad enough, but if you’ve ever been overweight yourself, you know that the real suffering associated with obesity is emotional —and no one is more vulnerable to that kind of suffering than children. It is painful to be made to feel defective, to be teased and tormented and criticized and judged. For fat kids, it’s every day.

Mothers Are the Most Important

But here’s the good news: Mothers are the most important and most powerful people in the world related to solving our childhood obesity epidemic. If your home supports habitual behavior that produces obesity, your obese child doesn’t stand a chance of getting better, no matter what the government and schools do. He or she will lead the life of an obese sick kid, almost guaranteed to become an obese sick adult. The only way an obese child can change is if the home and family changes, and that will only happen when mom says it will.

More good news

If you’ve been battling with weight yourself, deciding to help your child avoid or recover from obesity will not only spare your child, but it will solve your weight problem too! Here are some ways to get started:

8 Parenting Tips that Work!

First ~ Clear the house of high calorie junk food. Snacking and eating as if it was a hobby or a sport has got to go if you want to control your weight. Have plenty of fruit and diet soda in the fridge so they have something to grab when they need it, but a house full of cookies, snack cakes, chips, candy and ice cream is the house of an obese person. People who have solved their weight problem have none of that in their house.

Second ~ Feast and party occasionally, not every day. There are no bad calories in my book, but some foods are so calorically dense and addictive that you can only have them on special occasions, and then you need to send them home with the guests. Those who have Thanksgiving every day, or party every night, are planning on being obese.

Third ~ Help your kid find pleasures other than food. Everyone needs comfort and pleasure, but learning to use food for that is a sure fire way to create a compulsive overeater. Help them to learn how to have pleasure in healthy ways. Swimming, biking, playing with dolls and Legos, fishing, crafts, games and friends —these are all ways to make yourself feel good. And there are no calories!

Fourth ~ Swim against the current. Our culture promotes overeating and obesity, and if you are going to refuse to go along with it and be obese, you’ll be rejecting the things that everybody else thinks are normal. Put your foot down with the kids, your friends, and your husband. Don’t go to fast food places unless they have healthy selections, which some are starting to have. When they whine for junk food (husband included) “just say no”, as if they were trying to talk you into letting them have drugs. (Obesity actually accounts for far more suffering and premature deaths than drug abuse.)

Fifth ~ Become a calorie expert. Buy a calorie guide so you become an expert in portion size and healthy choices. There are no bad foods or bad calories in my mind, but until you get the knowledge of the caloric densities of the food you eat, there is no way to make intelligent choices. Eating without knowing the calories in the food is like going shopping at the mall and charging up all the things you like without looking at the price tags.

Sixth ~ Never use the “d” word. I don’t believe in “diets” and “dieting.” Never tell a kid you’re putting him on a diet. Believe me, it will backfire—just as it does in adults.

Seventh ~ Become a calorie expert. Buy a calorie guide so you become an expert in portion size and healthy choices. There are no bad foods or bad calories in my mind, but until you get the knowledge of the caloric densities of the food you eat, there is no way to make intelligent choices. Eating without knowing the calories in the food is like going shopping at the mall and charging up all the things you like without looking at the price tags.

Eighth ~ Never use the “d” word. I don’t believe in “diets” and “dieting.” Never tell a kid you’re putting him on a diet. Believe me, it will backfire—just as it does in adults.

Conclusion ~ Mom: You can take the lead by modeling and demanding a healthy way at home. Start at home, with yourself and with your family, and the schools and community will have to fall in line. You will save your child and the world by focusing on your own habits and your home. Your child and the world will follow. No one gets in momma bear’s way when her cub is threatened, even poppa bear, and mom, your child is threatened. The Anderson Method can show you how to change unhealthy eating behaviors and use positive “mind control” techniques to help your whole family feel good about food, have a healthy self-image, and feel motivated and hopeful.

Let's send WARM THOUGHTS to William Anderson, LMHC for his terrific advice. Please connect with him at

 http://theandersonmethod.com/author/theander/

Pick up his book at

 

http://www.amazon.com/Anderson-Method-Secret-Permanent-ebook/dp/B003WMA8MS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1282583195&sr=1-1

 

Parents, it's your turn to take the stage:

What are your opinions about this blog post or your suggestions for helping your kids? Please answer in the comment link below.

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

Sign up for my Newsletter at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/ and receive 80 fun activities to play with your kids.

******If you liked this article, please send it to your social media sites below.

7 Parenting Tips: How Silence Benefits Parents and Kids

If you'd like 7 parenting tips for increasing silence and enjoying your kids more, eNannySource has answers. In their article, 7 Reasons Silence is Important for Kids, they offer the benefits we all can use. Here's their advice:

"Quiet time can be hard to come by in a house full of children, but it is important for your kids’ well being.

Whether the time is spent relaxing and decompressing from an eventful day or focusing on homework, your children should have an uninterrupted block of time worked into their daily routine where they can find complete silence.

Turning off televisions, cell phones and MP3 players should be strictly enforced, and here are some of the reasons why.

First ~ Kids Worry – Though many adults idealize childhood and think of it as a carefree time, for many modern children, this simply isn’t true. The American Psychological Association conducted a survey indicating that children worry about their family’s financial situation and their grades, with older children showing marked stress over issues such as college acceptance and funding. This survey also showed that parents consistently underestimated the stress level of their children by 12-24 percentage points. 

Second ~ Silence Helps Symptoms of ADD/ADHD – In order to properly concentrate on schoolwork, kids with ADD/ADHD need an uncluttered and quiet space to unwind and focus on the work at hand. Outside stimuli can greatly affect your child’s ability to keep their mind on one task; blocking out noise that can distract them and hinder productivity is a must.

Third ~ Silence Encourages Independent Interests – Quiet time is a chance for your child to explore self-contained activities and interests, boosting their independence. In the absence of video games and cartoons, your kids can focus their attention on reading, working on artistic projects or other relaxing hobbies. The ability to entertain themselves with limited outside stimuli will serve them well later in life.

Fourth ~ Silence Improves Sleep Patterns – A child that spends their day being bombarded by over-stimulating noise and activity will often have trouble decompressing before bed without the aid of quiet time. This sleep disruption can affect everything from their mood to their physical health; setting aside a period of winding down before bed can help kids relax  instead of jumping into bed with a racing mind.

Fifth ~ Silence Helps Parents Remain Sane - Your children are affected by your mood and stress level, and you are just as susceptible to the crankiness that comes from constant over-stimulation as they are. While your children are enjoying their quiet time, you’ll have the opportunity to decompress a bit as well; as a result, you’ll be better equipped to deal with the minor crises that crop up throughout the day. Keeping your cool in high-pressure situations will help them to do the same, so everyone wins.

Sixth ~ Silence Helps Family Time – Instituting a policy of “Quiet Time” in your household doesn’t have to mean that everyone retreats to separate rooms to isolate themselves. Spending your quiet time together can be just as relaxing, and it will help you maintain your connections to one another. Younger, excitable children may need the occasional reminder to be calm, but everyone can benefit from peaceful time spent together.

Seventh ~ Silence Helps Older Kids Deal with Younger Ones – Older children can be taxed by the rambunctious behavior of younger siblings, causing them to act out of anger when they’ve been pushed to their breaking point. A period of quiet time can give your older children a much-needed break from the little ones, helping them to treat them better and enjoy interacting with them more as a result.

Conclusion for the Benefits of Silence:

Tailoring your Quiet Time to the needs of your family is essential to success; there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Working out a schedule and guidelines can be approached as a family, giving your children the chance to give their input as well. They’re more likely to respect a plan they helped to create.

Let's give a big THANK YOU to http://www.eNannySource.com  This blog post is from: http://www.enannysource.com/blog/index.php/2011/12/19/7-reasons-silence-is-important-for-kids/

******

 Parents, it's your turn to take the stage:

What are your opinions about this blog post or your suggestions for helping your kids to benefit from silence? Please answer in the comment link below.

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

Sign up for my Newsletter at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/ and receive 80 fun activities to play with your kids.

******If you liked this article, please send it to your social media sites below.

Parenting Tips: 6 Positive Ways to Encourage Optimism in Kids

If you're looking for tips on ways to raise optimistic kids, look no further, our parenting expert, Erika Stroh, knows how. Let's examine her 6 parenting tips.

1. Affirm Positive Thinking

I too have two optimistic children, most of the time. By that I mean it is an everyday task to affirm positive thinking and shift our mindset in order to see people, situations and circumstances from a new, even enlightened perspective.

2. Be Compassionate

Compassion is also a helpful characteristic that allows my children to think of how others may feel and it creates an opportunity for optimism to see the ways they may help others or practice an attitude of gratitude for the goodness in their own lives.

3. Model and Speak

Optimism also comes directly from my husband and me modeling and speaking in terms of "forward thinking" rather than dwelling or complaining about things that are out of our control.

4. Write and Set Goals

Writing and setting goals are key, as well as having realistic expectations and aspiring for more!

5. Live a Balanced and Healthy Life Style

I realize that it is challenging as parents to be mindful enough of our own actions, interactions with others and communication skills on a daily basis.

I work really hard each day as a mother of two extraordinary children who rely upon my attitude and outlook each day, to keep myself balanced and healthy, in order to be at my best and make thoughtful decisions that will nurture myself and my family.

6. Coach and Encourage Others

I work equally hard at coaching and encouraging the parents I work with to do the same!

*****

Erika Stroh, Educator, Facilitator, Parent Coach at Parent From The Heart

Thanks for your inspiration, Erika. You have given us 6 fine ways to raise optimistic kids and build character too.

Please connect with Erika at: http://blog.parentfromtheheart.com/ 

*****

Bonus Article:

Goal Setting for Kids – 1 Secret and 3 Examples that Help Kids Reach Their Goals

at:  http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/feature_article.asp?fa_id=36 

Parents, it's your turn to take the stage: 

What are your opinions about this blog post or your suggestions for helping your kids become optimistic? Please answer in the comment link below.

 

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

Sign up for my Newsletter at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/ and receive 80 fun activities to play with your kids.

******If you liked this post, please send it to your social media sites.

Parenting Tips: 12 Ways to Help Special Needs Children Enjoy the Holidays

Holidays With Special Needs Children

If you have a special needs child and want to have the best Christmas ever, you must listen to our parenting expert, Lori Lite. She is a child meditation expert and know how to help kids. In fact her 12 suggestions here can help any parent or child enjoy the holidays.

12 Stress Management Parenting Tips for the Holidays

Holiday crowds, lights, noise, strangers, hugging, change in routine, chaos…. This is a recipe for stress and sensory overload during the holidays with special needs children. As parents we need to be flexible with our own definition of what a holiday should look like. Our childhood traditions and rituals just may not work with our special needs children. Let’s create new memories and newly define what holidays look like for our own families. All children can benefit from this exercise and for those with Autism, Aspergers, or Sensory Processing issues, self-regulating is a way of life. When you have a child with special needs… a little stress management planning can go a long way. 

1. Set Up a Safe Brain Break Space: Your child can enjoy downtime when they feel over-stimulated at your house or at your relatives. Set up a brain break space and be sure that the other children and guests know that this space is off-limits. Empower your special needs child to recognize when they need to go to their brain break space. Practice, practice, practice…. ahead of time to recognize when mood is escalating… Did I say practice? Empower children by packing a relaxation bag they can go to if they are feeling anxious. Bring earphones and their special relaxation music or stories. Play dough, stress ball, music, video game, even a camera can help children relax and give them a focus if they have social anxiety.

The Indigo Dreams Series gives you stories that incorporate actual relaxation techniques. The stories and music can be downloaded to an iPod or iPad. The other kids may actually be jealous…give them their own space to de-stress. You may start a new trend!

2. Get Ready: Social stories, books, and movies can be a big help in preparing your child emotionally for holidays. Comfortable clothing and small dose exposures to holiday sounds can help physically. Think ahead with an eye for anxiety causing issues. If wrapping paper too loud? Use easy open bags or just decorate with a bow. Are the electronic bears with bells at Grandma’s house going to cause sensory overload? Ask her to unplug them before you get there. Let friends and family know about triggers ahead of time. If your child doesn’t like to be hugged suggest a handshake or just a wave. Your friends, family, and special needs children will be glad you did.

3. Prepare Your Children For Gatherings: Eliminate unnecessary anxiety associated with getting together with family members you rarely see by looking through photos of relatives prior to your event. Play memory games matching names to faces. This will help your children feel more comfortable with people they may not have seen in a while. Aunt Mary won’t seem quite so scary when she bends down to greet your child.

4. Use Relaxation Techniques: Incorporate deep breathing or other coping strategies into your day. Let your children see you use techniques when you are feeling stressed. Encourage them to use relaxation techniques on a daily basis. Breathing, visualizing, and positive thinking are powerful tools.

5. Incorporate Positive Statements Into Your Dinner: This is empowering and reflective. Each person at the table can state an attribute of their own that they are thankful for. For example, “I am thankful that I am creative.” Feeling stressed? Try, “I am thankful that I am calm.” Your special needs child can prepare ahead with a drawing or sign language if they want to participate without speaking.

6. Don’t Rush: It’s simple; none of us are very good at rushing in a relaxed way. The two just do not go together. It is impossible for children or teens to rush without getting angry. Make sure you leave enough time to enjoy the journey and avoid meltdowns. Children with special needs should be given notice of transitions.

7. Write Things Down: Getting the constant chatter and lists out of your head decreases stress and anxiety. Kids love making lists. Give them a clipboard or dry erase board. Help your child make a list of what they want to do for the holiday. It might be helping decorate or what to pack for self-care relaxation bag. This will help you relax and help your children feel involved. Encourage them to add happy words like laugh or draw a smile face on their list.

8. Schedule Downtime: Don’t overbook your children. It’s important to use holiday time for relaxation. Try staying in pajamas till noon. Pop your favorite popcorn and watch a movie when you wake up. You’ll be surprised how an hour or two of relaxation can rejuvenate your children’s bodies, minds, and spirits.

9. Shopping: Avoid taking your children shopping on the busiest shopping days of the year. The chaos, noise of large crowds, and long lines will definitely add stress to your life. If your child is absolutely known to meltdown during shopping you can select a few gifts and bring them home. Set up a shopping experience in your home for your child. The whole family can participate. Have a checkout counter and a gift-wrapping table. 

11. Be Flexible: Relax your expectations and definitions of what a fun experience is for your children. Most of us do not need the full blown exhausting experience of holidays to reflect that we had a good time. A few positive minutes is worth a lifetime of memories!

12. Let The Children Participate: Let your children do one thing for the holiday that makes them feel proud. Kids can collect acorns or place a few jingle bells into a bowl for a beautiful stress free centerpiece.  Children can fold the napkins or put the forks out. Let them draw a special picture to place on your guest’s chair. Be prepared to accept their participation as perfect and wonderful. Restrain for correcting or straightening out the napkins and enjoy the holidays with your special needs child!

******

Stress Free Kids founder Lori Lite has created a line of books and CDs designed to help children, teens, and adults decrease stress, anxiety, and anger. Ms. Lite’s books, CDs, and lesson plans are considered a resource for parents, psychologists, therapists, child life specialists, teachers, and yoga instructors. Lori is a certified children’s meditation facilitator and Sears’ Manage My Life parenting expert. For more information visit  Stress Free Kids and for daily advice follow Lori on Twitter and Facebook.

Lori Lite

Let's give Lori a huge THANK YOU for her excellent advice for helping parents everywhere.

******

Parents, it's your turn to take the stage:

What are your opinions about this blog post or your suggestions for helping you and your kids have fun a Christmas? Please answer in the comment link below.

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

Sign up for my Newsletter at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/ and receive 80 fun activities to play with your kids.

****** If you liked this article, please send it to your social media sites below.

3 Parenting Tips: Raising Kids in the Family Soup of Optimism

 
Raising kids with optimism is like being a family chef. What? Our expert blogger today, Ray Erickson, will tell you what he means. Ray is a writer, author, speaker, consultant and psychotherapist. Let's find out his 3 tips.

Model, Be the Chef

1. The most potent of all things parents can do to raise optimistic kids is to be optimistic. I know that sounds like a no brainer, but kids do learn what they live.

Children swim around in this family soup and you are the chef. So use only the most nutritional and fresh ingredients to ensure a really rich and tasty soup.

Give Challenging Opportunities

2. Another way to foster a sense of accomplishment in your children's lives, is by giving them opportunities to challenge themselves. Then permit them to discover their own ways to meet those challenges. They will develop confidence knowing that no matter what happens, they can move beyond it.

Listen, Be Curious

3. Listen with the intent to understand. Do not listen so you can take the next opportunity to put in your two cents worth. Just listen and be curious.

As you listen, acknowledge how they use critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Optimism does not remove the challenges from our lives, but it sure makes it easier to navigate those challenges.

*****

Let's give Ray a big THANK YOU for his important tips on raising kids in the family soup of optimism.

 

Ray is the author of 10 Tips to Tame Your Teens at his website http://www.rayerickson.com

You can also connect with Ray at his blog:  http://www.rayerickson.com/blog

 

Parents, now it's your turn to share the spotlight.

What are your opinions or suggestions for helping your kids become optimistic? Please answer in the comment link below.

 

To move your children forward with positive thinking, pick up the Dilemma Discussion Kit. The 50 fun discussions with your kids will help them face life's challenges. Your listening ear is key!

http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/parent_resource_center.asp?pr_id=kd010

 

With warm wishes,

Jean Tracy, MSS

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15 Loving Actions to Share with Your Family

How to Parent Optimistic Kids with Chores and Goal-Setting

Would you like to parent optimistic kids and get them to do their chores?  Would you like them to achieve their own goals too? Let's find our what our expert parenting coach, Garth Smith, advises. He is the founder of:

Hardwiring Kidz to Be Their Best by Parents of 10 Kids

Wired for Success

"Sandi and I are privileged to be parents of 10 very optimistic children.

We introduced them to daily work chores at a young age.

We also introduced them to goal-setting when they were quite young.

When kids set and achieve their own goals, they get excited. When we can give a big why to all they do, they're more likely to see purpose, which also helps develop optimism within them. That's our take.

3 Parenting Tips for Raising Optimistic Kids:

First: Parents model how to face each new day with a smile.

Second: Parents model how to handle life's challenges; show them/teach them that challenges and obstacles are only opportunities for growth.

Third: Teach them in their childhood and youth to set and strive to achieve goals.

Let's give Garth a big "THANK-YOU" for his helpful tips.

You can connect with Garth at:

http://www.10kidz.com

 

Parents, now it's your turn to share the spotlight.

 What are your suggestions for helping your kids become optimistic? Please answer in the comment link below.

 

One more thing, to increase your child's gifts and talents and follow through with Garth's suggestion, pick up this goal-setting kit.

This  Goal Setting Pyramid Kit will teach them a positive strategy that's sure to raise their self-esteem.

With warm wishes,

Jean

 

Jean Tracy, MSS

 Sign up for my Newsletter at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/

You’ll receive 80 Fun Activities to Share with Your Kids

 

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http://on.fb.me/cuSvfe  and receive:

15 Loving Actions to Share with Your Family

Self-Esteem: 2 Top Parenting Tips for Raising an Optimistic Child

Would you like to raise an optimistic child filled with self-esteem? Our expert blogger today is Dr. Wendy Nickerson. She is the President and founder of:

International Health Coaching Enterprises.

Let's find out the 2 top parenting tips she is offering today that build self-esteem and optimism in kids.

"Some psychologists say that optimism is a personality trait. I like to think of it as a reflection of a child's budding identity. It seems that if they have a sense of self-worth, importance, and self- understanding, that they tend to be more optimistic and hopeful. I have noticed that if a child has self-esteem, he is usually optimistic as well. Maybe this is a cyclical effect...?"

How to Raise an Optimistic Child with a Core Sense of Self-Esteem

"Whatever the case, a tip that I would suggest for helping children/adolescents be optimistic is to aid them in developing a core sense of self, and self-esteem. This is often done by finding out what their gifts and talents are, and helping them excel in that area. We all tend to have a sense of self-esteem when we are using our gifts. It puts us in a positive and optimistic mind set."

Connecting Them to a Spirit Greater Than Themselves

"Also, encouraging them to know that they are connected to something much greater than themselves....their spirit (regardless of religion) enhances optimism through an increased sense of self. This can be done through modeling behavior. For example, if they see you stopping to say a short silent player in the middle of a busy day.

It almost seems as though optimism and identity are one of the same, in many situations."

Let's give Dr. Wendy a big

"THANK-YOU"

for her brilliant tips.

You may connect with Dr. Wendy Nickerson at:

http://www.drwendynickerson.com/

 

Parents, now it's your turn to share the spotlight.

 What are your suggestions for helping your kids become optimistic? Please answer in the comment link below.

One more thing, to increase your child's gifts and talents, goal-setting helps.

This Goal Setting Pyramid Kit will teach them a positive strategy that's sure to raise their self-esteem.

With warm wishes,

Jean

 

Jean Tracy, MSS

 Sign up for my Newsletter at http://www.kidsdiscuss.com/

You’ll receive 80 Fun Activities to Share with Your Kids

 

Write on my Facebook Wall at

http://on.fb.me/cuSvfe  and receive:

15 Loving Actions to Share with Your Family