Parenting Tips #1

Take an inventory of your assets. Assess your strengths so you can plan for the future. Don't believe that because your marriage failed, you are a failure.

Some of the best toys continue to be used as children move through different ages and stages. Toys that accomplish these objectives include blocks; animal or insect figures; construction or tool sets; flashlights; dolls with accurate features; basic art supplies; cars, trucks, boats, planes and trains; dress-up clothes and housewares; balls, jump ropes, playing cards and puzzles; medical kits and musical instruments.

Parents can help their children develop positive attitudes toward math and boost their math intelligence. They can do this in a variety of age-appropriate ways. Preschool children develop math skills through play. Placing toy cars in a line shows quantity; asking for as many cookies as a sibling gets demonstrates equality; knowing that one is taller than a friend applies the idea of "greater than."

Classic toys such as building blocks teach children about geometric shapes. Board games like "Chutes and Ladders" reinforce the concept of one-to-one correspondence (counting each object once). Connect-the-dot puzzles reward numerical sequencing by revealing a hidden picture. Jigsaw puzzles invite problem solving with shapes, sizes and colors. Parents can increase a child's comfort with math by engaging in mathematical conversations with the child in a casual way,by asking questions such as "Guess how many more miles to the supermarket?" or "How much do you think this melon weighs?" Card games also offer opportunities to enhance math skills in a fun and casual way.

Decide on a standard of conduct in your personal life. Get to know your new self and be comfortable with your decisions about who you let into your home and life.

Don't nag. Nagging removes the emphasis from the rule and puts it on the emotions of the moment. Besides, if something requires constant nagging, the rule isn't working. Try something else.

Establish a specific homework time, perhaps making that a TV-free time for the rest of the family. If your child asks for help with an assignment, respond by working through an example or asking questions, rather than simply providing answers. Praise your child's efforts.

Let your children share. Let your children know they are important in the family. It is all right if they know you work hard, don't have enough money, or that you have met someone new who makes you happy. Children can accept responsibility, directness and honesty.

Time-outs are considered the most effective form of discipline by many pediatricians. However, time-outs may not work with all children and may be ineffective if overused. A frequently used rule of thumb is to administer time-outs that last one minute for each year of the child's age.

Make cooking fun. Distribute chef's hats, recipe books, and recipe cards. Have family members look over recipes, write out cards for favorite meals, and together develop a menu for one-, two-, or three-week cycles. Negotiate nutritious meals - if you give in to hotdogs one night, then your family may be more ready to agree to tofu lasagna the next night.

Provide opportunities for girls to do things that are generally thought of as mainly for boys. Girls may not ask for the chance to hold a snake or learn carpentry, but they participate eagerly when given the chance.

Most sleep experts agree that the most common cause of children's sleep problems is lack of consistency in enforcing a sleep-wake regimen. Kids need a consistent bedtime ritual, a strictly enforced bedtime that doesn't change each night and a regular wake-up time. That's good advice for parents as well, because, when you're on a regular schedule, your sleep will improve too.