Parenting: The Challenge » Parenting http://www.parentingthechallenge.com Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:59:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 Getting Your Child to Eat Vegetables http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/getting-your-child-to-eat-vegetables.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/getting-your-child-to-eat-vegetables.htm#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:59:43 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/?p=178 Your child may be at the stage where she won’t eat vegetable. It can be very frustrating and you want to be sure she is getting the nutrition that she needs. I have the same issue with my own toddler these days, the only vegetable he is really willing to eat is peas. The tricks I have tried with some good success have been to “sneak” vegetables into his meals.  For example, I put spinach and other vegetables into quesadillas. I have a juicer and juice vegetables adding an apple or a lemon so that it tastes more like fruit juice but he is getting a good dose of veggies.  Blending vegetables to make a sort of sauce can also work if you put on pasta or potatoes. I have also found that if I have ketchup on hand he will dip vegetables in it and them just fine. It’s a good idea to keep trying with vegetables, one week she may not want them, but try again in a few she may want to try them and actually like them. You may want to give her a multivitamin if you are worried that she is not getting enough vitamins and minerals from her food. As your child grows older their palate will change and they may eat more vegetables.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/getting-your-child-to-eat-vegetables.htm/feed 0 Making The Preschool Transition Easier http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/making-the-preschool-transition-easier.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/making-the-preschool-transition-easier.htm#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 01:59:36 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/?p=176 If your child is getting to the age where he will be going to preschool in the fall, you may have some anxiety around it all. It can be hard on you and them, especially if you have been home with them their first few years. Preschool is a great learning experience for the both of you that would be a shame to miss. When it gets closer to them attending in the fall, talk to your child about it letting him know what’s in store for him when going to preschool. Let him know that he will meet many other kids and learn a lot of new things. You may find it difficult to leave him there on his first day, that’s ok. Just remember that he will be taken care of and that he will be getting a lot of being there. Take advantage of the fact that he will be there and take that time for yourself while he is there. Preschool is a great start in life for your  child to build social and academic skills, it’s a good thing for the both of you.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/making-the-preschool-transition-easier.htm/feed 0 Spotting Teen Drug use and Preventing It http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/spotting-teen-drug-use-and-preventing-it.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/spotting-teen-drug-use-and-preventing-it.htm#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:56:13 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/?p=169 With summer comes more free time and relaxed adult supervision which can mean more opportunities for your teen to use alcohol and drugs. According to an annual study of adolescent drug use one third of of high school seniors report having used marijuana as well as 27% of 10th graders. 44% of high school seniors reported drinking in the past 30 days. 15% of 8th graders, 29% of 10th graders and 37% of 12th graders report using an illicit drug in the past year. Those are some scary statistics. You want to really monitor your child for any change in mood or behavior. There are some signs that mean it’s time for you to take action:
smelling alcohol or marijuana
stealing money
marked changes in eating and/or sleeping habits
changes in friends
loss of interest in usual activities or hobbies
It’s important to be involved in your teen’s life and knowing what they are up. Be there for them when they need support and listen without being critical or judgmental. You don’t have to helicopter parent in order to get results, just stayed tuned in.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/spotting-teen-drug-use-and-preventing-it.htm/feed 0 How Well do You Know Your Teen? http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/how-well-do-you-know-your-teen.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/how-well-do-you-know-your-teen.htm#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:29:11 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/?p=167 When your child reaches the teenage years you may have noticed that your relationship has gone through some changes. You may not be as close with them as you once were or really know what’s going on in their lives. How do you stay involved with their life when it seems they don’t want you to be? First be there for them. They are more likely to come to you when they know you will be there for them without judgement or criticism, but just as their parent. be a good listener when they do come to you and have something to share. Wait for them to ask for advice and suggestions, don’t just offer it. They want to be independent and be able to make their own choices. Showing interest in what they are up to and the people they are spending their time with can help with communication and closeness.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/how-well-do-you-know-your-teen.htm/feed 0 Growing a Garden WIth Your Child http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/growing-a-garden-with-your-child.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/growing-a-garden-with-your-child.htm#comments Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:20:44 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/?p=165 Summer time is a great way to teach your child about how things grow and maybe even give them an appreciation of how they get their fruits and vegetables. Gardening is a great way to spend time with your child and get them involved with keeping a garden. They may even be more interested in trying things that they have never tried before or at one time didn’t like. WHen they are more involved in the process of growing their own food, they may be more likely to try and eat the resulting bounty.  Have them help you pick out some things that they would like to grow and make them “in charge” of it. if they are old enough you can have them make a meal with the fruits and/or vegetables that they grew in the garden.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/growing-a-garden-with-your-child.htm/feed 0 Free Summer Activities to do With Kids http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/free-summer-activities-to-do-with-kids.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/free-summer-activities-to-do-with-kids.htm#comments Fri, 11 Jun 2010 22:38:21 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/?p=160 Summer is on it’s way which means school is out, what do you do with the kids? If you’re on a tight budget it can be even more difficult to plan fun and educational things for your kids to do. If summer camp is not on the horizon there are other opportunities. The library is a great resource and their events are free. Check out your local library for story time, or guests events that may be happening. Take them to a toy store to play with the demo toys that are available. Younger children can ride free on buses, ferries or trains, travel to a different location to check out a new environment. May cities have a variety of events that are going on at museums, farmer’s markets and parks. Check out your local rec center and look online for events that may be happening in your neighborhood.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/free-summer-activities-to-do-with-kids.htm/feed 0 Daycare Has a Lasting Impact on Children’s Behavior http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/daycare-has-a-lasting-impact-on-childrens-behavior.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/daycare-has-a-lasting-impact-on-childrens-behavior.htm#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 21:42:29 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/daycare-has-a-lasting-impact-on-childrens-behavior.htm The first 4 years of life for toddlers are the most important for they have a lasting impact throughout their life. Research that was reported on MSNBC.com has shown that the quality of daycare at an early age can influence the behavior of a child as well as their ability to learn. 1300 children were followed over the course of 11 years. They found that poor cooperation and lower performance in school were associated with poor quality care during their first 4 years. Interestingly, even if peers and teachers became more prominent, the more time they had spent in child care of any kind were more prone to risky behavior. This research suggest that it’s really important to know the environment your children are spending their days in and that it can have a lasting influence on their growth and development.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/daycare-has-a-lasting-impact-on-childrens-behavior.htm/feed 0 Hobbies are Healthy for Children http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/hobbies-are-healthy-for-children.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/hobbies-are-healthy-for-children.htm#comments Fri, 14 May 2010 21:07:28 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/hobbies-are-healthy-for-children.htm Hobbies benefit children in many ways. It gives a child an opportunity to express themselves, and it allows them to discover themselves and build self-esteem. They are also great educational tools. A child interested in rock collecting learns about geology and science, and a child in writing stories learns about sentence structure and proper grammar. Hobbies teach children to set and achieve goals, solve problems and make decisions.  They can also set the course for what your child becomes later in life as they often turn into lifelong interests or careers.

Be available to your child to provide guidance, support and encouragement.  This is a great time to teach your child strong work habits, such as following directions closely, setting goals, and proper planning and organization.  Show them that nothing worthwhile is ever easy, especially when they begin to become frustrated with their progress.  It’s also a good time to teach them about personal responsibility and show them how important it is to properly care for their work area and their ‘tools of the trade.’

Hobbies are rewarding and enriching parts of our lives, so encourage your child to explore his own interests and find a hobby of their very own.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/hobbies-are-healthy-for-children.htm/feed 0 How Can You Get Your Teen to Clean Their Room? http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/how-can-you-get-your-teen-to-clean-their-room.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/how-can-you-get-your-teen-to-clean-their-room.htm#comments Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:50:22 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/how-can-you-get-your-teen-to-clean-their-room.htm As Children get older it can be harder to have them keeping their room clean. What are your options besides just keeping the door closed? Offering rewards in order for them to clean their room will only teach them that will get something for doing something, which won’t help them after they leave home and need to keep their entire house clean. They won’t be getting any rewards for that. What you can try is to have a clean up day where the entire family cleans their rooms. Let them know that their laundry won’t get done for them if they leave their clothes all over the floor, that you will not be picking them up. Enforce a “no food or drink in the bedroom” rule so that they can’t make a mess with it in their room. If they have plans to do something have them clean their room first before going out for fun. Teaching your teen to clean up their room is an important skill to have when moving into adulthood.

]]> http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/how-can-you-get-your-teen-to-clean-their-room.htm/feed 0 Grandparents Connecting With Grandchildren http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/grandparents-connecting-with-grandchildren.htm http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/grandparents-connecting-with-grandchildren.htm#comments Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:58:44 +0000 admin http://www.parentingthechallenge.com/?p=150 My parents live in France during the summer. When they are here during the winter they take my son every week overnight. They have created a strong bond with him where he has gotten used to their presence. Now that they have left the regular visits have ceased. how do they keep their bond strong? It helps that they are both into technology and video chat with us while they are away. My son really enjoys being able to see them and talk to them even if he’s not in the same room with them. My mom has decided to write him letters and keep up with the video chats and even reading him stories during the video chat as a way to keep in touch. The internet age has created many ways to stay connected and I am grateful that my son can nurture his relationship with his grandparents while being so far away. When they return for the winter it’s as if no time has gone by. Web cams are not very expensive and easy to use and we use Skype which is free to use. If your family lives far away consider using this technology to stay close.

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