Child Source

Today, Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is pleased to be joined by Lucinda Clark, who is responsible for compiling "View from the Middle of the Road, Volume II," PRA Publishing (2006), ISBN 9780972770361, a poetry anthology that showcases four African American Poets from the East Coast States. The poets write about love, life, and what it is like to be African American in this country. Lucinda Clark is the founder of P.R.A. Publishing. She has worked with visual artists and authors on the promotion and marketing of their creative works for the past nineteen years. She wrote her first volume of "View from the Middle of the Road, where the greenest grass grows" in 2004. She has published 8 other...

Children have always been in a hurry to grow up. Especially, when they reach those infamous teen years. Those magical years when they seem to know more then the adults around them. As a parent, this is often the most trying time for us. Many of us still see our teenager as a child and we forget that they are growing up and need to make their own decisions. If we did our job while they were younger, they will come to us for advice before making a decision. In our society we are putting more and more demands on our young people. We expect them to act like adults, when the reality is, they're still children. How often have you caught yourself telling your young child to stop acting childish? When...

Setting new goals helps you continue your grief journey. I learned this lesson from experience. After my daughter and father-in-law died on the same February weekend I started thinking about goals. Thinking was hard because I was overcome with grief and stress. The loss of a child, no matter what their age, is devastating and my first goal was to make it to the next hour. Then I vowed to make it through the morning, through an afternoon, and through an entire day. I worked on these goals and was making progress when my brother had a heart attack and died. Three loved ones were gone forever. In November of the same year my former son-in-law died suddenly, a tragedy that made my trin grandchildren...

When my brother died in the spring of 2007 I barely had time to mourn him. Our elder daughter -- mother of our twin grandchildren -- had died four months earlier. My father-in-law died the same weekend and we were swamped with tasks. We were also doing all we could to nurture our grandchildren -- children who were now without a mother. Grief was still raw when my brother had a heart attack and died. Apparently he had survived cancer treatment, but his heart had not. We attended the memorial service on Long Island, flew home, and tried to put our lives back together. Our former son-in-law had moved in with the twins and things were going pretty well until he was killed in another car crash. Our...

Linking objects -- keepsakes that remind us of a deceased loved one -- can be a source of comfort. A widow may wear her husband's watch, for example. A bereaved son may use his father's golf clubs. These objects make us feel close to the loved one we lost. The other day I came across a linking object, actually a linking message, from my deceased daughter. I was cleaning out the kitchen desk junk drawer. As I was leafing through a pile of rumpled papers, I found a Christmas card she sent us years ago. It contained the traditional "Merry Christmas" message, but my daughter's hand written note was extraordinary, and I could tell she was in a hurry when she wrote it. Her note: "Thank you for everything...

First off, let's understand the basics of the coaching relationship. It's so easy to get locked into a power struggle with your teen. As the struggle escalates, communication shuts down. The conversations get louder and louder, but nobody's listening. As a coach, you let go of the need to control. As a mother of three grown children, I know that's scary. But, let's face it, the command and control technique doesn't work with teenagers anyway. So, take a deep breath and remember, we can only control our own behavior. I became interested in applying coaching techniques to raising teenagers when I offered my adult daughter a sample session. We really struggled when she was a teen, but she is turning...

Peer pressure can be a very frustrating concept for parents. As a parent you have invested a lot of time in your teenager so that they will make good, safe decisions and have the confidence to not be a "follower". The reality is, however, that most if not all teenagers succumb to peer pressure at some point during adolescence. Peer pressure is being or feeling forced into a certain way of living, dressing, socializing, talking, acting and in general...being. Based on what we know about teenagers (they are trying to figure out who they are, are trying to break away from their parents and are in general very uncertain about where they fit in the world), it makes sense that they would fall victim to...

Cell phones are a huge part of our lives these days. Everyone seems to have a cell phone because they make everything so much more convenient. The problem that we are facing with cell phones though, is how many car accidents they are causing. In the United States there are over 210 million people that use cell phones. People are relying on them more and more. Because of all the car accidents associated with cell phone use, we must decide whether this convenience is really worth it in the car. When drivers use the cell phone in the car, there are two big problems. First, you have to take your eyes off the road to dial. Second, cell phone conversations can be so absorbing that you lose the...

When it comes to the nanny interview, parents might not be able to figure out why they feel as though they are in the hot seat. But as the interview time draws closer, it will be a lot more apparent. Nannies are, after all, either sent by a nanny agency or you have selected the nanny from an online nanny service, to provide childcare service, and what it really comes down to is choosing the best nanny to care for your child. What this means in regards to an interview with a prospective nanny is if you know the best questions to ask. Like any other interview you might conduct, it is crucial to come to it with an understanding of what you want to figure out. And when it comes to nanny questions, it is...

Out of school suspensions have become a major disciplinary action engaged in by public schools in Illinois. Suspensions produce poor results with regular students and are educationally unsound for students in special education. Yet schools continue with this dreadful disciplinary action and then justify it with: "we don't have many other options" or "we have a large number of other students to consider"; all the while, failing in their task to provide FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) to special education students. It begs the question - If the handicapped child is classified as emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered then aren't the behaviors not only expected but also the ones that the...

Most of us are familiar with using hot sauce to spice up food. Just a few drops certainly gives a jolt of flavor to many popular items. Hot sauce has also come to the forefront recently as a method for disciplining children. This practice is referred to as "hot saucing" or "hot tongue" and refers to a parent punishing a child for bad behavior by putting a drop of the highly seasoned substance on the tip of their child's tongue. This may be some parents' way of trying to make sure that the punishment fits the crime in situations where the youngster has been caught lying, biting, or using inappropriate language. Some other parents choose to use this method of discipline for other types of unacceptable...

Discipline is the basis for anyone to grow up and become healthy and responsible. Hence, start by disciplining your kid at a very young age because it becomes more difficult at later stages in life. Usually, along the way it comes many different challenges and rewards that might just get you into buckets of helplessness and tears. According to Katherine Lee, former editor at Parenting and Working Mother magazines, it is very important to be mindful in terms of the use of language when dealing with kids. Teach and guide with a lot of respect and not simply dictate or empower to overrule them at every instance. Remember, little kids have feelings, they also learn fast, so talk to them the way you...

I recently told you about a boy who was sent home from school for swearing -- what a consequence! Swear and you get an afternoon off school -- great. Then to cap it all he was allowed back the same afternoon to take part in the class assembly! Oh good heavens - what are these people thinking of? It's sheer madness. What impact was this 'consequence' supposed have on the child? Probably anyone with an ounce of sense would say, 'It just wouldn't have an impact.' Well, actually it will have had an impact... but not the one you'd want. It will have simply reinforced to the child that any unacceptable or anti social behaviour will be suffered by the adults and there will be no significant consequences as...

Interesting reading in today's national newspaper! The current government opposition party, hoping that they're predicting what the electorate want, are promising a crackdown on discipline in schools and say they will declare war on 'yobbery'. They claim that children's behaviour has got progressively worse, with over 3.5 million days lost in children's education in the last 5 years due to exclusions. They promise to put school discipline at the top of the political agenda when they get elected into government -- well they hope they'll get elected. Time will tell on that one... Of course, the other lot claim that everything's hunky dory and that the debate on children's behaviour is all a great big...

In the noble sport of fencing they teach the participants to never let their guards down at all times. The same notion should also be applied to parenting. Parents should never ever let their guards down especially when it comes to disciplining children. Why? Even if parents hate to admit it some kids can be pretty deceiving and manipulative when it comes to others feelings and emotions. The most significant and predominant victims to this manipulation are in fact the parents. Children condition you into thinking that everything is your fault. Unbelievable though it may seem never forget that they are thinking for themselves and are very perceptive even at a very young age. You might not even be...

I watched an interesting thing today. My wife and I were at a basketball game in which our sixth-grade granddaughter competed in a cramped middle school gym. This team, that had lost every game up to today, played almost flawlessly and won the game 40 to 8. The girls played like a team and were a joy to behold. But one thing was very different today. The highest scorer on our team was phenomenal. She stole the ball, she moved the ball, and passed to teammates. She drove the ball to the basket and scored time and time again. She did everything her father had been yelling from the sidelines for her to do for the last six games. He had especially been shouting (very loudly) for her to not just stand...

The parenting time schedule and parenting agreement are some the documents in a custody proceeding that have the most impact. A mother and father need to do everything in their power to make a good agreement that governs their custody situation. In order to do this, there are a few factors they should consider. Here are some suggestions for making the best parenting schedule and agreement. To begin with, parents need to decide which parent the child will reside with. Parents can choose to have the child live primarily with one parent and visit the other parent, this is often called a sole custody arrangement, or the child can reside with both parents and spend significant time with the mother and...

Experienced parents know that exercising good parenting skills can be very confusing. You have a good relationship with your teen, you treat them with respect, and listen to them when they speak. How do they react; by snapping back at you and being arrogant! It seems that they are trying (and almost succeeding) to sabotage a great relationship and you don't know what you are doing wrong. Sounds familiar? If you want to stay calm, undaunted and continue to love your child become familiar with and learn "The Law of the Soggy Potato Chip". Psychologist Fitzhugh Dodson wrote in How to Discipline With Love (1977) that children would rather have negative attention than no attention at all, just as...

Parents are the most important teachers in their children's lives. Children learn most of their moral values from their parents. If you have noticed most children imitate their parents. Along with love and care, children require someone to discipline them. Parents are the best ones who can discipline them. When disciplined by a parent, the child understands that he/she is loved but has done something wrong and hence has been corrected. Parenting is much more than just providing materialistic things for your children. Parenting should involve spending time with your kids, chatting with them daily, teaching them good from bad, correcting them every time they do something wrong, teaching them manners...

-- End Ad Box ---> Proper parenting skills is a main requirement in this constant groundwork process, you have to be definite that you are equipped with good ones. Being a first time parent is tough enough. This can be an overwhelming endeavor. The important equipment that we have is the way in which our very own parents brought us up. THE PROCESS OF BEING A NEW PARENT Proper and good parenting skills teaches you how to essentially listen to your child's needs and not relinquish them, but it is all up to you on how can you stand strong and see the issues in your child's eyes and point to a solution that will please you both. You have to admit, that we tend to overlook how it is to just relax and get...

Many parenting books advise against eating out with young children. Their short attention span and need to be involved in everything will mean a nightmare for you, they say. They're wrong. We eat out regularly with our two year old and have a wonderful time. Here are a few tips to make sure that you can do it too. First of all, make sure you choose a family-friendly restaurant. Look out for easily accessible (and clean) high chairs, a willingness to warm milk, free bibs and baby food (available at some rest stops and motorway service stations) and entertainment for your child in the form of crayons and paper or a soft play area. In case none of this is available, you need to take your entertainment...

Child-rearing books are an excellent tool for brand-new fathers and mothers and those who already have several young kids and looking to improve on their child-rearing skills. They're tremendously advantageous in daily issues, and it's a sure bet that you won't rue buying one. This short article will present the reasons why parenting guides are important for modern-day mums and dads. New fathers and mothers are typically unaware of the numerous vital matters to consider when it comes to their young kids. As a matter of fact, this disarray may begin as early as pregnancy. This is one issue where parenting guides could definitely help out. These kinds of publications allow new mums and dads to be...

It is a fact that many parents find child-rearing guides beneficial. Gone are the days when individuals shy away from the concept of learning about the different elements of raising a youngster. In recent times, almost all fathers and mothers want to own at least one book dealing with parenting. Every phase of a toddler's life is unique and also demanding for a mum or dad. That's the reason why it's important to have information about particular stages of a toddler's life. Such information will help you know each and every stage, both from the perspective of the father or mother and the kid. For instance, toddlers have certain demands. When they grow, they become much more curious and difficult to...

A highly recommended way to positive parenting method is to implement a reward chart for your child. It can be also known as a good girl or good boy chart. You may start this reward system as early as 2.5 years old or when a child can understand about expected positive behavior from him or her and get excited about 'reward'. Here is how it works: On the top row, tabulate four or five desired behavior from your child against the days of the week (at the first column). Some examples of desired behavior are like no whining, self-feeding, eating greens, self-dress up, learn to read and so on. Create empty rows and columns to put up stickers or stars. You may want to get your his or her favorite cartoon...

From the moment of conception, every human embryo is an extraordinary, amazing, marvelous living entity. Unborn babies are aware of their physical existence and aware that they are alive. In some primitive way, at the outset, they begin making choices, responding, and reacting to their psychological-energetic environments. Baby psychology and parent psychology are interconnected. We have much to learn about baby psychology and positive parenting. What typically goes on subconsciously and psychologically between babies and their parents is extremely influential and often shocking. The following are some remarkable facts about babies in the womb.o Our unborn babies demonstrate many incredible...

-- End Ad Box ---> A niche market is a group of people with common characteristics, issues and concerns. For example, attorneys, couples dealing with infertility, parents of children with ADHD, children whose parents divorced and career women over 40 are all potential niches. Defining your services and target groups are an important step in effective marketing. It is not enough to say you are a therapist. “Therapy” is too broad and non-specific. Marketing is simply getting the word out about what you do. Not choosing a target market or markets is like trying to get your voice heard over the din of your whole community. You aren’t going to be heard. If you want to effectively communicate and...

I have been mothering for many years and am currently parenting a teenager (my third). One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that if your teen has stopped listening to you, then you have lost the parenting game. Recently I sat down with a young woman (I'll call her Cindy) who is 17. I asked her to tell me what types of situations make her stop listening to her parents. Here are Cindy's answers. "I don't listen to my parents when they start yelling. Doesn't matter what they are saying, I just don't hear them anymore. "Another situation that makes me stop listening to my parents is when I am trying to relate a story about a friend and my parent interrupts me with a lecture about how I do the...

u are currently parenting a teenager you know how frustrating and even scary it can be. Let's face it, parenting a teenager can be confusing, too. Sometimes learning what NOT to do is easier than trying to figure out what new idea to add into your parenting style. I have been parenting for over two decades and am currently parenting my third teenager. Based on my own experience, here are the top three worst things you can do while parenting a teenager. Just avoiding these can go a long ways towards building a successful relationship with your teenager and thereby improving the harmony of your home. Mistake #1. Ignoring your teenager Teenagers are intense social animals. The stage of development they...

Parenting a teenager is not about getting the right magic spell to manage your out of control teenager. It is about being yourself and to be OK with whom you are, and to let your teenager find out whom they are. There are hopes for out of control teens, and there is hope for you as a parent. For now I just want to say you are not alone. It is not like you have some rare disease that none has thought of to find a cure for. Try if you can remember all the thoughts that went through your head as a teenager? Probably not even though we think we do. The time as a teenager is the time they try to find themselves. They would like to know who are they are without their parent? Yes, we know all this you say...

The term hard times are to describe so many people going through a wide variety of experiences. Ones experience during what they perceive as hard times could be another's persons aspirations and dreams. The world has changed enormously over the years and in recent decades not necessarily for the better. Home prices are up and values have declined not to mention that salaries can't even begin to compare with what the cost of living is to some. How has this happened back in our grandparent's day the husband would go to work and the wife stayed home and raised the children? They usually shared one car and the wife would walk to conduct household errands. They seemed happy and lived on much less...

It can be difficult for some parents to know whether their teenager is just stretching his muscles, or feeling his oats as they say in the UK, or going down a bad path and aiming towards becoming totally out of control. If you have a teenager who is being difficult it can be exhausting, frustrating and frankly it will almost certainly make you cry on at least one occasion. This is perfectly natural, you are remembering all the cute stuff they did , the times you laughed and rocked them to sleep in your arms. All they are thinking about is how you are trying to control them and stopping them doing what they want to do. Remember your job is to be a parent not their friend. This is especially important...

When your teen is out of control, your life is total chaos. If you are experiencing problems with drug use, rebellious teenagers, shouting matches and running away, you have probably got an out of control teenager. Keep in mind that he is probably in as much turmoil as you are, but that is probably of little concern when the household is turned upside down. If you have other children who are suffering because of your teenager, you need to tend to the needs of the other children too. The first thing to do is to get into therapy. Your teenager probably won't like this at all, but it's really important to find a therapist that the teen can relate to. Find someone who specializes in children and...