Positive Parenting to Help Tame Ratbag Toddlers!

PARENTS & GRANDPARENTS, this is a great self contemplation quizz.

Fill in the blanks and see what you learn from your answers.

I AM A _______________________________________________ PARENT.

I NEED TO BECOME A MORE _____________________________PARENT.

MY CHILD THINKS I AM A _________________________________PARENT.

I WISH MY CHILD WOULD STOP __________________________________.

I WISH MY CHILD WOULD START ________________________________.

I HOPE MY CHILD NEVER ______________________________________.

MY CHILD'S BEHAVIOR WOULD BE BETTER IF_____________________.

MY CHILD'S FRIENDS ARE ____________________________________.

MY CHILD MAKES ME PROUD WHEN ____________________________.

MY CHILD DISAPPOINTS ME WHEN _____________________________.

MY CHILD'S MOOD IS TYPICALLY _______________________________.

MY CHILD'S BEHAVIOR IS TYPICALLY ___________________________.

MY CHILD LIKES TO _________________________________________.

MY CHILD HATES TO ________________________________________.

I WANT TO TEACH MY CHILD TO ______________________________.

I PROVIDE A ________________________ ENVIRONMENT FOR MY CHILD.

MY DISCIPLINE IS _____________________________________________.

OUR FAMILY IS ________________________________________________.

I HOPE THAT SOME DAY MY CHILD WILL ___________________________.

I KNOW THAT SOME DAY MY CHILD WILL __________________________.

Potty Training:

The time has come to get your toddler out of nappies, one of the next decisions is deciding whether to use a potty or the toilet. It's not really that important which one is chosen as long as the method of their use gets the results.

No child can be trained until a particular nerve pathways have adequately matured, a process that's out of our hands, control over the bladder and the bowels begin around eighteen months to two years of age.

It would be fair to say, that training your child before the age of two is a waste of time. Most toilet training problems today, is likely to be that of unrealistic and deceptive advice.

Many parents like to start their children on the potty, and a lot of toddlers rather the potty than the toilet for it is easy to use and being portable it is able to be used in any room at the time.

A good time to start training your toddler for potty use is around half-way through his second year. By this age he has control over his bowel movements and possibly being aware of a full bladder and able to let his parents know in time.

Start with the potty training program in the morning. After the morning meal , sit your child on the potty. If there is a fuss with sitting on the potty have some favorite toys ready for the potty training session only.

Every potty session should last no longer than five minutes at a time. Remain with your child for the first few times, to assist when needed. After a few times of your child being aware of the routine, leave him sit on his own but stay in a reassuring distance.

After five minutes, lift your child from the potty. If your child has used the potty, then express your approval. If not, let your child know you are pleased he tried, tell him "Let's try again tomorrow."

The potty training can be encouraged through out the day, but not so that your child feels he spends a good part of his day on the potty. If your child starts to object to sitting on the potty, leave the training for about four weeks and try again.

Toilet Training Program:

Many parents often start toilet training far too early, mostly motivated by the mother-in-law comparing the days of her own parenting. This then makes you feel you are not doing it the right way, but the fact of it all is you are his mother and only you know when the time is right.

But then there is the independent tiny tot who wants to be just like the big people, and use the toilet. Independence is a positive step for our toddler, making sure safety comes first, using a temporary step to assist with him getting up to the toilet, its also a good idea to place a child's small toilet seat under the adult seat. This allows the child more stability and less fear of falling into the toilet bowl.

When The Time Is Right

Encouragement should always be apart of the training program. Don't use the words "hurry up," as it puts the pressure on your child making him uncomfortable, don't fight. Just relax.

PRAISE is also important at this stage. For example, praising your child for telling you he needs to go " wee's." When a toilet accident occurs don't get up set, be calm and tell him you understand and he did the right thing telling you.

It is very important that parents always appear to be relaxed, not showing the more serious side of how they are feeling. If signs of anxiousness are present by the parent, its possible your child may become nervous and very likely to object to the whole toilet training idea.

Remember not to flush the toilet while your brave little "champ" is still on it, it often causes a fearful fright and delays the training process, and any achievements made are likely to be lost, for the time being.

If your toddler is ready to get out of their nappies, I suggest you check out my site for all your baby shopping & Potty Training equipment

The term 'homeschooling' basically refers to the process in which one or more children of not more than 2 families are instructed by parents or legal guardians, or a member of either household.

The laws that define homeschooling vary from State to State. The legal requirements for establishing a homeschool also vary with the State.

For most children, the actual process of learning begins much before school. Many children already know their alphabets, the names of animals, colors and other more complicated stuff before they reach school. This is mostly due to the hard work of a member of the family who has taken the time to teach the child.

Homeschooling is just a natural progression from here. Instead of sending their children to a public school, parents make their own curriculum and teach their children in ways that best suit the child. This is homeschooling, in its most simplistic form.

Before you decide to go in for homeschooling, there are certain important matters for consideration. First off, meet with parents of other homeschoolers. Find out the pros and cons of homeschooling. Then ask yourself why you would want to adopt this method. This is a very important aspect, as the success of the program depends on the clarity and sincerity of your purpose.

Next, it is time to consider the expenses of homeschooling. It may cost anywhere between a few hundred dollars to a few thousand every year. More importantly, you are also effectively shutting out any job opportunity for one of the parents. It is only obvious that one parent will have to stay at home full time to manage the homeschool. A home-based business however is a great alternative.

Are you qualified to take on homeschooling for your children? Teaching is a continuation of your own learning process. With the advent of the internet, information is aplenty. There are various books and resources for those interested in homeschooling.

Go through the various methods of homeschooling and choose one that is most suited to you. It helps if you know what kind of learning style your child has. Also, find out what your child feels about homeschooling before you start.

Every state has its own laws regarding homeschooling. For instance, in North Carolina, you must first file a 'Notice of Intent' to start a home school. In this you have to mention if the school is a 'Private church' school or a 'qualified non-public school'. The persons providing the education are required to have at least a high school diploma. You have to maintain an annual record of the child's attendance and disease immunization. Every year, the child is required to undergo a standardized test. Each student attending the eleventh grade has to take a nationally standardized test. These are the requirements in North Carolina, but it is enough to give you a good idea of what homeschooling entails.

Homeschooling may seem like a lot of fun and freedom from the outside. However, things are seldom as simple as they seem.

Homeschooling is a lot of added responsibility and hard work. But, if successful, it will forge a strong bond of love and respect between parent and child, while providing your child with the best form of education he needs.

Get our free toddler readers here:

New Toddlers Alphabet Picture Books to add to your budding library for new readers!
Just right mouse button click on the links below and select 'save target/link as' to download these books to your computer to print out later:

The Animals Alphabet A - Z picture reader for babies & toddlers to enjoy while learning to read
A - Z Animals picture reader

This is a classic book re-presented here with pictures for every bird of the Alphabet, use as a picture reader with your toddlers.
Alphabet of Birds

We hope you enjoy these free ebook downloads with our compliments!

Share your values with your teens. Let them know what's really important to you and help them clarify their own values.

Don't fight the small stuff. Minimize the number of household rules, but stick to the ones you do set. Save major power plays for issues that compromise health and safety or important values, like drinking, drugs and sex.

Keep communications honest and open, listening to what's really going on before jumping to conclusions. Be ready for those unexpected in-between times when your teen wants to talk - in the car, doing the dishes or at bedtime. That's when real closeness develops.

Avoid the "20-questions" approach to conversation, which teens find intrusive and rude. At this stage, privacy is very important to them.

As teens try to separate from their childish selves, they sometimes feel that your very existence is an embarrassment. Don't take it personally-- and do drop them off a block from school or the mall and save your hugs and kisses for private times.

Teens sometimes try on behaviors and roles the way we try on clothes at Macy's. Although it can be scary to watch, these new personas usually don't last long.

Even though it's tempting to be your teen's friend, it's much more important to remain the parent, setting reasonable limits and being a force of stability in their lives.

Tell teens they can use you as the "bad-guy" excuse for declining to participate in activities that make them feel uncomfortable. That way, they know you're cool but they can pretend you're not.

When offering advice, don't expect a positive response; you're more likely to see irritation or disgust. It's important to know, however, that much of what you say is absorbed anyway, waiting to emerge later.

Encourage teens to exercise and develop their problem-solving and decision-making muscles by helping them evaluate potential choices and responses to situations.

Maintain perspective, being careful not to over-parent and over-manage on the one hand or to under-parent and under-support on the other.