May 14th, 2012 by admin
One of the many wonderful things about kids is their disarmingly complete lack of inhibitions. They will boldly go where no man or woman dares. For instance, kids will kiss just about anything they find cute and kissable. In fact, here is a list of ten things kids will gladly plant a big old kiss on:
- Dogs – Whereas most grown-ups will be fixated on the family pet’s cleaning habits (or lack thereof), kids couldn’t care less where that dog’s nose has been or what he’s been licking. They’ll smooch that pooch in a heartbeat.
- Frogs – Maybe they’re re-enacting a fairy tale, or just taking a dare, but boys especially will plant one on a frog just for grins any old day. The virtues of rescuing a princess far outweigh their fear of warts.
- A Boo-boo – After all, for most kids this was their first lesson in First Aid training. When they see someone they love hurting, they’re sure to be the First Responders to offer a healing kiss to the wound.
- Grandparents – Kids know where their bread is buttered, sure, but they’re also keenly perceptive. Grandma and Grandpa love them like no one else, so kissing them is as natural as a sneeze, and not nearly as messy.
- A Photo – Kids usually won’t distinguish between people they love, and pictures of them. When they see a loved one, the instinct to kiss them is just too strong. Make sure those glossy prints are laminated.
- Other Kids – Not only puppies get them to pucker up, but so does puppy love. Kids don’t suffer from the same social stigmas, and aren’t naturally subject to a sense of decorum. Don’t worry, Mom, they’ll develop a better sense of taste and discretion in due time.
- Dolls – For kids of a certain age, dolls are some of their very best friends in the whole wide world. When they kiss their dolls, it’s one of the first expressions of intimacy for them and is perfectly natural. Much more sanitary than frogs, too, we’re pretty sure.
- Their Reflection – In a mirror, Christmas tree decorations, or a window, kids kiss their reflections all the time. No, it’s not narcissistic. They just see someone they think could use a kiss.
- Teachers – When a child encounters someone who shows them genuine care and guidance, as a good teacher does, their appreciation is just as genuine. The world needs more teachers worthy of that sort of affection.
- Santa Claus – Old Kris Kringle has been bringing joy to the hearts of kids for centuries. Anytime a child gets to meet with Santa, how can they not want to plant a big old kiss right on those rosy cheeks?
May 7th, 2012 by admin
Children can be counted upon as a lifelong source of pride, joy and love. They can also be counted on to need a potty break at the absolute worst times. When you’re confronted with one of those instances, you need to have a Plan B, because Plan A – actually having a bathroom handy – isn’t always an option. Here are ten tips for you to help them deal with it:
- Keep the child occupied with an activity that will distract them for awhile. Until you can get to a bathroom, the subterfuge will not only buy you some time, but stretch the child’s bladder a bit so that he can last longer between potty visits.
- Offer your child incentives for holding out a little longer each time until they need less frequent breaks. It could be a gift or a special privilege that helps his willpower and keeps him going – that is without actually going.
- One way of “holding it” is to provide a little backup, in the form of these. Pull-Ups® come in several varieties, including Little Swimmers® for use in the pool or at the beach. When you know you’ll be somewhere that the little one can’t take a break, having these along can be a real blessing.
- Limit your child’s liquid consumption during time spent away from restroom facilities. Her need to go is directly linked to how much her bladder is holding; so the less she drinks, the less pressure she’ll feel to empty it.
- Make sure your kid has had ample opportunity to take a potty break before setting out on an extended trip, or spending time away from a bathroom. You’ll need to make fewer unscheduled stops, and your child will enjoy the trip much more – which means so will you.
- Practice developing your child’s bladder control gradually on a regular basis. Help him to wait just a few minutes longer each time he feels the need to go. As he learns to wait just a bit longer, his bladder will grow in capacity, thus reducing the number of trips needed each day – and overnight.
- Be a role model. Let them know that you need to go too, but you’re able to hold it like a big girl until you get to a bathroom. You could provide the example the kid needs to help her hold her shaky little knees together. Now get to a bathroom, for Pete’s sake.
May 1st, 2012 by admin
Establishing the the rules regarding physical contact for a babysitter is one of the most important things to clarify from the beginning, especially if the sitter in question is young and relatively inexperienced. Drawing clear lines between acceptable contact and that which crosses the lines can help to keep your children safe and eliminate any confusion on the part of the sitter. These ten rules are examples of those that you might want to have in place for your sitter.
- No Corporal Punishment – Even if your family practices corporal punishment, it should be strictly forbidden for the babysitter to do so. The potential for excessive force due to inexperience is too great, and could lead to injury. If your family does not practice corporal punishment, having it introduced by a babysitter is likely to be a traumatic event for your child.
- Attachment Parenting Guidelines – For babysitters that will be watching an infant whose parents are practicing attachment parenting, it’s important to explain the guidelines clearly in order to ensure that your sitter follows them.
- Rules Regarding Bathing – Depending on the age of your children and the experience level of your sitter, the rules regarding bathing probably need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Tailoring these guidelines to each sitter and situation might be the best option.
- Acceptable Methods of Showing Affection – When children are young and sitters are inexperienced, a simple show of innocent affection can become one that parents would might find inappropriate. Letting your sitter know what sort of affection is acceptable (such as hugging or patting on the back) versus what is not (kissing on the mouth, for example) is important for the safety of your children and the comfort of everyone involved.
- Never Shake an Infant – Teenagers with limited baby experience might accidentally shake an infant that won’t stop crying or seems to be unconscious, which could lead to brain damage. Because this situation is almost always the result of an uninformed, inexperienced sitter reacting to a stressful situation it’s important to clearly explain the dangers ahead of time.
- Avoid Overly Rough Play – Accidental injuries could easily result from roughhousing, so it’s a good idea to make sure that your sitter knows this sort of behavior is not acceptable. While you certainly don’t want to discourage a sitter from playing with your kids, younger sitters may need some guidelines to guarantee that safety comes first.
- Forceful Handling is Forbidden – Spanking is only one form of corporal punishment, but it’s the first that comes to mind for most people. It’s important to make sure that your sitter knows that rough handling of any sort, especially that which stems from anger, is absolutely forbidden.
- Rules Children Should Know – Babysitters should be well informed of your expectations, but children should also know what sort of contact is acceptable. Explaining good touch/bad touch and other concepts related to physical contact is just as important for your children as it is for the sitter that will be looking after them.
- Be Observant of Kids’ Contact With One Another – Kids of a certain age are naturally curious about their bodies and how they differ from those of the opposite gender; instructing sitters to keep an eye out for this behavior when watching several children, especially those that have shown indications or have a history of exploratory contact, might be a wise choice.
- Eliminate the Potential For Kids’ Witnessing Inappropriate Contact – In addition to establishing rules that govern the acceptable contact between the sitter and your child, it’s also important to establish ones that protect your children from witnessing inappropriate contact between your sitter and their significant other. Strictly forbidding visitors of any kind will not only eliminate this possibility, but will also keep your sitter from being distracted and inattentive to your children in favor of their guest.
Although these discussions may make some parents uncomfortable, they are essential for the safety of your children, especially when dealing with a new or inexperienced babysitter.
April 27th, 2012 by admin
As greater emphasis is made on sustainable agriculture, “green” habits and eco-friendly gardening, it’s only natural that kids should become interested in growing things themselves. Though some plants are too finicky to be suitable for young gardeners, there are others that do quite well in containers. If your child’s green thumb is budding, here are ten things that they can grow in their own bedrooms.
- Aloe Vera – The hard-to-kill nature of the aloe vera plant makes it a great choice for kids rooms, as it can withstand a bit of neglect without suffering greatly. As an added bonus, kids can reap the benefits of their well-cultivated plants in the event of skin irritation or burns.
- Cacti – There are many varieties of small cacti that thrive indoors and require next to no care, though they’re more suitable for older children that understand to handle these prickly beauties with care.
- Sunflowers – These tall, bright blossoms will bring a smile to your child’s face every time they see them, and can thrive in containers with proper lighting conditions. There are several varieties of these yellow wonders to choose from, and most are relatively low-maintenance.
- Philodendron – The fast growing and hardy philodendron vine is a great choice for kids, as it can withstand a bit of abuse without dying. The vines can also grow new roots in a glass of water if cut carefully, so kids can relive the potting process over and over again.
- Spider Plant – Inexpensive and tough, spider plants can survive a few forgotten waterings and even flourish if they receive a bare minimum of care. They’re also touted for their air-purification abilities by some.
- Kitchen Herbs – Basil, mint and parsley are all hardy and useful plants that kids can grow; they can also feel a sense of pride when their “harvest” helps to flavor dinner as plants mature!
- Kit Gardens – There are several kit gardens designed for indoor growth and selected with young agrarians in mind; both online retailers and brick-and-mortar gardening stores will have a selection.
- Radishes – Because the sprouts of radishes tend to become visible in a relatively short time, kids will get the satisfaction of seeing the results of their efforts before their attention span is expended on a pot full of dirt.
- Panda Plant – The fuzzy leaves and drought-resistant qualities of the panda plant, also known as kalanchoe, are great choices for young gardeners due to their ability to weather neglect and the fun texture of the leaves.
- Mold – Any mother who’s ever had to clean a child’s room knows that the thing kids are most adept at growing is mold. Half-hidden, forgotten dishes and remnants of food can become quite the colorful, spore filled mess. While these “experiments” may earn top place at the science fair, they aren’t likely to win any awards with Mom.
After kids get the hang of caring for these low-maintenance plants, they can move to more finicky specimens that will require more attention and care. Depending on the placement of windows and the quality of light in your child’s room, the possibilities for container gardening are quite varied.
April 17th, 2012 by admin
People have been inspired by underdog stories for generations. We love being immersed in the classic battle between good and evil that is further emphasized by the sheer determination of overcoming insurmountable odds. It’s a good lesson to teach our children that no matter what your circumstances you can achieve great things. That life is seldom fair, but those with ingenuity, effort and heart can sometimes do better than those endowed more favorably. Here are 10 classic underdog stories that will continue to inspire kids for generations to come.
- The Tortoise and the Hare – One of the oldest underdog stories known today comes from Aesop’s renowned fable the Tortoise and the Hare. Just about everyone has heard the tale of this classic race where the hare is so overly confident in his ability to win that he decides to take a nap while the tortoise finishes the race as he sleeps.
- The Ant and the Grasshopper – Another of Aesop’s well known fables is the Ant and the Grasshopper. The big carefree grasshopper spends his summer singing and playing while the industrious little ant is doggedly preparing for winter. When the weather turns cold and bitter, the tiny ant is prepared to endure the long winter season while the grasshopper is left cold and hungry.
- David and Goliath – Even older than Aesop’s fables is the story from the Bible of David and Goliath. David is a young lad armed only with a slingshot who takes on the giant Goliath. Although the giant is armed to the teeth and clad in body armor, the stone from David’s slingshot finds the one unguarded weakness of Goliath and hits him in the temple killing him instantly.
- The Little Engine that Could – What child hasn’t heard the story of the Little Engine that Could? While all the other engines gave excuses as to why they couldn’t pull the train over the hill, the littlest engine just kept saying “I think I can, I think I can” until he achieved his goal.
- Rocky – More recently movie makers have found new ways to expound on the underdog theme. The Rocky series of films are a classic example of this. The unknown boxer Rocky Balboa takes on the heavyweight champion Apollo Creed and although he loses in the first movie, he does beat him in Rocky II. The rest of the series pits the Italian Stallion against various opponents he must struggle to defeat.
- The Karate Kid – Inspired by the success of Rocky, the Karate Kid is another movie series that is based on fighting, though this focuses on a martial arts theme instead of boxing. These movies are motivating to kids because they show that fighting dirty is not only wrong, but may not be successful either.
- Star Wars – What kid wasn’t enthralled with the classic underdog story set in outer space? Star Wars pits the mere human Luke Skywalker against the evil Darth Vader and the Death Star. With the help of his alien friends, Luke gains the ingenuity and skill to overcome insurmountable odds.
- Forrest Gump – Although he might not be the brightest crayon in the box, Forrest Gump is an inspiration to kids of every age. We all have our personal deficiencies, but can rely on our redeeming qualities to see us through.
- Rudy – This is the story of a kid whose ultimate goal is to play football for Notre Dame. Rudy has to overcome the daunting obstacles of his dyslexia and physical size, but manages to win the hearts of those around him to achieve his dreams.
- Braveheart – The historical movie about the 13th century Scottish warrior William Wallace doesn’t end well for him, but his bravery and determination live on after his death. Robert the Bruce motivates his army by invoking Wallace’s memory and goes on to win freedom for Scotland.
It’s so important for children to learn that even though life is not always fair, everyone has something to contribute and can achieve greatness with determination and effort. A world where everyone has a guaranteed outcome would be boring and uninspiring. That’s why these underdog stories are so enduringly popular. We all love the idea that anyone can achieve the impossible dream, or at least surpass others expectations.
April 11th, 2012 by admin
These great big phone booth-sized cases, stuffed to the gills with soft toys, beckon from across the room whenever kids see them. And they see them everywhere – arcades, restaurants, lobbies and malls. What is it about these contraptions that kids – and more than a few adults – just can’t resist? Well, here are ten possibilities:
- Attractive Prizes – The stuffed toys themselves are so appealing. Their bright colors and cute fuzzy looks are irresistible. They just look like they’re waiting to be picked up and taken home. Easier said than done …
- The Challenge – Once they’ve taken hold of that joystick and maneuvered ever-so-carefully for their targeted prize, the game just seeps into them. It just looks so easy, and those toys just look so cuddly …
- Selection – Because there are so many different prizes to choose fun, all piled together, there’s always something that a child can aim for if given the chance, and a quarter – or three …
- Deceptive Appearances – Piles of stuffed animals give the illusion that you just can’t miss. It seems impossible not to come away with a toy. They’re all over the place, for Pete’s sake. Well, guess it’s not quite like you’ve imagined …
- Just Like Dad’s Big Rig – Some kids imagine themselves operating a big piece of heavy equipment just like their dads work on. The opportunity to take the controls in their own hands makes them feel like grown-ups …
- Sense of Power – So as a child takes control of the machine, they gets a taste of what it’s like to be in control, rather than being a passenger or spectator. It’s bound to have an addictive effect on the kid.
- Location, Location, Location – Not only are these gizmos all over town, but they’re strategically located in places where kids are apt to be idling impatiently, like restaurant waiting areas, malls and doctor’s offices, as well as arcades.
- Bright Lights, Bright Colors – The display case, in effect, is a well-lit toy chest that is just brimming with possibilities. It’s what we adults might refer to as a target-rich environment.
- Monkey See, Monkey Do? - Okay, so perhaps referring to our little ones as primates is a bit much, but you get the drift. When one child sees another jockeying that claw for a colorful prize, you just know they’ve got to have a crack at it too. Which brings us to …
- Missed It By That Much – Once you’ve had one of those little stuffed dolls in your grasp, even for an instant, you may as well face it – you’re hooked. Unlike the doll, which always seems to give you the slip just when you think it’s all yours.
Claw machines are a great way for children and adults to waste quarter after quarter. The occasional (very occasional) win makes it just that much more addictive. Like slot machines for kids, the claw machine will hook you in and leave you hanging.
April 1st, 2012 by admin
Sibling rivalry has been going on since the dawn of time; everyone knows the story of Cain and Able. That story didn’t end well, so parents do their best to discourage animosity among their children. Although it’s perfectly natural for siblings to have disagreements, you want to keep them to a minimum. This is important not only for their development, but for the parents own peace of mind. Here are ten ways to keep siblings hugging more and hating less.
- Start early – Sibling rivalry usually starts as soon as a new brother or sister is born. The older sibling is no longer the sole recipient of their parent’s affection and feels neglected. It’s important at this crucial time to give as much time and attention to your first born as possible and help the children establish a affectionate relationship with each other.
- Be fair – Be careful not to play favorites. This can be more difficult than you think, especially if one child is usually the instigator of conflict. Problems will only escalate if the kids don’t think you’re being fair.
- Set rules – It’s important to establish the ground rules and communicate them to you children. They need to know that you expect them to get along and to love each other no matter what. Set the rules and be sure to enforce them consistently.
- Common activities – Find common activities that both siblings can do together. By getting them to work with each other to accomplish the same goal, you’ll encourage sibling camaraderie instead of rivalry.
- Work it out – Sometime you need to step back and let the kids work it out themselves. This is a good idea for minor conflicts and gives them a chance to develop their negotiating skills.
- Discourage competition – Try to avoid situations where siblings are competing against each other. Don’t compare their report cards or athletic abilities to each other, but praise each of them for their individual accomplishments. Also encourage them to root for each other.
- Encourage affection – Lead by example and let your children know it’s great to show each other affection. Encourage them to give each other hugs and praise them when they’re getting along.
- Time apart – Sometimes siblings need a little time apart to enhance their appreciation of each other. Maybe some time alone in separate rooms will be all it takes or perhaps going away to separate summer camps. They might be happy enough to see each other again that they hug spontaneously.
- Appreciate their differences – No two children are alike; even identical twins each have their own separate personalities. Be sure to teach your kids to appreciate each others differences. By supporting the other’s strengths and helping to overcome their weaknesses, siblings can learn to be a team instead of rivals.
- Patience – Sibling rivalry tends to come and go in stages. Depending on their age difference and other factors, kids will fight like cats and dogs for awhile and then be best buddies as they grow older. Sometimes it just takes some patience.
No matter what you do, some conflict is inevitable, but you don’t want it to get out of hand. Siblings don’t really hate each other. They’re just struggling to establish their own identity and place in the family. Hopefully your kids will eventually learn that they can count on each other for support and friendship. There are nothing like brothers and sisters to be in each others corner when times are tough. With a little refereeing from their parents, siblings will keep doing more hugging than hating as they grow to be adults.
March 30th, 2012 by admin
Medicines Babysitters Should Not Give to Kids
There are times when it is necessary for kids to receive medication from their babysitter. When these times come up, it is imperative for parents to check the medication, make sure it is not expired and insure that the babysitter has all the instructions she needs to administer the medication safely. There are certain medications that children, especially babies, should not be given.
- Aspirin – This is one medication that should never be given to children. Reye’s syndrome has been known to manifest in children who have been given aspirin for flu or other virus symptoms. This rare disease has sometimes proven fatal.
- Ibuprofen – While an acceptable medication for older children, babies under six months old should not be given ibuprofen. Allergic reactions could occur, or it could cause tummy problems.
- Over the counter cold medications – In the past, many toddlers were hospitalized due to complications with OTC cold and cough medications, so the FDA looked into the problem. As a result of their findings, doctors quit recommending such medications for children since the efficacy of the drugs did not seem to warrant their use. Most colds and viruses will run their course without complications and will last only a few days or so.
- Anti-nausea medications – There are risks involved with children using such medications as Alka-Seltzer and Pepto-Bismol. Both contain aspirin and complications can arise. For most children, bouts of vomiting are short lived.
- Adult medications – Never give a baby a smaller dose of a medication meant for an adult. This includes such things as sleeping pills. Medications are made to take as directed and guessing about how much of an adult dosage to give to a child could prove fatal.
- Medications prescribed for someone else or another condition – Different medications prescribed for the same condition can contain different drugs, so it is particularly important not to give medication prescribed for one person to another. Complications can crop up.
- Expired medicine – When medicine is past the expiration date the chemicals may begin to break down and the medicine becomes ineffective. In some cases expired medicine can become harmful so it is essential always to check the date. If the medicine is discolored or crumbly or doesn’t look right, do not use it.
- Extra acetaminophen – It is necessary to read the ingredients on all medications. If the child is getting acetaminophen as a pain reliever or fever reducer you don’t want to add more to that dosage by giving another medication that has it included. Too much of this over the counter drug can be harmful to the liver and even toxic.
- Chewable medications – While this is fine for older children, babies should not be given chewable meds. Chewable medications are a choking hazard for the very young.
- Syrup of ipecac – This was once recommended in the event that a child ingested something that could be considered poisonous. Doctors are no longer recommending this since it hasn’t been shown that ipecac helps. In truth, it could actually prove more harmful than helpful if the child continues to vomit when something with proven effectiveness like activated charcoal is administered.
Medicines Babysitters Can Give to Kids
There will be times when the babysitter can and should give medicine to the kids in his or her care. Knowing what medicines babysitters should be able to administer without any difficulty will give parents peace of mind. Here are some medications that most sitters should be able to manage:
- Acetaminophen – This popular drug is often administered to reduce fever and to alleviate pain. Make sure the sitter knows the proper dosage to give your child as the dosage is not the same for everyone. If the child has already had one dose, be sure to let the sitter know at what time it is safe to provide the next dose.
- Medicines prescribed for the child – If you are comfortable giving the sitter permission to give your child prescribed medication in your absence, make sure that you tell her everything she needs to know about it and provide her with written instructions to follow, as well.
- Asthma medicines – It is vital for the sitter to know when to administer asthma medication to your child since it may not be at a specific time, but rather when symptoms occur. Knowing when to use an inhaler or nebulizer is critical to the health of your child. Make sure your sitter is comfortable in giving these medications.
- Ibuprofen – For children older than 6 months, this medicine is another common fever reducer and also helps with pain. Let the sitter know the proper dosage for the child and at what time the dosage should be given.
- Epinephrine injection – If your child has a condition or allergy that makes it necessary to give an epinephrine injection in an emergency, your sitter will need to know. Teach the sitter how to give the injection and impress upon her the importance of giving it when the symptoms warrant its use.
- Topical antiseptics – For scrapes and minor cuts, the sitter should be able to use topical antiseptic to keep infections at bay. Hopefully your sitter has had first aid training and knows how to clean and dress wounds. Make sure she knows where the first aid kit is in the case of an emergency.
- Eye drops – If your child needs eye drops, inform the sitter of the necessity of keeping the dropper clean and making sure that nothing touches the dropper nozzle. You may need to show her how to work with your child to effectively get the drops into the eye.
- Ear drops – Sometimes a child needs ear drops administered. Make sure the sitter is aware of how to properly put in the drops without shoving the dropper in the ear.
- Vitamins – Since many kids’ vitamins are tasty, it is important to remind the sitter to put the vitamins out of reach of the kids after using.
- Saline spray for the nose – Some families use saline spray for congestion and runny noses. This is another medicine that you will want to teach your sitter how to use properly so that the dropper nozzle does not get placed too far up your child’s nose.
Giving medicine to children is an enormous responsibility. Any babysitter entrusted with this duty must be trusted and trained to give the correct dose. It is the parent’s responsibility to make sure the medicine is safe, not expired and that the babysitter knows exactly how to administer it to the child.
March 24th, 2012 by admin
It’s funny how generous kids can be at times, but other times they are very selfish. It seems to depend on the age of the child and often how they were raised. Kids learn by watching and if their parents are very generous then they will be as well. However, if you just look at kids in general there are some things they have in common. Check out 10 things kids share most easily with each other.
- Germs: Kids think nothing of wiping their nose with their hands and then playing with other kids holding their hand and passing their germs along. When I was growing up that is what made us resistant to a lot of things, but these days kids use hand sanitizer all the time so now they aren’t sharing as many as they once did.
- Food: Kids are usually pretty generous when it comes to their food. If they have candy they will share it with their friends or I see kids sharing French fries without any qualms at all. Many times my kids would split a burger before my son got old enough that he now eats more than I do.
- Art supplies: Doing art projects is something that kids love to do from a very young age and they will usually share their supplies like paint and water bowls and such. There may be times when there aren’t enough brushes that kids don’t share as well, but if you are painting we’ll hope that each child has a brush at least and then they share the paint.
- Friends: Children are always quick to make friends with everyone and they don’t mind having many friends. As they get older girls tend to not like sharing their best friend, but otherwise they are okay doing things as a big group. Boys are always pretty good about playing in a big group. The more boys you have the bigger the teams can be when you’re playing a sport.
- Spoons: No matter what happens to a spoon kids don’t seem to care. If they share an ice cream sundae with a friend it’s no big deal to use the same spoon. Heck, they wouldn’t care if the spoon fell on the floor. They have no fear. I guess the gross out factor comes somewhat later.
- Straws: It’s very common to see kids drinking after each other with the same straw. They may have to pool their money to buy a drink and then they both drink out of the same straw. They do really well sharing drinks of any kind, with a straw or not.
- Make-up: Obviously this is most likely girls, but you will see girls up to adulthood sharing their cosmetics. Girls in college used to use each other’s eye shadow, mascara and lip stick all the time. It made it easier to have a bigger collection if you didn’t have to buy it all yourself.
- Gum: Every kid seems to be good about sharing gum. If they have a big pack of gum they will run around and ask all of their friends if they want some gum. Even if they only have one stick they will often tear it in half to share with a friend. Unfortunately, I have even seen kids sharing the same piece of gum. I know, gross!
- Feelings: Maybe it’s the age, but kids don’t hesitate to tell all of their friends how they are feeling. Many times they tell too many people too much of how they are feeling, but at least they aren’t bottling it all up.
- A room: When kids are young they don’t hesitate to share a bed or a bedroom with a sibling or a friend that is coming over to spend the night. It’s more fun to hide under the covers with a flashlight and play with dolls or race cars. Even bigger groups of kids don’t mind being crammed into a big room in sleeping bags on the floor for a slumber party. It’s just the novelty of being able to spend the whole night with a bunch of friends that makes everyone not care that they have to sleep on the floor. Just wait about twenty years and they won’t be able to get up off the floor once they’ve slept on it. Oh what a treat it is to be young.
March 19th, 2012 by admin
Let me preface this article with the statement that all children are different! You may have a hothead that will fly off the handle at the slightest thing, or you may have the calmest, most laidback child ever that rarely loses their temper. And you may have a child that falls squarely in the middle of these two extremes. I’m going to shoot for those that fall somewhere in the middle. Disciplining your child usually has the immediate effect of making them pretty angry, even when the discipline is well-deserved. So if you’re looking for a way to punish your child, which will inevitably result in them being mad at you, then check out these ten quick ways to make your child furious:
- Take away their favorite privilege: One effective way to discipline a child is to take away something they love. If they come in every day after school and plop down in front of the TV, then maybe you need to take away television privileges. If it’s spending the afternoon playing on the computer then revoke their computer time. Whatever it is that they love to do is what you take away in order to get them to behave themselves. Beware though; this will make most children furious.
- Ground them: Usually this comes as a result of being late from being out with their friends or deliberately disobeying orders from you. Whether it’s your ten year old that was supposed to be home for dinner at 6:00pm or your teenager who missed curfew because he was out with his girlfriend, this is a good way to punish them and to make them mad as a hornet.
- Tell them they can’t go with their friends: Everyone is going to the movie tonight, but you had other plans made already. You won’t let them go with their friends and they get mad. While they think you are punishing them, you’re really just continuing on with the plans you already had in place for the family. Once they blow up and then cool off hopefully they will understand that you were not trying to make them mad.
- Take away their phone: Kids today are addicted to their phone. Actually people in general are addicted to their phones these days. Look around at any given moment and you’ll likely see people typing or chatting on their phones. It’s this dependency on having a cell phone available that makes taking it away such an effective punishment. Kids call or text their friends all the time, and if they lose their phone privileges then they will miss out on what everyone else is saying. This is liable to make them really mad.
- Criticize them: This one will really depend on the child and it’s important that you don’t go too far out of line with this one. If your child thinks they are really good at something, like a sport, and you criticize them on their skills, then they may blow their top; however if your child is wearing clothes that don’t match and you criticize their choice in attire they may not really take it to heart and just go change.
- Complain about their boyfriend/girlfriend: Just like a parent would not take kindly to someone complaining about their child, who is someone they love, kids are the same with their boyfriends and girlfriends. If you complain about someone they love then they will probably take that personally and they will get angry and defend that person, even if they have said similar things in the past.
- Give their favorite toy to charity: I’m sure no one would do this on purpose, but when we get in clean out mode and start going through stuff that we think our children don’t need or play with anymore it can be dangerous. Some kids that want to keep everything and are more attached to the idea of having a lot of things; in these situations a parent can be forced to give their toys away while they are not around in order to get anything out the door, and the kid will be none the wiser. However, if your child is not like that it might be a good idea to run by them what you want to give away to make sure it’s not a treasured friend.
- Send them to their room: I suppose if your teenager loves spending time in their room they might not care about this, but if your child loves to be involved in what is going on in the rest of the house then sending them to their room is the worst and meanest thing you could do to them and they will tell you about it.
- Gloat about beating them badly at a game: Some people are better losers than others, but even so no one really likes to lose at a game. If someone takes losing well then it’s usually because they don’t really care about the game or they feel like they didn’t try to win, and they can make those excuses to themselves about why it doesn’t matter that they lost. However, no one likes it when someone gloats about beating you. This is a good way to make your child mad in a hurry.
- Take away their allowance: The all mighty dollar means a lot to some kids. Now if you have a young child who has yet to figure out the value of a dollar then they won’t care if you take it away. However, if you have a child who is a little older and they are saving up for something then they are liable to get really angry when you take away their allowance.
