Motivating Your Teen To do Their Best In School
You know your teen can handle the work, you know your teen knows what to do, yet you watch your teen fall short of meeting a certain educational goal. Many parents have witnessed this over the course of parenting their teens and many parents find it hard to endure a teen whom they feel isn’t trying their hardest. If you observe your teen refusing to do homework or making more out of an assignment than there really is, this is often a way of expressing their confusion, frustrations and at times, anger.
Under-achievement in teens can be caused by many things:
Emotional discomfort. A teen who has experienced a life changing event (addition to the family, a family loss, divorce…etc) is very likely to go through a period of educational underachievement. High parental expectations. Many times parents put too much pressure on their teen to make a certain grade, excel in a certain subject or sport or perhaps pick a certain career path and this can have a negative impact on the teen. If the academic pressures on your teen are too strong, your teen may feel the need to rebel.
Undiagnosed learning disabilities – there are time where a mild learning disabilities is missed in lower level schooling or there could be a physical hindrance such as poor eyesight or hearing difficulty. Peer pressure. Pure and simple, there is good peer pressure and there is negative peer pressure. Many teens feel that the smarter they are, that some of their friends won’t like them. They may feel the need to perform at a certain level to feel accepted into a certain clique of friends.
If you notice your teen becoming an underachiever, first check in with your teen to see if there is something that you can do to help. Communicate with your teen about how he or she is feeling about school overall and ask them if there are any problemsYou can then speak with your child’s teacher at school to see if there are areas where extra help would be beneficial. Many schools offer free tutoring services. There are many times that an underachieving teen has hit a downward spiral because they are disorganized and find it hard to keep up with the schoolwork and other activities they are involved in.
While it may be hard for some parents to digest, not all children are academically inclined. Even if your child isn’t a scholar, that doesn’t mean that they can’t excel in many other areas. If you tune into your child, you can help them find out exactly what they are good at and passionate about. Letting your child know that doing their best is good enough and if their best IS a C then that is OK will go a long way with your child. It will encourage your child to try their very best and it will alleviate some of the pressures that they feel which may cause your child to rebel or shut down completely.
Many teens that are underachieving will see that it will affect their self esteem in a negative way. If you teen has low self esteem, offering them emotional and comfort will go a long way. The best way to let your child know that you love them is to shower them with acceptance. Make sure that no matter what grades your child brings home, that doesn’t mean that you love him or her any less. Help your teen manage his/her schedule better. Make sure that they have everything they need to stay as organized as possible. Help them to set goals for themselves as it pertains to school (grades, study habits..etc). You can even suggest that your teen start up a study group and offer to host it at your home. The key here is to try everything that you can and to find out why your teen is not living up to their potential in school. If after working on this and tackling it from many angles, you feel you’re teen isn’t making any process, you may then want to consult a professional to see if there are some other issues causing the problems. You can seek professional support from a school counselor, doctor, therapist or clergy.
As a proactive parent we must seek resources to help our child take an interest in learning, growing and becoming independent. Being an informed parent is one of the 1st steps to ensuring your child has a brighter future.
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
Family life….
Oh, to remember the days of young love… The twinge you were feeling when getting ready for your date. The anticipation of the kiss. The emptiness when you were apart. The giggles over their little habits. The comfortable silence.
Then the silence.
Of course your marriage evolved into a much more meaningful state. And, the dedication and loyalty that you have now doesn’t even compare. The love has enriched and strengthened.
There truly is no comparison. Marital love is above and beyond more rewarding and comforting. And, in a family, of course the kids come first, in most things you do. But, wouldn’t it be nice to mix in some excitement as a couple?
The best parenting advice anyone can give or receive is:
Keep your marriage alive and well
The majority of parents recognize the need for “together” time. Most even attempt at making the night out without the kids’ a serious thought and often an attempted gesture. A few absolutely commit to ‘alone’ time. Does it always help?
Not necessarily. A night out on the town with your significant other is important, no doubt. But, too many times parents fall into the ‘okay, now what’ trap. Out to dinner, you have caught up on the kids, shared the office gossip or complaints of the day, discussed the weather and soon run out of things to talk about.
Instead of a dinner date, once in awhile, plan an adventure. Pick something one or both of you have thought of doing but never dedicated the time or money for. Maybe you have always wanted to fly in a hot air balloon, rock climb, learn to ballroom dance, join a cooking class, take a ride on a dinner boat, go deep sea fishing or anything else that might suit your fancy.
The actual event is truly the least important aspect. What really matters is that you both are planning and preparing together. And, you are soon creating a memory and an additional connection. Life can become very routine. Don’t let your marriage.
Figure out something exciting to do. Plan it together. Do it together. And, remember it together! Keep the relationships fresh.
The adventure does not need to cost a lot of money nor does it need to require a lot of time. The actual adventure can be running through the park, without stopping. That might mean jogging together around the block for several weeks in preparation. It might also mean taking the kids to the Grandparents and biking that 30 mile trail you have longed to see outside of car windows.
The whole idea is to put some excitement back into your lives. Remember what it is what like to actually have fun together and enjoy each other’s company. Laugh together.
Your family unit may focus on the family at every free moment you have. Your parenting style may not always have room for the married couple. But, you must make time.
Families are all about love and commitment. Isn’t that a great lesson to teach your children? Making time for yourselves, as a couple, is truly a gift to your children. They see their parents happy. The household is happy. What a blessing!
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
So your child has ADHD?..
Before even thinking about ADHD solutions for your child, consider the following facts. ADHD may have several causes but one of them is that the levels of dopamine in the child’s brain are decidedly low. Dopamine is responsible for our ‘reward’ system so is very closely linked with attention and motivation . Given that the child’s brain goes on developing until he or she is about 25, do you think it is a good idea to give him a psycho stimulant so that it sort of kick starts the dopamine and other neurotransmitters into action ?. Could this be one of the best ADHD solutions for your child?
These ADHD drugs or amphetamine salts as they are so often glibly called come with various fancy names such as Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine and Vyvanse. Adderall is in great demand among college students for helping them focus and stay up all hours studying for a project, essay or exam. ADHD children are often approached by various people to sell them their drugs. Hardly a healthy situation for your child who may be struggling with inattention, hyperactivity, fidgeting and all the other problems that ADHD can bring. This could never be a solution for ADHD for my child.
These amphetamines do NOT cure ADHD. The latest alarming news is that the effects (reduction of symptoms) tend to wear off after only about two years and the benefits of the drug are no longer clinically relevant. Yet these drugs are the first option as one of the ADHD solutions and the real problem of trying to help the ADHD child to adjust and mature as a responsible adult, is ignored by many parents. The success rate and the side effects together with any long term risks are all hotly debated and there are more questions raised than answered. Why do you think that the Drug Enforcement Agency is worried that “many schools have more methylphenidate(Ritalin) stored on a routine basis than most pharmacies have in stock.”
Pills cannot teach skills. They calm some of the ADHD symptoms but they will never teach the child essential learning, social and communication skills which he needs when he is growing up. This is why parenting skills or behavior modification techniques are now favoured by most medical authorities and experts, much to the chagrin of the drug companies. Their websites have now taken this on board but they are still peddling their drugs as being essential rather than an option.
The best solution for ADHD is a combination of behavior modification techniques together with some medication, preferably in the form of ADHD homeopathic remedies which can calm hyperactivity and increase focus without any side effects at all. There are no long term risks either so there is no worry about heart problems, appetite, insomnia, dizziness, moodiness, zombie feelings which are the side effects of the amphetamines. Parents have to make a wise choice but they should consider the above information first before deciding on which of the ADHD solutions will be best for their child.
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
Children with attention problems…
It is a known fact that most children can be difficult to deal with from time to time, but what about all of the time? Treating impulsive behaviors in children is something that millions of parents have to do every single day. What causes these impulsive behaviors? ADHD. The last thing you need to do is react out of anger, because if your child has ADHD, they really cannot help it.
Let’s say for example that your child just smashed a buggy into a lady at the supermarket and caused her to drop all of her groceries. This is typical ADHD behavior and is an everyday thing for so many children. The first thing you may want to do is yell at your child for being so embarrassing and rude. Although you should apologize for your child’s behavior, you should not yell at them or scold them. However, you should correct them right away and explain to them at that very moment what they did wrong and why they should not do it again.
When treating impulsive behaviors in your child, always explain to them on spot what is going on. Tell them what they should do instead so they know that there are other options for them in reference to their behavior. In the meantime, be careful about treating your child with prescription medication. The reason why is because they may only make matters worse. It is not hard to understand why those parenting an impulsive child want to treat them with medication. Parents do this because they think it works.
In reality, a more direct approach needs to be taken. A child who suffers with impulsive behaviors and ADHD needs to understand what is really happening to them. At the earliest age possible, explain to your child why they feel the way they do. Being aware of why they experience these impulses will help them to recognize them much easier and thus, put a stop to them in advance. A successful treatment requires that both the parent and child work together. Obviously, the biggest responsibility is in the hands of the parent.
Although you will still have to talk to your child about their behavior, it doesn’t have to be difficult. Treating impulsive behaviors with natural remedies can help them to calm down quite a bit. Remedies such as Passion Flower and St. John’s Wort can help your child’s brain chemicals to return to normal and stabilize naturally without interrupting their body’s natural processes. Natural healing is the key when parenting an impulsive child.
They need to understand that is it is never okay to take the easy way out. Many children who have been prescribed medications such as Ritlan and other stimulants are led to believe that “getting doped up” is the best way to get rid of their problems. This can easily lead to substance abuse along with dozens of other obvious problems.
What you are going to find is that you have a ton of options when treating impulsive behaviors in your child. The best and most beneficial thing about using natural remedies is that there are no side effects to deal with, so there are also no worries about your child’s symptoms worsening.
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
Hey being a first time parent is hard enough……
The process of being a new parent. Parenting skills are something that you must become skilled at and it is basically earned. You have to remember parenting is not the type of job that you can quit, whenever you don’t feel like it anymore.
Here are the processes that you should know to become skilled in parenting. As a parent, try to rediscover the inner child in you – to do this, you have to step inside and be in your children shoes. Try to remember what it was like to be a kid again, this process is called as “rediscovering your inner child”. You must admit, that we tend to forget how it is to just relax and get stuck with our boring lifestyle and jobs. For you to understand the issues at hand with regards to your children, try putting yourself your children shoes for a change. Try to see things from your children perspective and you’ll then gain a realization and a understanding about how they are feeling and why they are rebelling. Good parenting skills teaches you how to actually 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 develop a solution that will please you both.
Parenting is never-ending job. Even after all of your children have grown up, they will still come to you for advice. People, who would actually say that parenting is a easy job, are the ones who most likely are childless. If one day your child comes running to you and starts asking you like “mom/dad I need help”, will you say to them sorry, I am too busy now? I do not believe so, you will not tell your child that you are to busy to help them. The first response of your child’s question that parents gives to their kid is important and will possibly stick with your child for the rest of their lives. Parenting never stops, whether you realized it or not.
Teach your kids self-reliance. A child’s independence is a important part for them to learn on how to earn what they want and be empowered to make their own true happiness.
True independence is the only precious gift that you as a parent can actually give to your child. You may still believe that by giving your child things that they want is pleasurable. ) would make them have fond childhood memories or in a way heal your own emotional wounds by giving your children all of these materialistic things, you are interfering with your child’s development unconsciously.
Get more compliance from your child. Always relate your command as a statement, and never as a your child a question – Most parents are prone to saying, “Would you like to star doing your homework now?” and other commands which should always be stated using a firm voice such as saying, “It’s time to work on your homework now”, which can help you gain more cooperation from your child. To gain more cooperation from their child, you must always use positive communication – You have to try phrasing your request or command in a much positive way as opposed to a negative way. Is you child the defiant type?
Well, to deal with your defiant child is truly exasperating. Common child and parent problems. All of us went through that stage where we all wanted to be just like all the other famous kids. Of course, parents initial reactions might be of rage about the actual cost of the designer clothes, but come to think of it take yourself back in time reliving your school days, how you felt when you wanted to wear the latest clothes. By taking interest, it will definitely encourage your own child to work harder and to maintain good behavior while at school.
Do you attend parent evenings (PTA’s)? A child may not always mention this meeting so you should be an active parent within the child’s school.
Make memories with quality family time. First, parents should try to rearrange their schedules in order the entire family to sit down for meals even if it’s just for one meal out of the week.
The following tips ensure that your family time will be stress free and will ensure that you will make your family memories last for a lifetime. Parents should turn off the television during dinner time so that you can focus on family conversations. During dinner, there should not be anyone talking on the cell phone or playing electronic game (except for emergencies). You can write down notes of positive and truly inspiring stories that you hear about in the media and then use those positive stories to start a dinner conversation with.
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
Every once in a while……
Every once in a while, you’ll find a book that really stands out from the rest. No, it isn’t the latest Harry Potter bestseller. This book entitled, Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety, is about the musings of a newspaper columnist who finds a striking difference between the lives of French and American mothers. The book was written by Judith Warner, a syndicated columnist and radio show host who has spent time living in Paris and 
Washington, D.C. She is also the author of other non-fiction works like You Have the Power and a biography of former First Lady and now Senator Hillary Clinton.
As a mother of two, the author authoritatively narrates the travails of American mothers who are somehow plagued by guilt, self-doubt, and frustration about being a parent. She writes that most American mothers face the daily challenge of having to succeed at the office while being a “model” parent, and not to mention, a good wife at home. Her book also cites the growing anxiety among career women who have children since these working mothers have little time to spend at home with their kids. Written like a mix of biographical narratives and short stories, Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety, explains how the social, cultural, economic and even political forces come into play in shaping how children are raised in America. The book tells how American mothers are frantically monitoring the progress of their children, always marking if their kids have learned the expected skill sets per each child developmental stage.
In addition, one very striking detail mentioned in the book is the author’s impression that very many American mothers are unhappy about how their lives are unfolding. She wrote that she found a lot of these mothers to be in constant anxiety about not having the “perfect child.” The book also narrates how Americans today are somehow divided into winners and losers. The winners have the high-paying jobs, fancy cars and suburban, middle-class homes. On the other hand, the author writes that the so-called losers are those people who just seem to get by, struggling each day to survive in the 21st century “rat race.”
Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety also highlights how the media helps create the image or icon of what an American mother should be. There are several mother-types presented in the pages of the book. One is the high-achiever mother who is able to maintain her edge in the corporate world while still being able to play “super-mom.” The high-achiever mom can balance being the star of the boardroom meeting and playing the lead role as the “domestic engineer” who can orchestrate everything from the child’s lunch, PTA meetings, Saturday baseball games, and the weekly trip to the mall. Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety also paints the bleak scenario of mothers who are struggling financially and remain in constant fear that they will also raise children that may also be looked at by society as “losers.”
But the book also takes a comparative look at how French mothers take care of their children. Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety details how French mothers are able to lead relatively normal lives through institutional support and a different parenting culture. In France, mothers have the choice of getting state-subsidized caregivers. It is also perfectly acceptable for a French mother to go out regularly with her friends and have dates with their husband.
Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety is a worthwhile reading material not only for mothers but also for fathers who also play a major role in shaping the lives of their children. While the author is an American and a mother of two, she was able to capture the idea that mothers and women in general must get more support not only from their spouses but also from society at large. She argued convincingly that being a mother is also a full-time job that deserves great respect and tangible support — whether it be through subsidized day care, tax incentives for working moms, or the transformation of the social and cultural identity of mothers.
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
The joy of having a child and raising them…
The Joy of having a Child and Raising Them
It is quite difficu lt to understand life, as there are many complicated aspects, which surround it. Many of us (if not all) 
often struggle to figure out why are we here in the first place. Again, questions, which include “how are we getting here” and “what is that we want to achieve when we eventually visit this world”, keep hovering in our mind. You can do uncountable things for fulfilling your time in this world. From studying to careers in different fields, life throws enormous opportunities at different stages of life. However, there are very few things in life (if any) that can bring more joy in our life than having children and raising them.
There is no end to the joys of parenting, as you would find new things coming up almost all the time. I am a parent as well. I believe that my life, since I became a parent, has been filled with happiness coupled with a little bit of frustration at stages. There are very few moments in our life that can contest the feeling, which we have, on the birth of a child, especially the first one. The emotions, which run through our vein at that moment, span an entire spectrum of enjoyment, nervousness, excitement, bliss and fear, all at the same time.
For a number of weeks after the birth of your child, you are in a state of extreme happiness, as you really appreciate the positive path that your life has taken. However, this happiness gets balanced with the lack in sleep that you face for your child. Some even go through a phase, where they start thinking ‘What have I gotten myself into’?
However, if you can get out of that phase with little or no regret, then there is no doubt that you are going to be rejuvenated. You would agree that sleepless nights are few and well worth the return, which you get. And as soon as the early part is over, you will have new things to see and feel from your child almost all the time.
It is quite obvious that taking care of your baby can be a tough job, especially in the early part, as you need to take care of their sleep and nourishment. However, you should not overlook the joy that follows, as there will be new developments, which will only bring a smile on your face.
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
The signs of being pregnant..
Pregnancy: Signs of Being Pregnant
Pregnancy is one of the most amazing things that can happen into a woman’s body. A lot of changes happen when a woman becomes pregnant. Although the signs of being pregnant are general, it still varies from one woman to another. There are women who notice the signs several weeks after the conception stage, while there are those who 
notice the signs just a few days after conception.
Careful assessment must be done because confusion can happen since the symptoms of being regnant are very similar to the coming of a menstruation. So, to help you figure out if your pregnant or you are just having menstruation, below is a list of the signs of being pregnant:
- Implantation bleeding. This is considered as the earliest sign of pregnancy. The bleeding happens six to twelve days after the conception stage. There are some women who suffer from cramping and spotting. The bleeding takes place when the embryo has already embedded itself to wall of the uterine.
- Missed period. It is the most common symptom of pregnancy. If you think that you are pregnant, then you need to undergo pregnancy test especially if you have a delayed menstruation. Do the test a few days after the expected date of menstruation. The signs of being pregnant when there is a missed period are usually very subtle. So, you need to be very keen about the changes in your body and behavior. Some of these subtle signs include the feeling of being bloated due to too much meat eaten, excess gas, and an upset tummy.
- Nausea and vomiting. These are also another earlier signs of being pregnant. This may happen as early as a week. During mornings, many women feel sick. This is called morning sickness, but this does not necessarily that a woman feels sick only during mornings. It is possible that she may feel the same at any time of the day. To address morning sickness, it is highly suggested to eat frequently in small amounts. Before you rise in the morning, you can eat corn flakes or crackers, while drinking a glass of milk or eating an apple before going to bed is helpful.
The above mentioned symptoms are just some of the common signs of being pregnant. To further widen your knowledge, you can consult your doctor and explain what you are experiencing.
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
Parents should have a purpose.
It is a reality that parents truly have full plates. They are almost always busy with dinner, homework, careers, practice, PTA meetings, laundry, and housework. The list could become endless. Thus, many people assert that it is just very hard to be one. As a parent, you could be having your own list of parenting activities and deeds. That parenting list could include all your expectations as a parent, every plan you have with your children, and all the right reasons you might have to become a parent. Why did you decide to become a parent? Do you have expectations for your children? Set your own parenting goals. Here are several ideas that could guide you be purposive in parenting.
Create baby photo albums. Not only would you be excited and overjoyed by the idea of creating a photo album for your baby or child. The pictures could always serve as a form of reconnecting material so that you could get in touch with your dreams and goals as a parent. In the future, you could always relive happy moments by looking at the albums. Doing so could also be a sound strategy to reconnect with your purpose as a parent.
Put up a mission and vision for the family. Conventionally, businesses and corporations set mission and vision statements to serve as guidance for their peoples’ daily work as well as goals and plans. You could also use mission and vision statements as a scheme to help you always keep on track, be guided on daily interactions, and clarify your core family values. When establishing your family’s mission and vision, do not forget to consider the significance of family time, the importance of maintaining a family home, and the expectations for how the family should be treated.
Do not care too much about your kitchen floor. This simply means do not let your preference to keep the house clean serve as a setback to allowing your family to have a good time. At the end of the day, you should prioritize the quality of family relationships you have.
Make sure to set quality bonding time together. Children would surely appreciate and cherish family bonding moments. The family vacation could be your special time together as a family. Aside from getaways, everyday could also be a good bonding time. Why not have fun as a family when doing dishes or when joyriding in your car? Use your family bonding time as an opportunity to hear what is going on about your child.
Write a parenting journal. Keeping a diary about parenting would make it much easier for you to separate the trees from the forest. This of course is a great way to divert or shift your focus. You could think over your failures and victories as a parent. This way, you could always keep track or monitor how you are doing in your endeavor. It would be ideal if you would update and enrich your parenting journal everyday or as often as possible.
(note these are all tips of course, how u do the parenting is all up to u. If u are not sure about anything please get professional help/advice. No copy write infringement intended)
Hey!!
Just wanted to say hi!!