| |
| |
|
Parenting Information |
|
|
|
Putting Your Child To Bed
Are you glad for the chance to put your child to bed? Is this a great time for you and your kids or is it serious business? Is it a time in your day you look forward to, or do you have to grit your teeth to face the struggle? Bedtime is a terrific opportunity for us and our children. Spending just a few minutes with each of our children at bedtime can offer us the chance to really connect with them in ways that during the day, which is often hectic, it is much more difficult. I love bedtime. Not just the expectation of peace and quiet after they're asleep, but the opportunities for meaningful conversations that so often arise. When bedtime rolls around, my kids will do anything to stay up later. A function of this is everything that they said or did that hasn't come up during the day will come out. A lot of times this is when the most insightful questions, problems they may be facing, or just funny things that happened to them pop up. This is a great opportunity for me to hear about many important aspects of their lives that I might otherwise miss. It's also the perfect time to discuss these things in a quiet private setting. It gives me the chance to do some real parenting. I can take these opportunities to teach them about life, about God's purpose, and about their purpose. On every birthday my girls try to negotiate a new (later) bedtime. They aren't always successful but when I'm deciding on a bedtime I always make it a half-hour earlier than they really need to be in bed. Then I tell them they can read for a half-hour before finally turning out the light. This accomplishes two goals. They think they're getting away with something, and more importantly, it allows me time with each of them. I don't feel rushed, or that I'm keeping them up too late. Some nights we can take up to half of their reading time talking about their day. We need to remember not to use this time as a reminder of poor behavior that may have happened during the day. There are plenty of other opportunities for that. This is a time to clean the slate for the day, to listen, and set an optimistic tone for the new day. It is a time for forgiveness and for soothing hurts. You children will feel safe and secure in your love, and you will feel at peace as well. Since my girls were very young we have said our nightly prayers together. This is another opportunity to teach our children about God, his love, and his place in our lives. I also give each of my girls a blessing every night. This is so important to them that when they are away they call at night to receive their blessing over the phone. This is the blessing I use: "Oh gracious and heavenly Father, I thank you for my daughter/son (first, middle, and last name) whom I love more than anything. Please send your angels down from heaven to watch over her/him tonight, until tomorrow. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen. I understand the pressures of today's world. Two jobs, working late, meetings, and important household tasks. It is sometimes difficult to be there at bedtime for your children. We all have to make our own choices about this. Please ask yourself if the choice to be at your children's side during these short, precious, and critically important moments is the right one? As parents we have a profound effect on our children in those last moments of the day. I know the last thing I want my girls to remember before they drift off to sleep is how much I love them, and how much they love me! Russell Turner, USA
MORE RESOURCES:
Interaction of Parenting Experiences and Brain Structure in the ... - Archives of General Psychiatry
Parenting - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Working Moms: Too Busy for Your Children? 17 Quick Ways to Strengthen the Bonds of LoveOn Mother's Day, we celebrate the most important job on the planet.Most moms appreciate being acknowledged, but many still feel overwhelmed by the pressures of daily life. What Are Reasonable Expectations of a Child? To have reasonable expectations of our children is an important aspect of wise parenting. Reasonable expectations leave room for a child to be a child but understand they are on the road to learning to be a mature adult. Naming Your Baby Is Part of The Challenge of Being a Parent Baby names are as diverse as the people to whom they are given. Choosing the right name for your baby can be a very challenging yet fun exercise! This is my story. How to Cope With Colic When my oldest daughter was born, I walked the floor night and day, rocking and swaddling, singing and even crying.. Alias: Aptitude Be aware. You may become totally overwhelmed when you get the results of the special education testing on your child. Quality Time with Your Teen It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with your teen without totally intruding in his/her life. You want to talk to them, they don't want to talk to you (most of the time anyway). Develop Your Childs Genius: One Step Farther When is a person brilliant? When does a person show his genius? When he goes beyond the usual, beyond the obvious. When he goes one step farther in his thinking, understanding and creativity. Handling Failure -- Teaching Kids How to Profit From It There is nothing pleasant about failure, at least not at the time that it happens! Failure embarrasses us, feels bad, and often costs us money. Little wonder that people avoid failure like the plague. Teaching Respect And Values In Todays Society The girl's jaw dropped in horror as the police officer spokethese words:"Don't go there. Have you any idea how many kids have beenstabbed in the past year? They'll kill you as soon as lookat you. True Romance for Couples with Kids: 10 Inexpensive Ideas Anyone can splurge on a formal dinner or a pricey bottle of perfume, but it takes creativity and forethought to be truly romantic.The key lies in personalizing your celebration. Single Parenting: How The Challenge Of Single Parenting Affects Your Decision To Divorce Single parenting has seemingly become an acceptable norm which is unfortunate. According to the US Census Bureau, there were over 20 million single parents in the United States in the year 2000. Meet The Twixters! There is a new stage of development for parents to consider.The stages of development are roughly the following: children move from infancy, to early childhood and onwards to middle childhood. Parenting Skills - Five Ways To Turbo-Boost Your Confidence The 'phone conversation had nothing at all to do withparenting - but it made me think . . Games Of The Past Meet The Present Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters' children for a couple days, when she and her husband traveled to a bed and breakfast for some much need rest and relaxation. They don't have a chance to get away that often, so I was more than happy to help them out for this little getaway. One Definition of Success As parents, we want our children and teens to grow up and "be successful." But what "being successful" means depends on our definition of "success" in the first place. While You Have the Time, Take the Time Here in Kansas, where we live, the leaves are turning beautiful shades and falling off the trees. Just last week, I was babysitting some little boys and we were playing outside. What Do Chinese Water Torture and Arguing with Children Have in Common? Imagine yourself lying flat on your back, totally strapped down onto a cold, hard table, unable to move any part of your body. You can't see anything around you because your eyes are covered. The Challenges of Single Parenting Having worked with parents for the last 35 years and written books on parenting and relationships, I've discovered that one of the greatest challenges for us as parents is to be loving role-models for our children, showing our children through our behavior how to take personal responsibility for their own feelings and needs. Our children need to learn from our role-modeling how to nurture themselves within and how to create a sense of safety in the world. Tracking Your Child Progress As a parent, you can learn a lot about your child's learningand watch for signs of possible problems. Here are somethings to look for and to discuss with his teacher:Starting at age 3 or 4:Does your child remember nursery rhymes, and can he play rhyming games?At about age 4: Can your child get information or directionsfrom conversations or books that are read aloud to him?Kindergartners:Is your child beginning to name and write theletters and numbers that he sees in books, on billboards andsigns, and in other places?At age 5:Can your child play and enjoy simple word games inwhich two or more words start with the same sound? Forexample: "Name all the animals you can think of that startwith d. Every Mom Worries Sitterphobe "I never have a second to myself," this mother tells you (and tells you and tells you). You agree, judging by her slightly frazzled demeanor, that she could use a break.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
