Good Parenting Skills – Common Sense Parenting In a Tough Economy

With the unemployment rate hovering above 10% the tough economic times many families find themselves in can put a real strain on the household. This can be particularly true in our relationships with our children. Isn’t it tough enough to raise children without having to deal with job loss and an increasingly tighter budget? Despite the fact that for many parents, times have never been tougher, there are some things you can do to help ease the burden and offer hope and reassurance to your kids.

• First of all, it is critical that you maintain a positive attitude with your children, particularly if they are aware of your job loss or financial situation. They need your reassurance that everything will work out. After all, you are a family, you stick together, and there are no obstacles too great for families who can maintain this attitude. Your children take their cues from you. If you stay positive, so will they.

• Be honest with your children but keep things in perspective. Children are pretty perceptive and often know a lot more than we give them credit for. Assure them that you will take care of them.

• Life’s every day routines shouldn’t change much just because of tough economic times so it is important to maintain a sense of normalcy. Be consistent with routines and rules around the house.

• You can’t put a price on family time but there are many less expensive alternatives that will allow you that precious time with your kids without busting your budget. Look for inexpensive things you can do at home. Clip coupons, watch for sales, rent movies at home, make popcorn, do arts and crafts etc.

• Be very careful to avoid letting your child see you worry or act stressed. This can lead to the child becoming overly worried and they are not well equipped to take on adult problems. If your child begins to exhibit emotional or stress related problems at home or at school, a counselor could be very beneficial. Most schools provide this service.

• Try to make time for yourself, even if it’s just something small, like a hot bath with a magazine after the kids are in bed. Prayer or meditation can also be great stress relievers. There are numerous support groups available for people dealing with job loss. These can be great opportunities not only to help you cope with your situation but also as a good resource for finding a job.

Toddlers and “The Terrible Twos” – Understanding and Help for Parents

A number of years ago, shortly after my son was born, I was warned by various friends of mine who were also parents, about the dreaded terrible twos. Unfortunately for me, the terrible twos later became the terrible threes, fours, fives etc. but that’s the topic of another article! The terrible twos is probably best described as your toddler saying ‘no’ to most everything and throwing frequent temper tantrums.


It’s important that you as a parent realize that this is a perfectly normal and expected stage of your toddler’s development. He or she is beginning to try to establish independence and just hasn’t yet acquired the communication skills necessary. The best your two year old can manage at this point is to yell ‘no’ and maybe a little kicking and screaming thrown in to make their point.

Here are some ideas to help both you and your toddler get through the terrible twos and avoid more conflict than necessary:

• Establish routines and apply them consistently

• Limited choices give them a feeling like they are in power without allowing bad choices

• Set limits

• Don’t give in to tantrums

• Use of time-outs as a means of discipline

• Set up your house so your toddler can explore safely

Every parent can learn good parenting skills with a little guidance and practice. I will continue to add more content on this subject with future posts. Let me know what your experiences have been like!

Want To End Outbursts and Temper Tantrums For Good?

I spend a lot of time on Internet Parenting Forums and have had many a discussion with other parents regarding temper tantrums from their kids. And I mean, these parents are FRUSTRATED! We aren't talking about the occasional tantrum that every kid throws from time to time. These parents have described constant public exhibitions of screaming, hitting, kicking, biting and on and on. I can relate because I have experienced it myself. It causes stress on the whole family and can even take a toll on your marriage.

Well, I've got some good news. I learned recently about a very simple program that quite a number of parents are having tremendous success with. It has absolutely transformed their entire families and all but eliminated the problem behaviors in their kids. Many of these parents said they had tried counseling, medications, and very expensive products they found on the internet but had not had much success. This program changed everything for them!

I wanted to pass this information on to you because I know what it's like to feel completely at a loss on how to handle temper tantrums and all of the negative behaviors that go with them. It's embarassing and frustrating at the least, and it was really causing problems in  my family. Here is a fantastic resource for all parents who want to end the tantrums and get back to a healthy and happy household.