Parenting Tips

• Share your child care duties with your husband
  It seems an uphill task for most women who think that asking their husbands is like knowing their answer before they ask them. To an extent this is true but it all depends how serious you are about the child's proper upbringing.
  It has been found that those couples who have common interests are more likely to shoulder the responsibilities together and do fine. If you and your husband are poles apart you need to sit together and discuss what's the most important thing in your lives, does children figure anywhere?
  
  As a mother your relation to your child is very special as giving birth itself is a different feeling , well this is not to say that being a father is anything less but one thing is for sure that a mother's instinct is hers alone.
  
  On most occasions new moms have to leave their jobs and look after their kids. The more attention you give your kids during their early years the more likely are they to develop as complete individuals , free of any insecurities. Since the father is the one having his job, now an added responsibility it will be nice for him to spend as much time possible with his children whenever he gets the time as his presence too is equally important.
  
  You and your husband could fix some regular care hours like two hours in the evening after work hours so that you can get a break from your schedule, remember this is a phase you need to adjust, all this is after all for your own children.
  
  You should spend some time reading to your children
  
  Let's face it there is no fixed rule here since we all are different our styles too differ it will just take you three days to understand what style your kid loves. Believe us there's nothing more personal than reading a book to your kid yes not even those TV games and multimedia story books.
  
  
• Have a fixed reading time usually bed time
  
  
• Let your son/ daughter choose which book they will like to buy or listen a story from.
  
  
• Ask your husband to take turns too.
  
  
• Be as expressive as possible as children love to relate what they see you do when reading the story. Try to create a question answer situation where you ask your child ok this book is about a cat and her family, do you know how a cat look and what does it sound like? this will help your kid to develop his thinking.
  Always say it in a easy to understand tone and pace.
  If you could read a story and then tell it in your own words the effect could be more beneficial and interesting.
  The story time should have a novelty not the same thing everyday for instance have a fairy tale session with you surprising your kid with chocolates when you tell him ok close your eyes and say "chocolates" the fairy will give you chocolates.
  
  
• Sometimes your kid wants the same story to be told again don't refuse to read it it is a sign of his genuine interest.
  
  
  
• Sleep your Blues away
  If you have a young toddler or a newborn baby you will know how difficult it is to get a proper night's sleep with half the night attending to your baby's screams. It is but natural for them to cry as they cannot communicate any other way.
  
  
• Babies learn to recognize a fixed routine
  Try this with your baby every night before you put your baby to sleep give her a nice warm bath and dress her in her night clothes tell her a story or sing a lullaby and then when she feels sleepy gently put her to sleep do this everyday she will understand that it's time to go to sleep.
  
  
• Your Baby recognizes her sleeping place
  If possible make your baby sleep in her crib every time do not change her position every day, like one day she sleeps with you and your husband the next day your grandparents and so on. Once she gets adjusted to her sleeping place she will fall asleep much sooner and be at ease with her surroundings.
  
  
• You need to be very patient at times
  Some babies are fussy some obedient and remarkably very smart to understand your direction when you tell them honey it's time to sleep. If you are the unlucky one who face an uphill task every night please do not shout as they will feel you do not care for them or feel threatened try sleeping by their side till they are old enough to sleep alone in their cribs
  
  
• Use her bedroom for her sleeping no other activities should be done there.
  If your baby's bedroom is just for sleeping she will recognize that when she's slightly older. All her play activities should be done in a different room so that when she is brought in her bedroom she knows it's time to sleep.
  
  
• The sleep chart
  

  AGE	Approx. amount of sleep needed
  Newborn	16 to 20 hours per day
  3 weeks	16 to18 hours per day
  6 weeks	15 to 16 hours per day
  4 months	9 to 12 hours plus two naps (2- 3 hrs each)
  6 months	11 hours plus two naps (2 to 3 hrs each)
  9 months	11 to 12 hours plus two naps (1-2 hrs each)
  1 year	10 to 11 hours plus two naps (1-2 hrs each)
  18 months	13 hours plus one or two naps (1-2 hrs each)
  2 years	11 to 12 hours plus one nap (2 hours)
  3 years	10 to 11 hours plus one nap (2 hours)

  
  
• Child proof your home
  • Learn first aid and CPR an ambulance may not always arrive in time.
  • You will need to Install child-resistant caps on all the electrical outlets in your home.
  • If you live in a tall building you will need to practice fire evacuation drill at least twice a year or contact your society flat office for details or give them this suggestion.
  • Travel with your kid in the car only if you have a child safety seat if not buy one.
  • The curtain length should be short & also for the blinding cords.
  • You need to keep your cabinets, beds, tables and other furnishings away from windows to prevent your kid accidentally falling off the windows or balconies. For balconies you need to have a iron grill fixed.
  • Lock your kitchen when you're not at home so that your kid go near the gas stoves and other heat appliances.
  • Install smoke alarms to help prevent suffocation and an gets you an early warning in case of fire.
  • Have the door latches and window latches fixed at a safe height to prevent your kid from locking himself.
  • If you have a firearm and ammunition, keep them out of your children's reach and always under lock and key and make sure the firearm is not kept loaded.
  • You should have rounded and smooth edged furnishings no sharp edges.
  • Contact your local electrician for double checking your electrical fittings on a regular basis for a possibility of short circuit or current in taps. If the wiring is old replace immediately why take a chance.
  • You need to keep your cigarettes and lighters away from your kid's reach.
  • Always Keep dangerous chemicals and other toxic materials out of children's reach.
    
    
    
• When Siblings fight
  Parents of one child won't really understand this. Parents of two or
  more children will relate to this statement immediately. He was
  referring to the seemingly constant bickering and fighting between
  brothers and sisters.
  
  However, having more than one child can provide opportunities for them to learn many things. They are learning how to share, how to be a friend, how to love and get along with others, and how to cooperate among themselves in relation to their brothers and sisters.
  
  There are many positive aspects to family life with more than one
  child, although many parents would say, "Not in my family!".
  
  
  This continual fighting between siblings is one of the major
  frustrations parents have. They feel that nothing they are doing is working. Parents' typical reactions to fighting include: screaming "Shut-up! You're driving me crazy!", taking sides, threats, accusations, dismissing negative feeling, and solving children's problems for them. All of these reactions only add fuel to the fire.
  
  Instead of reacting to the fighting, parents can choose to be
  pro-active. They can stay out of the fights in a nonjudgmental way.
  
  Children need to be able to settle things for themselves. Parents can teach negotiation skills later during a calm period. Teach your child to say "I'll give you these blocks for those." This will help them learn win-win skills that will be there when they are needed now, and useful in the future.
  
  
  Another thing parents can do is show confidence that their children will work things out.
  
  And finally, parents need to remember to affirm and accept feeling. All feelings are O.K., but not all actions are. A parent can say, "You felt very angry at your sister because she broke your truck. You can tell her with words, not hitting." Keep in mind that the bad feelings need to come out before we can get to the good feelings.
  
  When parents react to hostility with hostility, they are unwittingly promoting sibling rivalry. Future generations will need the skills of negotiation and cooperation in their businesses and personal relationships. Parents can begin now to teach their children these important skills. Think about what an incredible difference this can make in their lives!