How to share parenting responsibilities

So youre a new parent? Congratulations! But have you thought about all the extra responsibility youve just taken on? Welcome to the world of parenting responsibilities.

Your life has just changed, and its not about to go back to the way it was. The best thing you can do is to adjust quickly to your new lifestyle. A good way to help this process is to share parenting responsibilities evenly between you and your partner.

There are several things that you can do to make sure you share your parenting responsibilities out evenly. One of the biggest things is to talk to your partner communication is the key to success.

It is very important that you tell your partner what you need them to do when it comes to sharing parenting responsibilities. Its imperative that you convey this to them clearly and tell them why.

It is one of your parenting responsibilities to raise your child to the best of your ability. In order to do this you need to discuss with your partner your views and opinions of all aspects of child rearing, including discipline. When you sit down and talk about it you may find that you share very different ideas on the way to raise a child. Its important you agree on how these things should be done.

You should also make a list of both household chores and parenting responsibilities and share them evenly between both of you. If you have older children include them in the household chores.

Part of your parenting responsibilities is to be consistent with discipline. Make sure you stand firm and dont overrule your partners disciplinary actions as this could cause your child to lose respect for their authority.

Its also very important to make time to spend just as a couple. Its not only one of your parenting responsibilities its a responsibility to your partner and to yourself.

Article by health writer Kate Wiley of http://www.healthy-shopper.com Health in 1 http://www.health-in-1.comand Advice on Health http://www.advice-on-health.com
You may use this article on your website providing you include the above author bio and active link to our health sites.

Kate and Phil Wiley run the popular health sites http://www.healthy-shopper.com Health in 1 http://www.health-in-1.com and Advice on Health http://www.advice-on-health.com

The key to communicating with teenagers is...Phil WileyThe teenage years is when communicating with your child can become difficult. As contradictory as it sounds, listening is the key to success in communicating with your teenager effectively.

When communicating with your teenager it is vitally important that you follow the rules of good communication - empathy, flexibility and open-mindedness. Teenagers often feel that no-one is listening to them and no-one will. You need to counteract this with your own positive actions.

Its important to be available and accessible for communicating with your teenager. Always be consistent with your answers and reasoning when making decisions or disciplining your teenager. Wait before you speak. Count to 10 first, especially if you are agitated.

When communicating with your teenager dont give them your answer immediately. Take 10 minutes to make the decision, even if you know what the answer is going to be. This helps to avoid your child throwing in last minute changes to their plans.

Avoiding sarcasm and raising your voice when communicating with your teenager is imperative. Always remain calm and controlled, even if you dont feel it. This should help towards a better result for both parties.

Learning to apologize is perhaps one of the most important parts of communicating with your teenager. If you end up being wrong admit it. This helps in terms of their respect for you, and shows them that you respect them enough as a person to apologize and admit you were wrong.

Making time for family is another important part of communicating with your teenager. Even if its only at dinner time each night, doing things as a family creates good feelings amongst family members something essential for good communication.

Phil Wiley is the author of the best selling book Mini Site Profits www.minisiteprofits.comand writes the free weekly Letter from Phil at www.ozemedia.com

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Bored children? Not for long...Phil WileySo your children are bored? They want something to do? No! Not that mum, something fun!
Sound familiar?

If youre lost for ideas then youve definitely come to the right place. There are plenty of things you can do with your children that are both educational and will keep them occupied for hours.

If your children are old enough why not take a camping trip? This not only provides them with an excellent opportunity to run around in fresh air and sunshine, but gives them an invaluable knowledge of survival skills. Have the children help around the campsite, collecting the firewood and preparing meals. Experiment with meals that you can prepare while out camping, for example cooking vegetables in the hot coals of a fire. If youd prefer something a little closer to home you could help your children set up a tent in the back yard and camp there for a night. Play pretend games about being away from home on a camping trip.

An activity that will keep your children occupied for hours on end is gardening. Help your children to build a garden bed and choose seeds or seedlings to plant in it. Help them decide where to put their garden bed and what they would like to grow. Take them to buy their plants or seeds and show them how to plant them. Creating a garden bed is something that will also teach your children to take responsibility for a certain task. When they have their garden bed they will have to water it each day and pull out any weeds that might grow. Through gardening they are able to see the fruits of their labour, either by watching their flowers grow and being able to pick them if they choose to, or by watching their vegetables grow then harvesting and eating them. Creating a veggie garden is also a great way to get kids into the habit of healthy eating!

Other ideas for children are cooking, games, making gifts and doing other crafts.

Phil Wiley is the author of the best selling book Mini Site Profits www.minisiteprofits.comand writes the free weekly Letter from Phil at www.ozemedia.com

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Sharing parenting responsibilities

So youre a new parent? Congratulations! But have you thought about all the extra responsibility youve just taken on? Welcome to the world of parenting responsibilities.

Your life has just changed, and its not about to go back to the way it was. The best thing you can do is to adjust quickly to your new lifestyle. A good way to help this process is to share parenting responsibilities evenly between you and your partner.

There are several things that you can do to make sure you share your parenting responsibilities out evenly. One of the biggest things is to talk to your partner communication is the key to success.

It is very important that you tell your partner what you need them to do when it comes to sharing parenting responsibilities. Its imperative that you convey this to them clearly and tell them why.

It is one of your parenting responsibilities to raise your child to the best of your ability. In order to do this you need to discuss with your partner your views and opinions of all aspects of child rearing, including discipline. When you sit down and talk about it you may find that you share very different ideas on the way to raise a child. Its important you agree on how these things should be done.

You should also make a list of both household chores and parenting responsibilities and share them evenly between both of you. If you have older children include them in the household chores.

Part of your parenting responsibilities is to be consistent with discipline. Make sure you stand firm and dont overrule your partners disciplinary actions as this could cause your child to lose respect for their authority.

Its also very important to make time to spend just as a couple. Its not only one of your parenting responsibilities its a responsibility to your partner and to yourself.

Article by health writer Kate Wiley of http://www.healthy-shopper.com Health in 1 http://www.health-in-1.comand Advice on Health http://www.advice-on-health.com
You may use this article on your website providing you include the above author bio and active link to our health sites.

Kate and Phil Wiley run the popular health sites http://www.healthy-shopper.com Health in 1 http://www.health-in-1.com and Advice on Health http://www.advice-on-health.com

 

5 Dynamite Ways to Generate Ideas for Parenting Articles

The key to selling reprints to parenting publications is the creation of dynamite ideas followed through with professional writing. Here, Im focusing only on finding those lucrative topics.

Most topics in regional parenting publications are straightforward: finance, parenting tips, health, sports, and education. The trick is to twist them in an unusual way.

1. If youre a parent, what do you wish you knew about a topic? Write down questions that you have as you go through the day. When I was driving the other day, I complained to myself about bad teenage drivers. Then I wondered, What can parents do to encourage good driving? If you already know the answer to the question, it wont make a good article unless youre an expert on the subject.

2. Take a generic topic and make it seasonal. Choose a season about four months away, because the lead-time for parenting publications is 2 to 6 months. Four months from now is April. What happens in April (or would be published in April) that I can combine with a topic like health? In April, parenting publications start printing their summer guides to camps. What can parents do to make sure their children stay healthy at camp? What are the traits of a safe camp? Change to camping plus another topic like education or finance to create unique articles.

3. Who do you know who has an unusual or remarkable story something that affected children? What did the parents learn? Write an article using the anecdote as an introduction to the information you want to give. A great anecdote can sell a story.

4. Visit online parenting forums and read the questions people ask. Use some of these as a basis for your article ideas.

5. When you research a piece and talk to experts, look for what you dont know. Joe says insurance is important for families, wont make an article interesting. Too many people know that insurance is important. But a quote like, Joe says disability insurance is the most neglected area of insurance, but it protects young families from the biggest threat to their security, will make parents keep reading.

If you give editors timely articles that readers will want to read, youll sell your work over and over again.

Terri Pilcher edits a FREE weekly e-zine for writers, Writers Guidelines Magazine, that provides 10 writers guidelines. She recently published MONEY Markets 2005: 101 Publishers That Pay in 6 Weeks or Less. Her website contains the writers guidelines for almost 200 parenting publications. http://www.powerpenmarketsearch.com

Parenting Starts Before Pregnancy

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While it may seem farfetched to some people, many of my clients remember what they felt and experienced while still in the womb. Comments such as these are not unusual:

I knew even before I was born that my mother didnt want me.

I could feel my mothers fear and anxiety even before I was born.

Parenting does not start once the child is born. Good parenting starts even before getting pregnant. It starts by caring about what you eat, how much exercise and sleep you get, and by making sure that you are taking responsibility for your feelings of anxiety and stress. Your baby will feel what you feel, so learning how to be in peace and joy before getting pregnant is part of good parenting.

I loved being pregnant. I had always wanted children so I was thrilled to be pregnant. I loved feeling the baby moving within me, awed by the very fact of creating new life. I loved feeling an elbow or a knee slide across my stomach. I loved that my body could be a receptacle for bringing through this soul, this angel from heaven. I could not think of anything more profound, more worth doing. Who was this unique little person growing in my body?

I read every book I could on parenting and thought endlessly how I wanted to be a different parent than my parents were.

The problem was that I have never thought about how much my relationship with myself and with my husband might affect this child.

My husband was angry, distant and withdrawn during my pregnancy and the first three months after giving birth to our son. He was a person who wanted control and he was not happy that I got pregnant six months before we had planned. He didnt open his heart until our son smiled at him at three months of age.

Being young, I had no idea how to handle the loneliness I felt at not having my husband joyfully involved in the hugest event of my life. Had I known then what I know now, I would have done anything I could to get the help we needed to bring our relationship back into caring. We cant go back, but Im sure that my son felt the lack of joy that existed between my husband and me. Im sure he felt the depth of my loneliness. I wish I knew then what I know now about taking responsibility for my own feelings.

Being pregnant and giving birth are enormous events in a womans life, especially the first child, which changes your life so dramatically. If you do not know how to take responsibility for your own feelings of anger, hurt, anxiety, depression and loneliness, things will only get worse after giving birth. A child does not solve problems for you.

Its hard to imagine before having a child what it is like to be responsible for another life 24/7. If you have not learned how to lovingly parent yourself before giving birth, you might find yourself getting lost as parent your baby. Good parenting starts before getting pregnant, with learning how to take loving care of yourself.

If you have a desire to be a good parent, here are steps you can take before getting pregnant:

1. Physical health: make sure that you are in good physical shape by eliminating sugar and artificial sweeteners. Start to shop in health food stores and buy only organic products. Eliminating pesticides and food additives is essential for good health. Also be sure to get enough exercise and sleep.

2. Emotional health: instead of having your eyes on your partner, turn your eyes inward and begin to compassionately notice your own feelings. Start to treat your own feelings in the same way you are planning on treating your future childs feelings - with caring and understanding. In addition, start to practice taking loving action in your own behalf - standing up for yourself, speaking your truth, taking time for yourself. Practice taking loving care of your own feelings instead of making your partner responsible for how you feel. Begin to notice what you think and do that may be causing you stress. Changing thoughts and behavior that cause your stress before getting pregnant is essential for good parenting.

3. Spiritual health: practice opening to a higher source of guidance, wisdom, strength and comfort. This can be your own highest, wisest self within you, or a Higher Power outside of you. You will find that being able to turn a source of wisdom and comfort within or without will go a long way in helping you stay loving and stress-free with yourself, your partner, and your baby. In addition, this will help you know what to do in different challenging situations with your baby.

If you are planning on having a baby, start today in becoming a good parent!

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding psychological and spiritual healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone Sessions Available.

Parenting Success

At a Womens Bar Association lunch one of the attorneys ordered a diet soda and then explained to the rest of us that her children were doing a healthy living program so she stopped buying diet soda to drink at home. She said having this diet soda was a real treat for her.

She then confided in us that the real difficulty her kids were having with their healthy living was eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day. The topic for the day was marketing and it seemed to me that she had just displayed a couple of marketing principles even though the topic hadnt come up yet!

First of all the woman was trying very hard to model to her children the behavior she was encouraging. As a child I always pointed out to my mother when her actions did not reflect her directives she told me not to smoke for example. Her response was Do as I say not as I do. Sorry Mom it doesnt work. It just made me all the more curious about smoking. I did try it but fortunately for me I didnt like it.

No matter what your profession or business if you dont use your product or service you are not a model of what you offer. A lawyer who doesnt have a will, doesnt pay taxes, or signs a business agreement with a handshake doesnt advertise her own service very well.

Second the attorney and her children were measuring their success in eating healthy. The only place she wasnt complying was with the requirement of 5 vegetables a day. Tracking results is an important part of a marketing campaign. How can you tell if you are successful if you dont track your results?

Another way this mother was helping her children was with support. Trying to eat and live in a healthy way can be hard for children. Having their mothers support, the support of each other and that of their school is a really great way to get encouragement.

So too when you market a law practice the attorney needs to have support. The Bar Association is one place to get that support. Other places might be through a coach, a mastermind group, or other attorneys.

Just the other day I was listening to a teleclass on parenting with Jack Canfield, the author of the Chicken Soup books. He has written a book called The Success Principles. Even as I listened to his discussion I thought how many of these Principles we use in our daily lives without knowing it. Lets give ourselves credit for being successes in our own world! Here are a few that mother and her children used in that healthy living program:

• Success Principle 13: Take Action
• Success Principle 20: Commit to Constant and Never-Ending Improvement
• Success Principle 21: Keep Score for Success
• Success Principle 41: Build a powerful Support team

Canfield will be speaking on a telephone discussion group on parenting again on May 17th at 9PM ET. This time his focus will be his book Chicken Soup for the Fathers Soul. Jack Canfield adds wonderful stories to a rich parenting discussion. To learn more about it click here: http://tinyurl.com/4t7uy

Alvah Parker is a Business and Career Coach as well as publisher of Parkers Points, an email tip list and Road to Success, an ezine. Parker works with high potential professionals who want to make their work fun, fulfilling and profitable. Her clients are managers, business owners, sole practioners, attorneys and people in transition. Alvah is found on the web at www.asparker.com. She may also be reached at 781-598-0388.

asparker@asparker.com

What Divorce Parenting Practices is Best Appropriate for Preschoolers?

How do you spare your preschoolers for the negative effects of divorce? How do you promote your preschooler's healthy growth and development? The answer is appropriate divorce parenting practices.

The next question is what appropriate divorce parenting practices for preschooler really means? Let's keep things simple. All you need to know is learn how divorce affect your children. Knowing how preschoolers react to divorce will bring you to a better position of knowing the best appropriate divorce parenting practices you can give for your child.

So let's get started. How is preschoolers affected by divorce? Preschoolers commonly experience regression during parents' divorce. Children whose parents are in conflict regress to thumb-sucking, bed-wetting and other behaviors their parents assume they've outgrown.

Children at this developmental stage may think they are responsible for their parents' divorce or for their parents not living together. As a corollary to the perception that their misbehavior caused the divorce or caused a separation, preschool children often believe that if they are really good, everything will be okay again. This can be an incredibly stressful perception for a little kid, because he or she begins to carry on his or her shoulders the burden of getting mom and dad back together again.

Preschoolers may be confused, have fantasizes about reconciliation, and show difficulties in expressing their feelings. Their sense of security is affected by predictable and consistent routines.

Preschoolers may fear being left alone or abandoned altogether and may worry about the changes in their daily lives. They may deny that anything has changed, or they may become uncooperative, depressed, or angry. Although they want the security of being near an adult, they may act disobedient and aggressive.

Preschoolers exhibit signs of sadness and grieving because of the absence of one parent. Preschoolers may be aggressive and angry toward the parent they blame.

Now that you know how preschoolers react to divorce, I'm sure a lot of ideas come to your mind on what divorce parenting practices is best appropriate for preschoolers. To add up to your list of ideas, here below are some of the things you should do to help your preschoolers adjust to divorce.

• Repeatedly tell children that they are not responsible for the divorce. Children need to be reassured that the breakup wasn't their fault.

• Discourage reconciliation fantasies. Avoid dinners, outings, or holiday celebrations with your ex-spouse; they only fuel your child's fantasies. Instead, emphasize the finality of divorce

• Keep daily routines intact. Children feel more secure when there is a standard routine. Stick with bedtimes, no matter at which home the children are. Have some consistent chores. Have some time committed to the child, which is treated as sacred.

• Reassure children that everything will be ok, just different. Children are invariably frightened and confused by divorce. It's a threat to their security. Provide extra hugs and kisses and tell your child that you and other adults will always be near to love and protect

• Explain what is happening over and over again. Children this age are confused easily. In simple terms, explain where your child will live, with whom, where the departing parent will live, and who will provide care when both parents are unavailable.

• Encourage your child to talk about how he/she feels. Be sensitive to children's fears. Let your child know that he or she can openly talk to you about the ups and downs of your separation or divorce.

• Encourage the child to carry photographs and other keepsakes of the custodial parent when he or she leaves home to visit with the non-custodial parent. Conversely, encourage the child to keep a photograph of his or her non-custodial parent in a visible place at home.

• Be sensitive to children signs of depression and fear. Seek professional help if depression is prolonged or intense.

• Help non-custodial parent stay involve. Let non-custodial parent maintain a regular presence such as a phone call several times each week, messages sent on video or audiotapes.

• Plan a schedule of time for children to spend with their other parent. Be supportive of children's ongoing relationship with the other parent. Remember that children generally fare best when they have the emotional support and ongoing involvement of both parents. If you have difficulty relating to your former spouse then get your free copy of my ebook "8 Essential Steps to Cooperative Parenting and Divorce." Just visit my website and get the said ebook for free.

You can learn more divorce parenting practices appropriate for children of any age in my ebook "101 Ways To Raise 'Divorced' Children to Successfully." This ebook is a divorce parenting guide that offers many proven ways that will not only help you help your children but will also guide you on how to deal with yourself and your former ex-spouse for your children's sake. Thus, giving you complete information on how to raise healthy, happy and successful children even if you're divorced. For more information, please visit my website.

With the above information, I hope you will become an empowered divorced parent and believe that you can raise healthy, happy and successful children even if you're divorce.

Copyright by Ruben Francia. All Rights Reserved.

Publishing Rights: You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print, in your ebook or on your website, free of charge, as long as the author's information and web link are included at the bottom of the article. The web link should be active when the article is reprinted on a web site or in an email. Minor edits and alterations are acceptable so long as they do not distort or change the content of the article.

Ruben Francia is an author of an indispensable divorce parenting guide ebook, entitled "101 Ways To Raise Your 'Divorced' Children To Success". Get his other ebook for FREE, "8 Essential Steps to Cooperative Parenting and Divorce." Visit his web site at http://www.101divorceparenting.com.