As children we were hopefully all taught the value of a dollar; that the amount of work we put in will determine our reward. But in a day and age where children seem more materialistic than ever, it can be increasingly difficult to instill the proper values in our children. There are several parenting tips that experts agree will go a long way to ensuring your child has an appropriate and healthy attitude towards money.

First and foremost, gift giving and receiving is one of childhood’s most important lessons. More and more children’s parties – abbreviated to fit into an hour and a half at a location away from home – have simply eliminated the tradition of opening presents in front of party guests. Sadly, this has also eliminated a truly priceless lesson for children.

Parenting tips of merit include offering your children a multitude of opportunities to give and receive gifts politely. Not only does this offer an invaluable lesson in social graces but it makes a significant point about the value of money. If children are involved in purchasing their friends’ gifts – including staying within a budgetary limit – they discover how much things really cost. Additionally they can witness firsthand how much joy the gift has given their friend.

Conversely, when your child receives a gift, they will be more inclined to express their appreciation for it because they realize what a short distance a dollar can stretch. They can learn to accept a present graciously – even if it’s not exactly what they wanted. The gift is in the thought not in the dollar value attached to it. This is one of the most important parenting tips in existence.

Additional parenting tips concerning the value of money include the attachment of values to everyday events. For example, a family outing does not have to be expensive to be worthwhile and fun. Teach your children the value of spending time together. Spending the day at a public park can be just as much fun as spending the day at a pricey amusement park.

Parenting tips that most experts agree upon include the importance of steering clear of monetary rewards attached to expected chores. Getting paid to make his/her bed will likely not teach your child any valuable lessons. Certain jobs around the house are expected – we all have to do our part to ensure that our homes run smoothly. Teach your children that your family is a unit that requires the effort of each team member for it to be successful. If you wish to offer chores above and beyond everyday household jobs at a set allowance then by all means do so. But keep one of the most important parenting tips in mind: paying your child to do what is already expected is looked at like a bribe and will ultimately not be valued.

But the greatest parenting tips that can be offered include the importance of listening to your child’s attitudes about money. You may be surprised by how your attitude has been passed seamlessly to your children. Value money and your children will value it as well.

Learning to talk is one of the most complicated skills humans learn, and knowing how to get your baby off to a good start is one thing that worries people about infant parenting. Is there anything special I can do? Does television help? Should I ignore ‘baby talk’? These are all questions parents ask themselves when trying to find the best way to deal with this aspect of infant parenting. To help with this, here are a few tips:

Infant parenting can be a daunting prospect, but when it comes to helping your baby to talk it can be fun. Babies are listening before they are born. They will recognize your voice, so don’t be afraid to use it. Babies seek out faces even a few minutes after birth, so stick out your tongue or open your mouth – they may copy sooner than you think and it is all good preparation for talking.

As your baby becomes more expressive and starts to make coos and other noises, repeat them back. Look at her while you are doing it so she can see your face. Even if you feel foolish at not making sense, it is teaching your child communication skills; and communication is a key part of infant parenting. When your child is a few months older and ready to start making talking noises she will start moving her mouth a lot. Respond to this too, say something like “That’s funny” or “That’s a nice thing to say”. This helps encourage your baby to continue because she is getting a positive response.

Middle of the night feeds might not be fun, but that doesn’t mean there is no fun in infant parenting. Helping your baby to learn to talk can definitely be fun. Even tiny babies can be played with: try counting toes and fingers, or play tickling games with them, talking while you are doing it. Singing to your baby is also great and it doesn’t matter what you sound like – they love hearing their parents’ voices. Use the TV to help you. Experts agree that too much TV is bad for children, but there is nothing wrong with watching suitable programs with young children and infants. In fact it can be really helpful, as programs aimed at the youngest children are full of techniques to help them communicate. Talk to your infant about what is happening on the TV, not only will they have the benefit of what is on the screen but you will also be helping them communicate.

All the time, talk about what you are doing, the things around you, and what your baby shows interest in. If he starts pointing at cars, talk about the cars. Answer the noises and nonsense talk as if it is a real conversation, looking at your child as much as you can while you are talking to them. Start reading him books and talking about the pictures; that will get him interested in books as well as talking. Involved, communicative infant parenting is vital if you want to raise a communicative child.

With confident use of these ideas, your infant parenting skills will be giving your baby the best start possible in learning to talk.

For more tips on parenting refer to my free e-book “New Parenting Style” on http://www.newparentingstyle.com/index.html.

Research suggests that parental involvement is a key ingredient to support success in school.   But lots of parents don’t feel qualified to tackle the responsibility of teaching and wonder what they can do to help.  Following are some things you can do and talk about to help your kids succeed–and feel good about it.

1) Make learning relevant–Make sure your child sees what he’s learning reflected in the “real” world. Ask questions. Find out what interested him/her during school lessons…then find examples related to those topics of interest and expand your conversation. Look for real world stories on the internet, at the library or in the newspaper or magazines. By supplementing their at-school learning experience at home, you’re expanding their vision and promoting the idea that more info can be fun–and that what they learn is relevant.

2) Be cautious about how you talk about “learning” and “education” with your kids and around them. Kids inherit your attitudes and ideas about everything–they listen, they watch and they accept your beliefs as truth. It is important to avoid negative statements (i.e. how you had “difficulty in school” and that “teachers are unfair”). Instead, share your positive experiences in learning (i.e. how something you learned was useful or remembering your favorite teacher or an inspiring experience in school).

3) Model goal-setting behaviors. Kids are usually pretty “immediate”. They live in the moment and can’t always see the value of long-term goals–and sometimes they lose patience.   When you talk about your own goals and how long-term planning helped you achieve your goals (and how much better off you are as a result), you’re demonstrating a pattern of behavior and thinking. If you talk without lecturing, kids will hear your stories and (without effort) assume your attitude as “the way we do things in our family”.

4) Demonstrate your commitment to your child’s success. Be sure you’ve supplied the “tools” for success: purchase a calendar or to-do list notebook to help him/her keep on schedule; dedicate a quiet, comfortable and well-lit space for home-work;  maintain (and re-supply as necessary) a handy assortment of school/study supplies (paper, pencils, etc).

5) Organize your living space to reserve a special area for your child’s school papers. Dedicate a shelf or table top for books, backpack, school communications, lunch money, etc. When school materials are blatantly kept in a prominent area (rather than stashed away), you’re providing a constant visual reminder of the value of being prepared for school–And, important items are less likely to get lost or forgotten.

6) Be a “Coach”–actively support your child with encouraging words and confidence-building praise.   It isn’t your job to teach your child when you’re helping with homework–teaching is the teacher’s role. Teachers assign homework to give students an opportunity to review what was learned in school and practice skills that were taught and exercise independent responsibility. Kids will be more willing to buckle down with their homework (and actually learn) when they feel positive support from you rather than reacting to nagging, teasing or threats of punishment. Coaches get more “work” out of their team with “you-can-do-it” type statements than they would with “do-it-or-else” threats. So, one more time:  be a “Coach” for your kids to support their school success.