So you want to become a great parent?

Simplicity is the best choice for becoming a great parent. My children love to learn from me and they feel proud of what I know. I simply encourage them to do simple things that really matter and this could also gain the self-confidence of the child.

Here are 5 simple parenting tips which I love to share with you…and it is this:

1. Encourage your children to meet new friends especially in their kindergarten. It is so grateful to see how open your child is to meeting someone new. It is a great way to increase their communication skills and become sociable.

2. Teach your child that a “genuine SMILE” can get them anywhere in life.

3. A great parenting skill is to understand how the mind of the child works and integrating some of this simplistic fun in your own life. Children love to play and they know very well how to entertain themselves. Parents should try to understand their enjoyment and in addition, need to enjoy with them.

4. Try more new things in order to improve your parenting skills and let your children know that they could do the same thing as you do. Parents should allow their children to try more different activities such as basketball, pianos, dancing and etc. This is a way that children could experience what they really enjoy and what they are good at.

5. Teach your children to love learning. Children are curious in many new things and it is great to have them explore new activity into a learning pattern. Parents could bring their children to the library or museum to pick their new books or learn other educational stuffs that makes them feel fun of.

Warning: Do not neglect the above simple tips!! Be sure to take this advice seriously if your children love to learn from you and feel proud of what you know, these are the basic steps you must get through!

Do you have a child between the ages of 5 and 9? That special season is a time of enormous growth and development and can be a whirlwind to observe. I am privileged to be parenting my fourth elementary-age child. Here are some of my favorite 10 parenting tips for early school-age kids.

1. It’s a big world.

The first few years of school are exciting and stressful. Learning how to listen to adults besides mom and dad and being on their own for several hours each day is a tremendous leap forward in a child’s life. As a parent, keep in mind this transition your child is moving through and be patient and understanding.

2. Give them your confidence.

A child this age often will doubt his abilities. Sometimes he will verbalize this lack of self-confidence; sometimes it stays his little secret. You can help him by sharing your own confidence in his abilities with him. Be matter-of-fact about his talents and express your utter confidence in him, even if you have your own set of concerns.

3. Be interested.

What is your child learning about school? How did recess go? What is her favorite part of school? What is bugging her? Staying interested in your child’s daily life goes a long ways towards establishing a healthy on-going relationship.

4. Friendships count.

An elementary-age child is learning a lot about friendships. What works and frustratingly, what doesn’t. They are also learning that families operate differently; what is a vital rule in your own family may not matter at all in another family. Learning that people do things differently is an important lesson at this stage.

5. Talk values.

This is the age to solidify what values are important to your family with your child. Ideas such as:

- We are kind. Why is this important?
- We are fair, even when others are not.
- We tell the truth, even when it gets us into trouble.

These important concepts MUST be cemented in your child now if you want him to live by them when he gets to the teen years.

6. Don’t overload.

In this day of multiple after school activities, it’s easy to pile on too much for the average primary-schooler. Her main ‘job’ is school, so give adequate time, space and support to homework. Once that is finished, free playtime is important at this age as most kids spend several hours a day sitting at a desk and being quiet.

7. Family time is a priority.

Daily dinnertime together, a weekly game night, chores done as a team, a quiet time reading or enjoying music together, playing sports as a family; any of these ideas and many, many more are great ways to foster a sense of family in your home. Make sure you make together-time a priority.

8. Celebrate the team.

Kids this age need to know they are a part of something bigger than themselves and the family structure can fill that need beautifully. Worshipping, playing and working together are smart ways to build your family’s strength for the years ahead as well as enjoy each other today.

9. Have a family ‘thing’.

Drawing on parenting tip #8, decide on a fun hobby the whole family can enjoy and jump right in. You can bike, go camping, build model trains, raise bunnies, volunteer in your community, or investigate the stars together. Trust me, nothing will build family memories easier or better than a shared family hobby.

10. Teach personal responsibility.

This parenting tip is vital for your child’s long-term well-being. And it’s simple enough to instill. Chores, homework and learning new skills like musical instruments or sports activities are excellent ways to teach your school-aged child more and more about being responsible for himself and his possessions.

Now you have 10 parenting tips for elementary-age children. Each one of these tips has been time-tested in my home and thousands of other homes over the years. These parenting tips work…but only if you PUT them to work with your family. Enjoy your family more by taking the guesswork out of parenting. Establish these simple guidelines and reduce your parenting stress load today.

Being a mother can be fulfilling especially when everything goes well with the new baby. Picture perfect moments of bonding with baby are the stuff which most new moms dream of. In reality, however, the world of a new mom is not always rosy. There are moments when your baby will do things that will cause you to worry. There will also be times when your baby will not seem to respond well to all the love and affection you show.

As your baby grows older, he or she will start displaying different types of behavior. Occasionally, your baby may misbehave, fail to follow your instructions, throw things at you, hit you or cry unceasingly for unknown reasons. As a mom, we feel that it is our primary role to be our baby’s source of comfort so that a baby that is upset makes us feel inadequate or insecure. A new mom’s self confidence can be eroded further when her baby suddenly gets sick. Babies do get sick every now and then, and when this happens, most of us wonder where we went wrong or what we may have failed to do, as if to imply that we are the cause of our babies’ illnesses.

Your baby is like any other child who will continuously develop traits that can lead you to pause and reflect on your parenting skills. The question, “Am I a good mom?” will come up every now and then. Can anybody tell you what makes a woman a good mom?

What is a Good Mom?

a. Some adjectives. There is no textbook definition of a good mother. As every child is unique, so will a good mother be different in various situations. People describe a good mother in different ways, using a combination of words such as: patient, kind, understanding, generous, affectionate, loving, hardworking, persevering, efficient, reliable, sensitive, sacrificing, and intuitive. The list goes on.

b. Unconditional love. A common denominator among those who are perceived to be good moms is this: All the things that make a mom great are stuff that manifest her unconditional love for her child. A mom cannot go wrong with her child if her actions and decisions are guided by her love.

c. Guiding light. Mistakes that your baby will make are part of growing up. While it is your role to guide your baby as he or she is developing, problems in your baby’s behavior do not always imply that you are a bad mother. Do not be too hard on yourself. You did your best; some things just don’t turn out the way we want them to.

d. Sharing parental responsibility. A good mother can share parenting duties with others like her baby’s dad or some other responsible person. Allowing someone else, like your partner or members of your immediate family, to participate in raising your baby does not make you a bad mom already. A good mother is not necessarily a super mom. She knows when it is necessary to delegate minor baby care duties to someone she trusts in order to get other pressing tasks done.

Don’t let anyone or anything lead you into thinking that you failed as a mother. Resist the urge to question your parenting abilities. Avoid making comparisons with other moms and their babies. Your maternal instinct and sound judgment should make you the best person to decide what’s best for your baby. In the meantime, I encourage you to shower your baby with all the love, care and attention you can give him or her now. What matters is that in the eyes of your baby, you are a good mom.