advice
It takes a village to raise a family; advice and tips to make the most of yours.
Six Tips to Help Strengthen Your Family's Bond
Between work, school, errands, and extracurricular activities, family life can be a whirlwind. Spending time to reconnect with your loved ones can help you enjoy a more meaningful and deeper relationship with your family. Here are six tips to help you strengthen your family's bond.
By Andrea Dawson6 years ago in Families
How to Raise a Child Without a Screen—and Not Die in the Process
There are multiple studies that will back me up on this topic. Screens for babies, toddler and kids in general are like cocaine or other addictive drugs. I won't get into the specifics of the scientific research here because it can be slow reading but I can provide the necessary information later on for those who are interested. I want to get into the specifics of raising a baby and toddler without those screens and not die in the attempt (I am only going to talk about my own personal experience which is why I won't get into the older child). I have a 17 month old boy—a very active one. Since he was born, I have always strictly limited his access to media screens—not an easy job. Today, if you go to a restaurant they are full of giant screens on the walls or tablets on the tables. Well-meaning friends will offer to hold your baby and show them videos so the child won’t fuss. Well, I for one, do not want a zombie as a son! I want to limit how much damage I do to him as a parent (every parent damages their kids to a greater or lesser extent—just ask some teenagers). So what I have noticed that we (my husband and I) do differently:
By Fernanda Brito-Muñoz6 years ago in Families
Why Having a Child Should Not Mean Giving up on Your Goals or Dreams
A lot of parents, future and present, fall into this mindset that once they are going to have, or had, their child, that all hope is lost for what they once dreamed and hoped for. Why is that? Simply put: because the parents like me and you immediately think small-minded and get afraid. We go right to "Awe, I need to be able to provide for my child right now" mode. Then, "right now" turns into "Awe, I'm not gonna be at this job for that long," and next thing you know, 10-15 years from now we're still there.
By hareem scott6 years ago in Families
Things I Have Learned in My Eight Months as a Father
Being a father has been one of the most wonderful and educational experiences of my life. I have learned so much in eight months and am continuing to learn. I thought that I would share some of my insights and observations with the world.
By James Howell6 years ago in Families
Parenting and Depression
I've heard it all: "You have a beautiful, healthy daughter with another on the way. You shouldn't be depressed," "Others have it worse," "At least you have your kids," and so on. I have felt guilty for being depressed. I have felt like I don't deserve to feel this way. More often than not, I get down even more. I have been told that I should be thankful for being able to stay at home and raise my kids. The truth? Being a stay at home mom and having depression, or any mental illness, is a nightmare.
By Samantha Theall6 years ago in Families
What Role Does Your Boyfriend/Girlfriend Play in Your Child’s Life?
The story of Aniya Day-Garrett simply breaks my heart every time I read about it. This four year old angel was brutally murdered at the hands of her mother Sierra Day and her mother’s boyfriend Deonte Lewis. The medical examiner classified the death as a stroke in result of blunt force triuma to the head. The story gets even more devastating because the child’s father was in the middle of a custody trial with the mother. He had documented police reports and witness reports from the child’s daycare & nothing happened to get this child away from her abusive mother & “play father”. The American justice system failed this poor man & his precious daughter.
By Allison Copeland6 years ago in Families
It's Okay to Drop Toxic Family
"They're your family. You have to love your family." No, you don't. We give people the talk about dropping toxic friends or significant others, but what about family? What if your family does no good to you, or your health? What if your family is abusive?
By Nikolas Martin6 years ago in Families
Five Must-Have Products for the Colicky Baby
Being a new parent is one of the hardest jobs there is. Especially if you have a baby that suffers from colic. A lot of first-time moms don’t know what baby products work to help soothe their baby, so they unfortunately fall victim to spending their hard-earned money on products that just don’t work. As a mother of two myself, I have spent my fair share of money on those not-so-good baby products as well as those miracle products that every mom searches for. These are the five products I use every day that make having a new baby so much easier.
By Ashlei Rupe6 years ago in Families
7 Essentials Every Baby Needs
Having a child is indeed the biggest joy in the world. Becoming a parent is like being given a chance to play God, since your child is going to be totally dependent on you until the time he/she matures. Those magical words which every woman wants to happily say someday are “I’m Pregnant!” And when that happens, along comes a phase of excitement, health care, and advice from close ones. Husbands become more aware of their wives’ needs and the love the couple share increases many fold as both dream of having a beautiful and healthy child. Such is the power of a baby!
By Sukriti Taneja6 years ago in Families
Breastfeeding
So, you've waited the nine to ten months to greet your little one. Your body has changed in ways that you hadn't imagined it would. You've experienced things that you hadn't imagined you would before. And now it is finally time to meet your little person.
By Samantha Reid6 years ago in Families
Making Peace with the Fact That Your Child Needs Friends, Other than Yourself
I have tried to avoid eye contact with mothers wanting their kid to have a play date with my son for long enough. It’s not that I’m a self-controlling mom who wants her son all to herself, dooming him to a life of ongoing therapy. I’m not that needy, seriously. The dream of watching my son become a responsible man and leaving the nest as soon as possible is real. My issue is discovering how to maneuver my way around the land mines of guns, drugs, pedophiles, and thieves.
By Pamela Henry6 years ago in Families