Essential
Art Supplies for Creative Kids
Creativity
brings joy to life. Stimulate kids' imaginations by having these
inexpensive supplies on hand.
Take a Hike!
With
a little planning and forethought, hiking with children can
be a fun and rewarding experience. Hiking is a wonderful way
to help them develop a love and respect for nature, stimulate
their imagination and encourage them to stay active.
The
Rise of Eco-Parenting
An article about organic foods, organic
clothing, cloth diapering and chemical-free toiletries
as it matters to parents. Written by an author in the UK,
but affecting
parents worldwide.
Old-fashioned
Ways To Inspire Your Kids
Walk
through any toy store and you will see walls and walls of toys
that are loud — toys that require batteries, have flashing
lights or look like your child's favorite movie character. But
what about those of us who want to raise children with imagination
and curiosity? I'll tell you what we do. We choose to fill our
houses with some of the following old-fashioned items.
Parent
Better Than Your Own Parents Did
Your parents undoubtedly failed you as parents.
All parents fail. No parent is ever adequate enough to provide
one child — let alone two or more — with enough love,
caring, support, wisdom or whatever to completely meet his or
her needs. Therefore, parents naturally fall short when it comes
to parenting. It is impossible to be a perfect parent. We teach
our children almost all the skills they need to become doctors,
engineers, plumbers, architects, truck drivers or any one of the
millions of jobs in the world. We usually don’t teach parenting.
Magic
Ways to Make It Better
All mommies everywhere kiss
owies to make them better, but I've learned a few other fun ways
to make things better. My friend Trevi taught me about throwing
owies in the street. When her daughter Simone was hurt or sad,
she would scoop up the imaginary owie and dramatically fling it
toward the window. She'd shout at it and make a grand scene of
chastising it. It worked every time.
Eight
Sleep Tips for Every Child
The following ideas are
of value to almost any sleeper of any age. These tips can bring
improvement not only in your child’s sleep but also in
her daytime mood — and last, but not least, improvements
in your own sleep and outlook as well.
The
Night Visitor: Trips to the Parent’s Bed
If your house echoes with the sound
of pat-pat-pat down the hallway when your child leaves
his room to climb into your bed in the middle of the night,
rest assured that you are not alone. It’s perfectly natural
for a toddler or preschooler to search out his parents for
comfort and security — it’s a sign of his trust
and his deep love for you. And it’s perfectly normal
for parents to provide that comfort and security by bringing
their child into their bed or by lying with him in his own
bed.
You
CAN Influence Your Teens Attitudes About Sex
Most parents
would agree that they don’t want their middle- or high-schoolers
to become sexually active. Teen sex can pose irreversible consequences
including significant health risks, social and emotional effects
and pregnancy. Sexually active girls are predisposed to genital
tract infections, cervical cancer and pre-cancerous lesions. For
boys, unprotected intercourse increases the chances of prostate
and urethral infections.
Disciplining
an Infant: Are You Kidding?
The thought of disciplining a child in the first
year of life seems wrong or even ridiculous. Yet every time an
infant reaches up to tug his mother's hair and she gently removes
his grasp, or when he pulls an unsafe object to his mouth and
she intervenes, that's setting limits, that's redirecting, that's
guidance — and yes, that's discipline. Effective discipline
is not punishment. It's teaching. Discipline really starts from
day one.
Baby
Massage From A-Z
Baby massage has
been practiced since ancient times. It can be as simple as a gentle
rub with lotion after a bath or a more practiced infant massage.
The benefits are many for both baby and parent. You can, and should,
massage a child of any age from newborn to adulthood. Children
learn much about the power of gentle touch. There's something
very special about spending a little time giving your teenager
a backrub or foot massage. It maintains a beautiful parent-child
connection throughout a lifetime.
Are
violent movies, video games, and television programs harmful to
my child’s education?
The answer is “yes”
— experts agree that violent media is harmful to children
and their education. Education is the act of acquiring knowledge;
therefore, any activity that impedes this knowledge acquisition
is undesirable and problematic. There are many factors that contribute
to a child’s education, but popular media such as movies,
video games and television are profoundly influential because
statistics show that the average child spends more time in these
activities above all other activities except for sleep.
Our
children interrupt our conversations constantly. Even while I’m
asking them to wait until we’re done talking...
Many parents admonish kids for interrupting, but
in the same breath, they respond to the child’s interrupted
request! Interrupting is habit forming. Like many annoying behaviors,
once kids figure out that they can “get away with it,”
the behavior will continue.
Get
more Time, Energy and Money!
Time, energy and money are chronically lacking
in parents’ lives. They are too tired because their children
keep them up at night, they are strapped for time between juggling
work and family, and they spend all their resources on their kids,
the house, the car and the mortgage. Everybody
has a dream. Whether you know it or not, at one time you dreamed
all the time. As children grow, their imaginations grow with them.
Then they become adults, and the reality of the world sets in.
Have you forgotten how to dream? Do you feel as if you have no
time to breath, much less make your dreams reality?
The
Family That Eats Together Stays Together
You often hear that families
should eat together. What evidence is there that this is a good
thing? A recent study suggests that family meals might increase
adolescents’ well-being. Middle school (n=1608) and high
school (n=3074) students, ages 11 to 18, completed surveys. The
frequency of family meals, level of family connectedness, academic
performance, substance use, self-esteem, depressions, suicidal
thoughts and suicidal attempts were assessed.
Yoga
for Kids and Parents
“Baby yoga! Baby yoga!”
This is my daughter’s chant any time she reaches over to
place her hands in front of her toes, in essence doing the toddler
version of downward facing dog. I fantasized about doing yoga
with my children before becoming pregnant, but I never pictured
it like this.
Pitching
In: Simple Ways to Get Your Family Involved
We all have 'em.
Families would rather do a million other things than clean
the garage, do homework, make their beds or walk the dog. If
you're tired of nagging, begging and even pleading to get your
family members to help out around your home, listen up. There's
a better way to get the cooperation you want.
When
Your Parenting Comes Under Fire
People say the darnedest
things sometimes -- and natural parenting practices can be a common
target in mainstream America. How do you respond when people question
or criticize your parenting? And how can you build bridges with
inquisitors, helping them hear and consider new ideas about attachment
parenting and natural parenting?
Should
Both Parents Work? Should One Stay at Home?
There
is no right or wrong decision; each family has to valuate their
situation and then decide what is best for them as individuals
and as a family.
Toys:
Weighing Junk vs. Keepers
My main toy-choosing
criteria is “Does the toy tell you how to play?” I
look for toys that encourage creativity and allow my child to
express himself and solve problems. Visit any preschool and you
will find that the most-used toys are the ones that fit those
criteria.
My
neighbor’s kids drive me crazy with their misbehavior! I
know I can’t discipline the kids, but I want to be able
to enjoy my time with their family. Help!
Playdates
for Parents:
Why a Support Network is Vital – And How
to Find One
In
our culture, moms often feel we have everything we need right
in our homes. But less industrialized countries -- where moms
spend more time with other moms -- report far fewer cases of postpartum
depression.
Is
it ok to spoil your kids?
None of us want "spoiled" kids
- kids who are bratty, self-centered, demanding, inconsiderate.
But what spoils children and what doesn't?
Unplugging
your family
One hundred years ago, many households
with young children stocked a bot
tle of "mother's helper."
A spoonful given to active, noisy children would quiet them and
even put them to sleep, so that mother could have some time to
herself. Few were concerned that the potion consisted of laudanum,
alcohol or opiates. The children seemed happy, and they were rendered
much more convenient by the dose.
Falling
off the AP Wagon
A Discuss! at Natural Family Online transcript
from members as they discuss their feelings about falling off
the AP wagon when children reach toddlerhood.
What
is Attachment Parenting?
Attachment
Parenting: Is It For You?
What
is Attachment Parenting?
The
Science of Attachment
The Chemistry of Attachment
Long Term Attachment Parenting
What exactly is “attachment parenting”
as it applies to all ages?
Articles
on Getting Kids To Sleep
My 6-month-old baby
wakes up almost every hour to breastfeed.
My baby won't nap! She fights sleep but gets fussier and fussier
as the day progresses.
Using White Noise While Babies Sleep
Write a Family Bestseller: “My Sleep Book”
Why Isn't She Sleeping at Night?
Others...
Co-sleeping
and the Family Bed
Tips
for Successful Family Beds
We’re
expecting our first baby soon and thinking about using a family
bed.
Using
a Family Bed - Co Sleeping
Checklist For Safe Cosleeping
Top 10 Uses For a Crib (other than sleeping!)
Co-sleeping and the Media
Others...
Babywearing
- Using Slings
Getting
Back to Basics with Babywearing
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Slings
View our February 2004 sling review series
Your
Child's Feelings and Emotional Intelligence
Build Your Child’s
Emotional Toolkit
What You Say and What Your Children Hear
Helping Kids Cope With
News of War
Top Ten Ways to Raise Emotionally Intelligent
Kids
Be Smart With Your Children’s Feelings
How You Can Teach Your Child Respect
Teaching
Responsibility - Responsible Children
The Hidden Messages
of Parenting
Others...
Natural
Fathering Articles
10 Reasons to Tell
Your Kids Stories
Help Your Hubby Support Breastfeeding
Help
For Overwhelmed Fathers
Natural Fathering
- Save Memories of Your Children
Fathers,
Tell Your Stories
Top 10 Common Sense Rules
for Fathers
Parenting Stress
How to Help Your Marriage Survive
a New Baby
When It’s More Than the “Baby
Blues”
I Yelled at My Kids
My Kids Are Driving Me Crazy!
Others ....
Positive Parenting Articles
10 Reasons to Tell Your Kids
Stories
Getting Kids to Organize Themselves
Top 10 Ways to Keep Your
Kids From Fighting
10
Ways to Get Your Kids to Talk to You
Give Your Kids Household Chores!
Encourage Children to Play Naturally
Getting
Your Kids to Cooperate
Others..
Gentle Discipline Articles
Redefining "Grounding"
for Your Teens
Give Your Kids the “N” Word
Keep
Your Kids From Fighting - Fighting Kids - Fighting Siblings
Of Conflict and
Control - Kid Discipline
To Spank Your Child or Not to Spank?
Get Your Toddler to Cooperate - Parenting
Toddlers
Others ...
Attachment Parenting Articles
Create a Peaceful
Home Sanctuary
Long Term Attachment Parenting
Can There Be Too Much? - Attachment Parenting
Parenting Style Differences
Caring vs. Caring Too Much
Learning All Day Long
Falling off the AP Wagon
more...
