Everyday Parenting

Why toddlers run away No sooner do you lift your toddler out of the car, set him down on the footpath and turn to wrestle his buggy out of the boot of the car than he suddenly darts away. When

Effective Communication – (Seek first to Understand) Amidst all the books there are on parenting, one of the best titles I have come across is ‘How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk’. This book,

“The rules for parents are but three… love, limit, and let them be” Elaine M. Ward Last month I mentioned research that highlights how the nature of our interaction with our children can often be more negative than positive. Eight

“Your children need your presence more than your presents.” (Jesse Jackson) What wise words and a great reminder at this time of uncertainty and unrest. Priorities have changed and this may or may not mean a change in the time

As August comes to an end, attention for a lot of parents turns to the begining of a new school year. Each year is important whether they are starting creche, playschool, school, new class, secondary, exam years, college etc….. They

Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go. Herman Hesse ‘Ahh…….’ When working with groups of parents, this is nearly always the first response I hear when I put up a picture of

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. (Walt Streightiff) This is not meant to take the place of the fabulous range of resources that are available to answer specific

Children need our love – especially when they don’t deserve it! June brings the school year to and end and so the summer begins. (We live in hope anyway!) Are you looking forward to it or are you dreading it?

A temper tantrum is the emotional equivalent of a summer storm — sudden and sometimes fierce. One minute you and your child are in a restaurant enjoying your dinner, the next minute he’s whimpering, whining, and then screaming at the

“Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you” – Robert Fulghum Life as a parent is busy. I am, therefore, guessing that I do not need to use some of the time you

Do all babies experience separation anxiety? Yes, to a degree. At certain stages, most babies or toddlers will show true anxiety and be upset at the prospect — or reality — of being separated from a parent. If you think

The thought of sharing Mammy and Daddy with a baby brother or sister can be unsettling for a young child. After all, your little one has had your full attention for some time now. He is sure to have mixed

Most parents accept and even expect fatigue when caring for infants. However, when sleep problems persist into the preschool and school age years, strategies can be used to help your child (and you as parents) get a better night’s sleep.

Do you often find yourself preparing two or three different menus at mealtime to appease the desires of a fussy eater? Mealtime should be a pleasant family time and a positive learning environment for all family members. If you find

Sometimes, good preparation, faithfully following the 7 P’s of Toilet Training plan, and even intensive toilet training are not enough to accomplish full continence in young children. Such times do call for a different, more serious approach. One of the best

What is time-out? Time-out is a way of disciplining your child for misbehavior without raising your hand or your voice. Time-out involves removing your child from the good stuff in life, for a small amount of time, immediately following misbehavior.

Sometimes the 7 P plan is not enough. This often happens when continence is needed now or at least in the next week or two. Reasons for this range from parents simply being fed up with poopy pants and Pampers

The first step in toilet training is to make sure both you and your child are ready. No one is ever really totally ready for toilet training, but your child should be at least developmentally and behaviorally ready. That means

Many parents get nervous when they think about toilet training their young child. The folklore about toilet training may have a lot to do with their anxiety. For example, parents hear stories about children being toilet trained at six months

Before you begin toilet or potty training, there are some things you should know. But more importantly, there are some steps you need to follow. The following tips and guidelines will help you be successful when it comes time for

I know that time is very precious when you are a parent, so the following is a very brief summary of the do’s and don’ts of ‘how to engage co-operation’. It is a summary/combination of the wisdom from the book

Whether you are moving by choice (which is a positive and pro-active reason) or force (change of circumstances) or are being forced to make a choice, the following are just some ideas and tips which may help to make the