Parent

Co-Sleeping Around the World

For parents in the United States, co-sleeping, or bringing your infant or small child into the same bed with you, is considered to be a bad idea. Parenting authorities have long stressed the importance of allowing a child to sleep in a separate room and become accustomed to their own crib. For other countries in the world, however, co-sleeping is a very different story.

Sharing a Bed
In many countries in Asia and Africa, co-sleeping with a baby in the same bed is considered the norm. Many parents in these cultures believe that the Western style of keeping a child in a separate room is impractical and can be cruel and isolating. Sharing a bed allow mother and child close proximately for nursing and eliminates the running back and forth in the night to settle a fussy child. In the past, sharing a bed would also have been a means of heat and protection for small children.

Alternatives in Co-sleeping
Co-sleeping doesn’t always mean placing a child in the same bed. In some cultures, a small bassinet is placed in the bed, allowing the child a separate space within the parents’ bed. In Japan, it is not uncommon for a parent to sleep on a mat or bed in the same room with the child for the first few months of life. Yet another option is a bassinet places within arms reach of the parents’ bed so that the child can sleep in a separate space while being close to the parents.

Why the Taboo?
In the 1800s, many Western parenting authorities believed that children needed their own space and parents should avoid catering to even a small child’s whims. This would cause the child to become too attached to the parent or to become spoiled. While feelings have shifted quite a bit since then, taboos about co-sleeping have stayed with us to this day.

Filed Under: General Law & Legal Tagged With: Co-sleeping, Parent, United States

Selecting Activities for a Child

It can be difficult for parents to resist signing a child up for many classes and activities. Early in life, children often have many different interests and it is tempting to try to follow through on all of them. Preparing a realistic schedule for your children will help everyone to try new things without a lot of added stress.

Pick the Best
Help your child to identify activities that they really want to do. Maybe your child has wanted to take a ballet class or play soccer since birth, that’s something worth trying out. Choose activities that are low pressure, but fun for the child. Some children may also want to choose activities where they can take a class or be on a team with their friends, this can make the activity a lot more fun.

Don’t Be Afraid to Say No
If a class isn’t a good fit for your child or they seem stressed by having to go to art class each week, consider not signing up again. Too many parents feel pressured to continue, but it should really come down to what is best for you and your family. Talk to your child about their activities and which ones they enjoy the most. It’s your job to help facilitate good decisions and pick the schedule that meets their needs.

Leave Time for Play
Avoid over scheduling their children to the point that they don’t have time to play on their own. Children need that time to explore new interests, develop the ability to have fun on their own, and just enjoy being a child. Some signs that your child may be over scheduled include a reluctance to go to activities, complaining of being tired even after a good night’s sleep, and complaining that they don’t have time to play. Play is important and deserves a spot on every child’s schedule.

Filed Under: General Law & Legal Tagged With: Child, Family, Home, Parent

Communicating with Your Child’s Caregivers

When your child spends a portion of their day with another caregiver, be it a teacher, day care staff member, babysitter, or extended family member, it is important for parents to make a point of sharing information. Pieces of information that seem trivial when you are the one doing the parenting, can help to clue caregivers in when it comes to your child’s moods and behaviors. There are a few things that you should always share with caregivers.

Changes in Routine
If your child’s routine has been shaken up recently, it is important to let other caregivers know. This includes drastic changes in sleep schedules, medical updates, or a child spending more time with other relatives at home. If your child has been struggling with some aspect of their routine, caregivers will be able to use this information as clues as to why behavior may be different at school or while the child is under their care. Little details can help to answer big questions.

Family Issues
If one of the child’s parents is traveling for work, this can have a big impact on a child’s behavior and daily mindset. Caregivers may notice that a child is fussier or has trouble following directions when their home life has been shaken up. If something bigger is happening at home, like a death in the family or parents separating, giving a discreet note to a caregiver can help them to understand the child’s actions.

Phases and New Things
If your child is going through a specific phase or you’ve noticed a behavioral change, it is worth mentioning to a caregiver. You may be able to work together to figure out what has caused the change or at the very least work together to find ways to manage this new mannerism. When you work as a team, parents and other caregivers can find ways to improve the child’s life.

Filed Under: General Law & Legal Tagged With: Caregiver, Child, Day care, Parent

Supporting Your Child in a First Job

Your child’s first job is a challenging time for everyone. Your child is learning to take on new responsibilities, follow directions, and find their way in a brand new environment. As a parent, it can be tough to know exactly how to support your child during this period in life. Luckily, there are many ways that you can help make the first few months of a first job a little easier on your child.

Show Interest
While it’s tempting to not get involved for fear of being labeled the pushy parent, a first job is a great time to show some interest in what your child is doing. You can share stories about your own first jobs, ask about the day and how everything is going, and just generally be supportive during the first few weeks. Chances are your child is tired and feeling overwhelmed by everything there is to learn on the job.

Support the Schedule
Helping your child to keep their schedule is order is a good way to help your child to prepare for college and life after he or she has moved out. Help to devise a strategy that works for each child’s strengths, a visual wall calendar, a computer-generated schedule that travels with them anywhere, or a traditional day planner. Keeping a schedule is order will be an important thing in the future and you can help get them off on the right foot to start.

Help When You Can
Whether it’s offering a ride home at the end of a long day or packing a lunch when your child doesn’t have time to make one. Being supportive of the new responsibilities will always be appreciated. Ask your child how you can help if you sense that he or she is beginning to get stressed over work and school, you want to teach independence, but also help when you can.

Filed Under: General Law & Legal Tagged With: Child support, Family, Parent

Parenting a Gifted Child

Parenting a gifted child, whether it’s a young child who has been identified as having above average intelligence or a school-aged child who has recently been given this label, comes with its own unique set of challenges. Parents of gifted children must offer support, encourage the child’s growth, and help them to understand that all children have gifts.

Encourage Them
If your child is constantly asking questions about the world or showing an interest in a certain topic, try to run with it. Take them to the museum, the library, or to lectures in your area. Show that you want them to explore their interests and your child will be more likely to learn and grow. For many gifted children, having a parent’s support can be the difference between feeling special and feeling alienated.

Support in School
For many people, it’s not readily apparent why a gifted child would have trouble in school. Still, many young children who are above grade level in reading, math and general comprehension skills may struggle to stay interested and find their grades suffering because they are simply bored in school. This is when parents can support their gifted child by letting them know that they understand it’s not always easy to stay focused, but it’s important to do the best work possible anyway. If your child’s school does individualized education plans, make it a point to show up for the meeting and help teachers find ways to challenge your student in the classroom.

Give Knowledge
When your child gets to school, read books about the different types of intelligence and encourage your child to see how all of his or her friends and classmates have specific talents. Your child’s gifts have been identified in the classroom or by an expert, but it’s equally important to value other people’s unique talents too. This is one of the best gifts you can give your child.

Filed Under: General Law & Legal Tagged With: Child, Intellectual giftedness, Parent

Helping Your Child Find a First Job

There are many ways that parents can help their child to find a first job. For most children, this will be during high school and they will be looking for a part time job during the school year or a job for the summer vacation from school. It can be challenging for first-time job seekers to know how to begin the process and to land a job without becoming frustrated. In today’s economic times, parents will need to be even more supportive of their child’s job hunt.

Use Contacts
Parents can use contacts and relationships that they have in their community to help children find out about job openings. Once your child has decided that they want a job, you can begin to share this information and ask around to friends and neighbors. Chances are someone will have ideas about companies or even a specific job in mind. You can also help your child to use the internet and to use the local newspapers and job listings to locate open positions.

Identify Skills
For a child who has never worked before, it can be tough to know how to put together a resume or even answer questions about skills. Help your child by making a list together of the skills and experience that could be applicable for a first job. Maybe your child won an essay contest and has always been an excellent writer. Many young people are very skilled with computers and can market this as a skill to their future employers. Other possibilities include volunteer work, a good academic record, and any activities that demonstrate reliability, leadership skills, and a good work ethic.

Help with Paperwork
The job application paperwork can be intimidating. Helping your child fill out the forms and know how to complete tax forms can be a huge help to first-time job seekers. Offer your help and be there to answer questions along the way.

Filed Under: General Law & Legal Tagged With: Application for employment, Job hunting, Parent