People often come to relationships with bad habits when it comes to getting along with another person. They may have every intention of making a relationship work, but ingrained trends stop them from truly connecting. There are many such bad habits.

Jealousy plagues many otherwise good relationships. A boyfriend might always suspect his girlfriend of going around with other men. Or, it could be more subtle. A woman may suspect that her husband is constantly looking for another female to take her place. In either case, the jealous person may have nothing real to worry about. This is when it gets to be nothing more than a bad habit.

Selective hearing is another problem that becomes a bad habit in relationships. People do not pay attention to each other’s needs. One person will try to explain something that is important to them, and the other will say, “yes, yes,” but will not really hear.  Read more...

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• Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy
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Parents mostly complain that teenagers do not listen to them. The opposite is true when it comes to advice regarding ‘money matters’. Teens actually welcome their parent’s input about their finances.

In the past few years, teenagers have earned billions of dollars with part-time and summer jobs.

Some have spent most of what they earned, while others saved most or even all of it for a big purchase, or for their college education.

Kids these days are becoming more and more aware of their family’s source of income and financial status. They apply these money-spending principles when they venture out on their own.

Thus, it becomes more of a parent’s responsibility to start “trainingâ€

The holidays, in our modern world, are a time of frenzied activity, over-spending, budgeting nightmares and stress. As parents we tend to battle frustration, guilt, money worries and even weight gain.

But what about the other side to the holidays? You know, the traditions, the times our children will remember for the rest of their lives and many time carry on with their own children.

I found a great article filled with ideas for moms and daughters to try out this holiday season. This year start a tradition with your daughter that will live in her memory throughout her life and maybe carry on to future generations. It’s not difficult – it’s not time consuming. But it is so very worth it!

From ParentingPink.com:

The holiday season is upon us and perhaps there is no better time than to reflect on the passage of time by sharing holiday traditions with our loved ones. Family traditions are a gift that many parents give each year, yet some never fully realize the magnitude of their worth. Holiday traditions are a unique way of reflecting on our own lives as well as sharing it with others.  Read more...

It is true that this world is full of suffering, disease and pain – but mingled in the midst of the darkness are points of light which shine very brightly. Kristen is one of these lights. In order to raise money for children with cancer, Kristen will be shaving her head on March 20, 2010. In this  ‘Appearance is Everything’ culture where women spend *billions* on beauty products, this courageous lady will  shear her locks to help raise money to save a child. Read her story and then make a donation – even $1 will help fund the research to save the lives of thousands of little ones who are battling this deadly disease. ~Dee

In Kristen’s own words…

I can’t imagine watching one of my four children dying. Even worse, I can’t imagine watching them suffer before they passed away.  I can’t fathom watching one of my sons or daughters lying in a bed…unable to move…spitting up blood and screaming in pain.  I don’t think any parent can .  Read more...

My youngest 3 children: Kaitlyn, CJ and Jessica

It seems like I set out in this life to do things my own way and in my own time – no matter what was wise or prudent or tried, tested and true. And, regardless of the advice I give my own daughters, I continue to ‘grow up backwards.’

To my daughters I say things like:

“You have all the time in the world, enjoy now, figure out what you want and who you are before you begin to think about starting a family.”

“Take your time – get into a relationship because you WANT to, not because you feel you NEED to.”

“Listen to your gut, your ‘inner bell’. Do what makes you feel full of life and secure in the knowledge that you’re where you need to be at this moment.”

“Don’t look for a man to complete you – look for a man to complement you.”

“Learn how to make yourself happy – never expect another human being to take on that responsibility.”  Read more...

I would like to give my heartfelt thanx to Kevin Heath of http://www.more4kids.info/ for his permission to reprint this article. It has a very strong message – one that every single one of us should listen to and pass on to our children.

The story is a true account of an afternoon discussion between Kevin and his young son – soon after a rainstorm. Read..absorb…pass it on ~Dee

The rainstorm had just ended and the boy and his father went out for a walk in the cool spring air. They both liked taking a walk together after a rainstorm. It was always so quiet and peaceful.

As they walked the boy suddenly turned to his father and asked, “Why do some people have different color skin?”

The father was slightly taken aback. It was such an abrupt question. What should he tell his son? He thought for a minute, and suddenly he paused…. He saw something in the distance.  Read more...

I’m a mom of six – ranging in age from 17 to 26 (four boys, two girls) and I’m far from perfect… and even further from knowing it all about raising kids. However, I do have some pretty firm ideas on teaching children simple respect.

I work online full-time, so, to get my expanding rear-end out of the house I used to work summers at a local small bar/restaurant a couple days a week. In the course of this “time out for mom job”, I came in contact with a wide variety of folks – many of them parents.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve muttered under my breath as I’ve watched parents laugh at their children when the kids start throwing French fries at each other across the table. And, these kids aren’t toddlers, they are pre-teens and sometimes teenagers.

Or, how about when the children decide to make a soggy salt sculpture on the seat? Or, one of my personal favorites, use a whole bottle of catsup and half a bottle of mustard to make designs on seats, tables,  plates, or anything else within reach.  Read more...

Thumb sucking is a concern many parents have. Toddlers suck their thumbs because it’s comforting and calming. It’s probably something they did before they were born and revert back to it when they are nervous, agitated, scared or ill. They may also use it to lull themselves back to sleep in the middle of the night.

Parents shouldn’t concern themselves unless it continues after the age their permanent teeth begin to appear, around six years old. Experts say that it’s the intensity of the thumb sucking and the tongue’s thrust that deforms teeth and makes braces necessary later. Children who rest their thumb passively in their mouth are less likely to have difficulty than children who suck aggressively. If you’re concerned, closely monitor your child and analyze his technique. If they appears to be sucking vigorously, you may want to begin curbing their habit earlier.

Punishing or nagging your child to stop won’t help because it’s usually an automatic response. Attempting to curb it by putting an elastic bandage on his thumb or another method will seem like unjust punishment, especially since they indulge in the habit for comfort and security.  Read more...

We all want to connect and be involved with our child. Children of involved parents generally feel more confident, assured and have a higher level of self esteem. They excel in school and do well in extracurricular activities and with their hobbies.

But is there such a thing as too much involvement? It’s imperative when you’re becoming involved with your school-aged child’s activities and academics that you recognize the line of what being too involved can be.

Remember, you’re becoming involved in your child’s life. It’s important that you don’t intrude too much upon it. Children need their space and privacy and they need to be able to develop their own skills, talents and abilities. In our eagerness to help our child succeed, it’s tempting to want to step in and start doing things for them because you feel they are doing it incorrectly or inadequately. But remember, you had to learn too, and this is their chance to learn on their own.  Read more...

Children always seem to find a way to ‘push our buttons’ at times and really try our patience. It’s easy to feel irritated, sad, angry, annoyed, confused and hurt. It’s at these times when our parenting skills are really tested, and that it’s imperative we maintain a kind but firm stance when it comes to doling out the discipline. And let’s face it – none of us ever want to hurt our child with physical or verbal abuse. We want to teach our child that such things are wrong, and punishing a misdeed or inappropriate action by yelling or hitting is hypocritical at best.

Our goal when disciplining our children is to teach them to be responsible, cooperative, kind and respectful. The best way to teach this is to always remain consistent, follow through with the same punishment for the same misdeed, and to discuss the discipline with your child openly and honestly afterwards.  Read more...

We watch our children grow right before our very eyes. It seems like yesterday they were a baby learning to crawl, walk, and feed themselves, and now they’re in school, involved in activities, making friends, and learning to be more and more independent. Parents before us have said that from the time they’re born, we are constantly learning to let go. As a result, our parenting strategies have to change. As our child grows, develops, learns, and matures, so does our parenting role.

As your child has grown, you undoubtedly have discovered they have their own unique personality and temperament. You’ve probably unconsciously redeveloped your parenting skills around the individual needs of your child. And no two children are exactly alike, and therefore, neither should your parenting style. Some children may need more guidance and feel more unsure of themselves, so we’ve become used to having to guide, lead, show and encourage that child consistently through their childhood while still trying to encourage independence and give praise in order to build their self esteem and confidence level. Yet another child may be very intrinsically motivated and very willful and not need a great deal of guidance or leadership from you. While you encourage their independence, it’s also important that you also encourage their ability to ask for help when needed and continue to praise good deeds, actions, and traits.  Read more...

Expect the best from your child. If you expect the best behavior and performance you’re your child, it’s often what you will get. Children pick up on our beliefs about them, form a self-concept that matches that belief, and perform accordingly. If we expect them to be lazy, they’ll be lazy, which will confirm our expectations for them, and the cycle toward failure is started.

If, on the other hand, we expect our kids to be successful, productive, creative, and responsible and honestly believe it to be true, then our children can’t help but rise to the occasion and confirm our best opinions of them with their positive actions. So expect nothing but the best from your children and watch them fulfill your expectations.  Read more...

Children are inquisitive by nature. When they are younger, it’s usually because they want to better understand something. When they are older, it’s because they want to better understand why you think something is important and why they should also feel the same way. Regardless of their age, it’s imperative that when setting forth the rules and expectations in your home, your child understands there is no room for questioning the rules you set forth and the consequences of breaking the rules.

Younger children usually do not understand a lengthy explanation of why it’s important that they be home from their friend’s home at a certain time or why they aren’t allowed to play ball in the house. But the one thing they do strive to do most of the time is to make their parents proud and happy. So when a young child asks “Why?” or “Why not?” when they are told they can’t play with something or someone or why they have to obey a rule you’ve set forth, simply explain to them that “because it makes me happy when you follow the house rules and do what I have asked of you.” You should avoid using the term, “Because I said so,” as that only adds to the child’s frustration and confusion.  Read more...

Communicating with our children can be a difficult task at times. We feel like they’re not listening to us; they feel like we’re not listening to them. Good listening and communications skills are essential to successful parenting. Your child’s feelings, views and opinions have worth, and you should make sure you take the time to sit down and listen openly and discuss them honestly.

It seems to be a natural tendency to react rather than to respond. We pass judgment based on our own feelings and experiences. However, responding means being receptive to our child’s feelings and emotions and allowing them to express themselves openly and honestly without fear of repercussion from us. By reacting, we send our child the message that their feelings and opinions are invalid. But by responding and asking questions about why the child feels that way, it opens a dialog that allows them to discuss their feelings further, and allows you a better understanding of where they’re coming from. Responding also gives you an opportunity to work out a solution or a plan of action with your child that perhaps they would not have come up with on their own. Your child will also appreciate the fact that maybe you do indeed understand how they feel.  Read more...