Useful Parenting Tips For Today's Adolescent Volume-II

By Peter McPherson

Contents
Chapter 108: The Costs Of Home Schooling
Chapter 109: The Independent Child
Chapter 110: Crafting With Kids
Chapter 111: Home Schooling: Cost Analysis
Chapter 112: Crying Baby - Reasons.
Chapter 113: Control Your Anger, Don't Let It Control You
Chapter 114: Cyber Bullying Vs Traditional Bullying
Chapter 115: Consistency Is Key To Successful Discipline
Chapter 116: Constructing Your Child's Healthy Sense Of Self Esteem
Chapter 117: Teaching About The Internet
Chapter 118: Common Misconceptions About Bullying
Chapter 119: Connect With Your Child But Don't Overdo It
Chapter 120: Dating Meeting A Single Parents Children
Chapter 121: Consequences Of Single Parenting
Chapter 122: Deficiency Of Milk.
Chapter 123: Dating Single Parents
Chapter 124: Effects Of Single Parenting
Chapter 125: Effects Of Single Parenting On Child
Chapter 126: The Effects Of Single Parenting
Chapter 127: Effects Of Single Parenting
Chapter 128: Emotional Health Of Single Parents
Chapter 129: Early Detection Of Disease In The Child.
Chapter 130: Healthy Eating For Kids
Chapter 131: Disadvantages Of Public Schooling
Chapter 132: Differences Between Adult Bullying And Harassment
Chapter 133: Disciplining For Each Child
Chapter 134: College Students And Home Schooling
Chapter 135: Do As I Say And As I Do
Chapter 136: Clear Expectations Make Discipline Easier
Chapter 137: Avoiding Burnout In Home Schooling
Chapter 138: Artificial Diet For Infants.
Chapter 139: Bathing And Cleanliness During Infancy And Childhood.
Chapter 140: Articles On The Effects Of Single Parents And Black Males
Chapter 141: "Because" Just Isn't The Answer
Chapter 142: Articles On Single Parenting
Chapter 143: Articles On Single Parents And Black Males
Chapter 144: Addressing A Bullying Victim - Tips For Teachers
Chapter 145: Actively Listening To Your Child
Chapter 146: Starting An Allowance
Chapter 147: Benefits Of Homeschooling
Chapter 148: Appearance Of Milk-teeth.
Chapter 149: Building You Child's Self Esteem
Chapter 150: Black Single Parents
Chapter 151: Chores Can Help Your Child Learn About Teamwork And A Strong Work Ethic
Chapter 152: Choosing Good Friends
Chapter 153: Chores With Children
Chapter 154: Children Of Single Parents And Crime Rates
Chapter 155: Getting A Child To Clean Their Room
Chapter 156: Chart Your Child's Accomplishments With A Chore Chart
Chapter 157: Celebrate Your Child's Uniqueness
Chapter 158: Celebrate Your Child's Uniqueness
Chapter 159: Camping With Kids
Chapter 160: Challenges Of Single Parenting
Chapter 161: Encourage Your Child To Feel Important
Chapter 162: Characteristics Of Adult Bully Targets
Chapter 163: Ethnic Single Parenting
Chapter 164: Encouraging Play Encourages A Child's Development
Chapter 165: Home school Teachers
Chapter 166: Home school - Staying Connected
Chapter 167: Homeschooling And College
Chapter 168: Home school - Field Trips
Chapter 169: Homeschooling And The Family
Chapter 170: Home Schooling Three To Five Year Olds
Chapter 171: Home school Burnout
Chapter 172: Home Schooling Teenagers: Preparing For College
Chapter 173: Home Schooling Teenagers: Curriculum
Chapter 174: Home Schooling Teenagers: What To Expect
Chapter 175: Homeschooling Hours
Chapter 176: Home Schooling Teenagers
Chapter 177: Homeschooling Online
Chapter 178: Homeschooling Methods
Chapter 179: How Many Single Parents Are Enrolled In College
Chapter 180: How To Tell If Your Child Is A Victim Of Bullying

through to Chapter 217

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter McPherson
• Release date: May 4, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476029894

Book preview

Chapter 108: The Costs Of Home Schooling

Parents have various reasons for choosing home schooling over traditional school teaching and one very evident reason is cost. But is it necessarily true that home schooling does not involve a lot of cost?

Well, if you think that you can cut down the education expenses of your kids, you're very wrong. Home schooling is a tough decision for parents because the costs are much higher especially if they choose modern programs. These modern programs offered through home schooling can compete with regular schools and so the costs are almost the same.

Firstly, you will need a computer and a high-speed internet connection. Aside from that, once you've chosen the particular education program, you still have to purchase course materials like textbooks. Extra costs also surface as the child grow older because the subjects are more advanced and difficult. Some parents can no longer handle the lessons all by themselves and so they hire private tutors. The tutors are additional expenses on your part if you really want your child to learn from the best.

So how can you minimize the costs? Costs can only be minimized if you have several kids who are into home schooling. Some of the resource materials used by the older ones can be used by the younger kids.

There are still other things to consider when choosing home schooling. In today's times, most parents are working because money is hard to find. If your kids are all in home schooling programs, one of the parents should be present at home to supervise the kids. This would mean that one of them should stop working. The advantage is that they can monitor and guide their children's education but there is also a disadvantage – the income of the family will decrease.

If you want to cut down your education expenses, you can take advantage of public libraries, activity classes in the community and even cultural events. If you want, you can also barter services or expertise. For instance, you can teach your neighbor's kids dancing lessons while the parent teaches your child drawing lessons.

All in all, home schooling is definitely expensive as compared to traditional schools. However, most parents who go for home schooling claim that the advantages outweigh drawbacks and so they don't hesitate to spend no matter what amount. Home schooling is a mutually enriching activity. As parents, you can control the subjects learned by your kids at the pace they can easily cope with. Your child will have freedom in doing what they want without sacrificing education.

You can start conducting a search now about the available home schooling programs on the internet. By doing so, you can at least determine some of the possible expenses that might come up. You can even participate in home schooling forums so that other parents can give you some advice on cost-effective measures that you can undertake. If one of the parents is always at home, home schooling is a good choice because there would be someone to supervise the kids but if both are working, the parents should decide who will resign from work. If in case resignation is the only option for the other parent, they can also take advantage of work-from-home opportunities so that they can still earn while supervising the children's education. You just have to know your options and make the most from it.

Chapter 109: The Independent Child

When my youngest child was just over one year old, I took him to run errands with a friend. As I was leaving the house, I put my son down and helped him walk down the stairs. As my friend watched from her car, she hollered out, What are you doing, trying to make him grow up too fast? I have thought about that a lot as I watch my son learn to do things for himself. I don't want him to grow up too fast but I want him to learn and develop. Creating an independent child has a lot more to do with the parent than with the child. As a parent, we have to be able to let go and allow our children to try and fail. Sometimes this is too difficult for a parent, who will step in and assist. Unfortunately, our human nature often requires that we fail at something before we can learn how to succeed. When a mother or father steps in for the child, they are taking away that learning opportunity. Start out small. Teach your child something simple that they can try for themselves. Even children just learning to walk can be taught to do things for themselves. Give them a box to put toys in. Little kids love to put things in boxes. Show them how to clean up their toys, and give them a big smile and lots of praise when they do it. Two year olds can learn to make their beds. Resist the urge to go fix the bedspread when they are done. Let them do it themselves, and tell them how great they are when they do it. Creating independence is a lot about letting go of our own fears and having faith in our children. It's an important part of growing up, and one we shouldn't deny our children of learning.

Chapter 110: Crafting With Kids

Most children love to do craft projects, and this can be a fun way to teach them new things. There are endless possibilities to how you can do this. Begin gathering supplies that they can use when they would like to. Here are a few suggestions. Start collecting objects that can be reused. Small baby food containers, empty toilet rolls, twist ties from bread bags, small cardboard boxes, and old birthday cards are some ideas. Put them in a box with some markers, glue, scissors, and heavy cardstock and let your child's imagination flow. Teach them about volcanoes and then make a volcano from clay or play dough. You can make a play dough that you can dry, or simply reuse when finished. Or get some paint and paper and create a volcano through painting. Volcanoes are just one idea; you could use any subject to teach through crafts. Scrapbooking is a fun activity with kids and can be really simple. Find some items that they can add to a scrapbook, like the confetti from their birthday party, the cards they received, and a balloon. Use these objects to decorate the scrapbook page and include the pictures from their party. Show them how to journal to help them record their thoughts from that event. Make a craft box with different types of crafts they can use. Include paper, markers, crayons, paints, glues, tape, wood sticks, and other items. Back to school sales are a great time to stock up on some of these supplies. Allowing your kids to create with crafts gives them an outlet for the creativity that we want to bloom inside. Make sure you marvel at their creation, and they will love you for it.

Chapter 111: Home Schooling: Cost Analysis

When parents decide to educate their children at home, it usually costs much less than either a private or a public institution. By home schooling your child, you will save time and gas because there is no commuting involved. There is also less or no expense for day care due to one parent staying home full time. In addition, clothing is inexpensive because there is no pressure to keep up with fashion trends. Home school expenses include books and supplies, which can be very reasonable, especially when you use your local library. Eating meals at home is also cheaper and much healthier than either buying meals at school or making lunches for school. Other expenses include music lessons, sport supplies, and other fees for hobbies. Computer equipment and programs are also an extra expense. Some parents who home school also pay for private tutoring to supplement their teaching.

Public schools have no tuition and do not charge for books, but parents must pay for supplies. Extracurricular activities also have fees associated with them, same fees as home schooling. Children who attend public school can either ride the bus, which is free, or commute to school, which can be costly with rising gas prices. Sometimes, there is a fee for computer classes in public school, depending on the school. Lunches cost more, especially when parents do not know if their children are throwing the food away or sharing it with other children. Clothing expenses are high because of peer pressure and popularity. Often, parents need day care for their children until they are done with work.

Private schools do charge tuition, which is usually $1000 to $5000 per year, depending on the school. Private school also charges for books, but not usually supplies. Music and art lessons are usually included in tuition. Computer software is an extra fee, along with any sport supplies or after school programs. Private schools do not offer transportation, so that is an extra expense.

Overall, parents who home school spend the least amount of money, while parents who private school spend the most. On the other hand, when a parent decides to home school, a full time job is usually out of the question (or very difficult to include in a daily schedule). This means there is less income in the family. Nevertheless, the choice to home school should be based on your child's ability to thrive and learn in a home setting or school setting.

Chapter 112: Crying Baby - Reasons.

Introduction:

Crying is a normal event in the lives of all babies. When a baby comes out of the womb the first thing to do is crying. By the first cry he will take some air in to the lungs for the first time in their life. After delivery if the baby does not cry then it should be initiated by slightly pinching or gently stocking the feet. From this it is clear that the healthy baby should cry and it is a normal physiological event ,still sometimes it can upset the mother or family members.

We all know that a baby can't tell his needs or troubles in words. The only way for him to communicate with others is by crying. Babies show some other signs like feet kicking, hand waving and head turning etc. But the best way to take the attention of others is by crying.

Excessive crying may not have a firm definition because the crying habit changes from baby to baby and some babies can be calmed easily but some are difficult to sooth. If crying is distressing for the mother and home nurse it can be called excessive. Many a times baby become quiet by giving breast milk or by carrying with a gentle rocking. Sudden onset of excessive crying means baby is distressed and needs attention. The causes of crying extends from simple reasons to life threatening conditions. Hence crying of a baby should not be ignored.

Most of the time it is difficult to find the cause of the cry. Common causes are discussed here for awareness.

Common reasons for crying:

1,Hunger:--A hungry baby will cry till he gets the milk. Here the old saying comes true 'crying baby gets the milk'.

2,Wetting:--

Urination and defecation causes some discomfort and results in crying till his parts are cleaned and made dry .

3,Company:--

Majority of the kids need somebody near. If they feel lonely they cry. When their favourite doll slips away from the grip they cry for help.

4,Tired:--

When the baby is tired after a journey and unable to sleep just cry simply. They feel tired in uncomfortable surroundings and due to unhealthy climate.

5,Heat & cold:--

If they feel too hot or too cold they become restless and cry. Child is comfortable in a room with good ventilation.

6,Tight clothing:--

Tight cloths especially during warm climate is intolerable for kids. Tight elastic fitting of the dress can also produce soreness in the hip region.

7,Dark room:--

When the baby wakes up from sleep he needs some dim light. If there is darkness he will disturb the sleep of parents by crying. Of course he will be irritated by strong light resulting in cry.

8,Mosquito:--

Yes, these creatures disturb the sleep by their blood sucking and make the baby to cry.

9,Nasal blocking:--

Child may not be able to sleep when there is a cold and go on crying till the passage is open.

10, Phlegm in throat:--

This also causes difficult breathing resulting in cry. Often a typical sound can be heard with each breath.

11,General aching:--

General body ache with restlessness is seen in flu and prodromal stages of some infectious diseases can result in continuous cry.

12,Habitual cry:Some babies cry without any real cause ending the parents in agony. Many a times doctor is called for help.

13,Nappy rash:-- If a tight and wet nappy is kept for a long time results in this condition. Rash can also be due to some allergic reaction to the elastic material of the nappy. When the rash appears it causes soreness and baby become sleepless and cry. All other skin lesions like eczema, etyma, candidacies etc also causes same problems.

14,Earache:--

Ear infection is common in wet climate. The infection may spread from the throat. Ear infection can result in rupture of ear drum causing discharge of pus. Earache usually becomes worse at night when lying down. Child will become restless with cry and may not allow you to touch the ear. Some children with earache rub the affected ear frequently.

15,Colic:--

When the baby cry continuously most of us diagnose it as colic. This problem is still a topic for debate because exact cause for colic is not known and diagnosis is also difficult to confirm. Colic may be associated with rumbling and distention of abdomen. Child often feels better when lying on abdomen. Some children may not allow you to touch their abdomen. If the child cries continuously doctors help is needed.

16,Infections:--

All infections causes some kind of pain or irritation resulting in cry. Infection may be anywhere in the body. Usually it is associated with fever, redness and swelling.

17,Reactions to certain food:--

It is said that one man's food is another man's poison. Some food articles can produce some allergic reactions. Allergy is manifested in the form of redness, breathlessness, gastric symptoms and continuous cry.

18,Hard stools:--

Constipated babies with hard stools may cry when they get the urge for stool. Some children hesitate to pass stool because of pain .

19,Gastro esophageal reflex:--

Here, baby cries with spilling of food after feeding. If this continues it may be due to gastro esophageal reflex. This is due to failure of the lower part of esophagus to close after food causing regurgitation from the stomach. It is difficult to diagnose this condition and can be confirmed by giving anti reflex medicines.

20, Dentition:--

During dentition child becomes restless with crying. often associated with gastric troubles and diarrhoea. Some rare reasons --

1,Bowel obstruction:--

Bowel obstruction is associated with severe pain and vomiting. Abdomen is distended with rumbling sound. Baby is constipated with absence of flatus.

2,Septicemia:--

Invasion of pathogenic micro organisms in to the blood is called septicemia. Fever is associated with this condition.

3,Torsion of testes in male kids:--

When a male baby cries continuously his scrotum should be examined. Torsion of the testes produce severe pain which will be worse by touching the affected testes. When the testes is pressed upwards pain is relieved. If this is not treated properly it can damage the affected testes due to lack of blood supply.

4,Meningitis:--

Initially there may not be fever, hence crying baby with alternate vacant stare and irritability should not be ignored. Fontanel is bulging. Neck rigidity and seizures may appear later.

5,Retention of urine:--

Children with retention of urine will have agonising pain making them restless.

7,Major injuries:--

Major injury to any parts of the body causes pain; Occasionally children will fall while arrying which could result in head injury. Head injury is associated with reflex vomiting and convulsions.

Chapter 113: Control Your Anger, Don't Let It Control You

Anger can be a paralyzing and debilitating condition. But it can be a terrifying and degrading experience for your child if you're taking your anger out on them. Physical and verbal abuse of a child can have lasting and lethal implications, so it's crucial that as a parent, you do whatever necessary to get your anger in check.

As a parent, you have a wonderful opportunity to undo the wrongs that were done to you as a child if you had an angry and abusive parent or parents. It can be very curative and demonstrate you where your troubles lie are and inspire you to fix them. Perhaps your past is filled with unresolved hurt and anger. If so, take the necessary steps to heal yourself. If you don't, you could unwillingly and unthinkingly