Tag Archives: child-rearing

Angelina Jolie Packs Heat in her Own House

With the size of her new home (which is about as big as a small country) and the number of little ones she has to protect I suppose Angelina Jolie presents a good argument as to why she feels the need to arm herself with guns. While others may feel that a home is not a place for loaded guns, especially with a gaggle of kiddies running around, Jolie maintains that her guns are necessary and she wouldn’t hesitate to use the weapons to protect her growing family. And that’s not all the actress, who is pregnant with twins, recently … Continue reading →

There is More than One Way to Raise a Child

There is something about the experience of raising a child that can make us feel as though one day we are blundering beginners and the next day we are experts. I imagine that once one has raised a child from infancy to adulthood, one feels a sense of accomplishment, yes, and if the child turns out decently, we may also be convinced that we know “the way” and have “the answers.” I think this is one of the reasons that older people can be so steadfast in their childrearing suggestions and advice. I do think it helps us to remember, … Continue reading →

1-2-3 Magic – Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 – Thomas W. Phelan, Ph.D.

My house gets a little crazy at times. With four strong-willed children, I can go nuts in about thirty seconds flat. Reading “1-2-3 Magic” by Thomas W. Phelan has given me some new direction, and even some new hope, in disciplining my children. I confess I tend to be a lecturer. When one of my children misbehaves, I think if I explain to them why their action was inappropriate, they’ll understand and want to do better. Dr. Phelan explains why this isn’t true. Children aren’t fully able to grasp the implications of their actions, and even when it’s explained to … Continue reading →

Building a Confident Child after Divorce

After going through a divorce and becoming a single parent, you will likely find the children going through adjustments just like you. The type and intensity of the adjustment will depend on a number of things such as age, personality, and the way in which the marriage ended. Obviously, you want to do everything possible to make adjustments for your child as easy as possible. Many times, children will have a reduced level of self-confidence, some actually believing they are responsible for the divorce. Although this is not true, the child’s perspective can be skewed. Now as a single parent … Continue reading →

The Pacifier Wars

Over the years, there has been a tug of war between proponents of the pacifier versus those who are against the pacifier have swung the pendulum back and forth. When my daughter was born, pacifiers were recommended against (especially if you were breastfeeding) and now once again the pendulum is swinging back to be in favor of the pacifier including as an aid to help reduce the changes of SIDS. Pro Pacifier On the pro pacifier side of the fence, there are the medical studies that suggest the babies sucking reflex helps to prevent SIDS. The pacifier is a great … Continue reading →