Tips On Raising Confident Children

September 8, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on raising confident children. There’s nothing you’d like to see more than your child happy and confident, right? We all want our kids to be at their best mentally, physically and socially. It starts at home, and it starts while they are you.  Teach them early, and it will stay with them throughout their childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Although we love them regardless of their condition at any given time, we want them at their best should at all times.  

 

children's confidence

 

Confidence is massive in a person’s life. If you’re not feeling good about yourself and the situation around you, then you’re probably not going to perform well or have a good time.  It’s important that children experience and feel confidence at a tender age.  Those experiences and feelings  will determine how their mind works when they’re older. The person you are today and the embedded default feelings you go to are literally a direct result of how things went when you were a little kid. 

Being a confident example for your child is imperative.  Teaching them to be confident is easy when you know what to do. 

 

Raising Confident Children:

 

Be Positive Around Them All The Time  

If you’re constantly positive around them, then they’re going to feed off of that kind of energy. People, including yourself, will react to the stimuli around them. You may not realize it, but you’re the result of the people around you.  This includes family, friends, co-workers etc.  They all play a part in forming your opinions, beliefs, and feelings. 

If you’re constantly optimistic and positive around them, then they’re going to grow up thinking that’s the best (and only) way of approaching things. If you’re a miserable, negative person, then they’re going to pick up those kinds of mannerisms. Kids taking in information like a sponge at a young age.  And, it stays with them forever. Make sure you’re giving off the correct impression – it could be very significant. 

 

Keep Them Active And Exercising  

People need to be on the move in order to feel good about themselves.  They may be a select few that can lounge around all day and stay content, but the majority need to be up and moving.  You don’t need to become a drill sergeant, but getting them up and out of the house will do them good. Today, kids are stuck inside in front of a computer screen or TV.  So, make sure they’re moving around enough.  Keeping active makes the brain release chemicals that make us feel more positive and happy. Getting tasks done also feels a lot better than sitting around achieving nothing!

 

 

children's confidence

 

 

Teach Them About Respect 

If your child learns about respecting another person, they’ll get to know the ins and outs of respecting themselves.  . When it comes to confidence, a lot of the issues are social ones. If your kid knows how to behave when around other people, then they’re going to be in a better boat than, say, a socially awkward youngster. This kind of competence can then lead to even more confidence as they grow into their impressionable teenage years. 

 

Get Professional Help  

If you feel as though you might not be able to do this on your own, then you can always get assistance. There are many practitioners that deal with the minds and bodies of children.  So, a little research will be beneficial.  If they need pediatric speech therapy,  then it’s worth considering.  It could end up benefiting them in a big way as they grow. It could be the difference between a confident adult, and an overly anxious and shy one.

 

Teach Them the Fundamentals Of Life  

If they early about being healthy and stable, your child will stand a better chance of being confident in many things. A lot of children are never taught how to do basic things like domestic chores and shopping.  Sadly, they end up having a lack of confidence as adults. If you teach them these very basic and fundamental aspects of life, then they’ll be a lot more competent and confident. 

I hope my tips on raising confident children has been beneficial.  Start early and be consistent.  You will be able to sit back and watch you child grow into a confident and productive human being.

Filed Under: Character Building Tagged With: , , ,

4 Ways to Teach Your Children To Be Grateful

January 7, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Being grateful is something that you learn as you grow.  So, teach your children to be grateful at an early age.  It’s a trait that’s heavily influenced as a child.  It can be very easy for a child to become spoiled.  And, that’s not something that they could carry into to adulthood.

 

 

Be Grateful

 

 

Here’s a few tips on teaching your children to be grateful:

 

Teach Them Manners

Manners are something that gets taught from a young age.  Unfortunately, those who don’t have manners in their adulthood can be met with some hostility. Saying please and thank you are two phrases that don’t take much effort.  So, when they have the opportunity to use their manner you should encourage them.  Do it every time they receive a gift, like one from BeadifulBABY.  Or  when someone does something that helps them in life. Being appreciative of others is a part of being grateful.  Furthermore, it’s one thing that they’ll need in order to thrive in life.  If manners aren’t given, they shouldn’t expect to receive them back.

 

Expose Them More To Reality

The reality of life is one that, as parents, we tend to shield them from. As they’re growing up, everything they see on television, and you do with them is likely to be a positive one. However, as they grow, it’s important to expose them slowly to the realities of the world. Teaching them that their life is likely to be richer than others because there’s always someone who’s suffering more than yourself. It’s a good lesson for them to learn so that they’re more appreciative of what they have and hopefully further down the line, they’ll want to give back to those who are less fortunate.

 

 

teaching manners

 

Make Them Earn It

Being grateful for what you have can come from earning it.  Doing household chores or getting a job when they reach a certain age, is a great way to show them how money is earned.  Things are rarely given to you for free.  And, it’s important to show them this lesson by having them earn pocket money.

 

Get Them To Name Their Blessings Daily

The blessings we have in life are those that we’re thankful for.  Sometimes we forget how lucky we are and just how good we have it.  It’s important to make them aware of their blessings.  One way to do this is to get them to name their blessings daily. Writing it down or sharing at the dinner table are great family activities.  These little recognitions in life are going to really help them understand what they have and what they should be grateful for.

 

Teaching your children to be grateful is a really effective quality for them to have, and as they grow, it will reflect positively in their adult life too.

 

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Parenting Tips on Understanding Your Child’s Needs

June 21, 2019 by 2 Comments

No matter how old your children are you are always looking for ways to understand them.  As a parent, your goal is to raise a happy, healthy, well-rounded  and independent human being.  One who has the ability to thrive at everything in life. You want your kids to grow up with the life skills you were taught and so much more.  This can only be done when you truly understand your individual child’s needs.  So, today we’re sharing parenting tips on Understanding Your Child’s Needs.

 

 

understanding your child's needs

 

 

Every child is completely unique in their development and behavior.  So, there will never be a one size fits all approach.  As a mother you will be thrown a lot of curveballs during your parenting lifespan.  And, you won’t always know the best approach to take.  Learn how to listen to your child and tailor your actions to suit their needs.  Communication is absolutely essential when you are a parent.  It gives you the ability to solve their problems and raise them to be vibrant and bright youngsters.  Here are some of the challenges you might face during your parenting journey and understanding your child’s needs:

 

You Always Want to Protect Them

Every parent goes through the struggle of wanting to shield their child from every potential danger.  Technology is scarily popular amongst young adolescents. So, you might feel slightly out of control with this phenomenon in your lives. Luckily, with iCloud, you can monitor phone calls, texts and photographs on your child’s phone without invading their privacy too much. You want to be able to trust them implicitly, but you also want to do everything in your power to protect them. Find a balance, and you will have peace of mind when it comes to technology.

 

Dealing with Behavioral Difficulties

Raising a child with ADHD or autism can bring many hurdles to overcome.  Learning to deal with challenging behavior will become second nature to you eventually.  But, it can feel like a huge mountain to climb initially.  Remember that your child’s behavior is no reflection on you as a parent. You will learn to deal with certain triggers in a way that works for you both.  Seek professional advice if you are not understanding your child’s needs.

 

Monitoring Their Development

If your child isn’t developing as quickly as other kids, you can feel overwhelmed.  It is very easy to compare your child to others, but that really won’t help the situation.  As long as you are able to monitor and understand your child’s needs, this is all you should concern yourself with.  Your family doctor will be able to advise you on any signs that are truly concerning.  So, you should never jump to conclusions without seeking professional help.

 

Keeping Them Healthy

Before you had children you vowed never to give them sweets, chocolate or fizzy drinks.  However, you can’t keep them away from the bad stuff! Keeping your child healthy is obviously at the forefront of your mind, but you shouldn’t get too overprotective when it comes to their diet. As long as they are getting a wide range of food groups such as protein, carbohydrates and good fats, you shouldn’t worry about the odd sweet treat here and there.

 

The Communication Barrier

As your child learns to talk you will find it easier and easier to communicate with them. You might actually start to miss the days when they were peaceful and quiet as a tiny baby! Their vocabulary will develop at an alarming rate and your language will definitely have an impact on how much they pick up on.  As they grow into their teenage years they will suddenly revert back to a time where talking is the hardest thing in the world! It sometimes takes a miracle to get a conversation out of a grumpy teen, but this will soon pass.

 

Overwhelming Advice from Outsiders

When somebody else thinks they know your child better than you do, it can be quite upsetting. Whether you have a new baby or a developing teenager, there will always be someone out there who wants to give you unsolicited advice.  Unfortunately, this happens to the best of us and you need to learn to take it with a grain of salt. You will always know what is best for your child.  So, don’t listen to people who have anything negative to say about your parenting skills.

 

 

understanding your child's needs

 

 

Letting them Grow Up

It can be very difficult for many of us to master, but allowing our children to grow up is part of our life. They need to grow up in order to start their own life and gain their independence. Letting them go will always be difficult, but your job as a parent will never be over. Even when they have children themselves, they will need your help and advice more than ever. Understand that when it is time to loosen the reins, you will always be well respected as their parent.

It can be very difficult to accept that your child has to grow up.  Especially, when it seems they were only babies a few weeks ago! Their life will flash before you in a split second, so make sure you cherish every moment with them. When they do start to grow up and show their independence, you will need to step back from time to time. You won’t always find it easy to let go and give them freedom, but it can do them a world of good.

There are ways to regain some elements of control, but you should pick and choose your battles wisely. Every mother will go through a different journey when raising their children, but you will always know what is best for yours. Don’t listen to people who have no experience in the field of parenting and always strive to do the best you can during this adventurous time in your life.  We hope that you will find our tips on understanding your child’s needs beneficial.

 

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Helping Your Child Grow Confidence Through Competence

January 28, 2019 by Leave a Comment

If there’s one thing you can state with absolute certainty about the life of a parent, it’s that they have many different roles.  When raising a child, there are a certain amount of notes you need to hit correctly.  Most of these will come through instinct.  Today, we’re sharing parenting tips on helping your child build confidence.   Be a caring parent, encouraging and supportive will have an enormous impact by itself.  However, there are other responsibilities including teaching children how to brush their teeth.  Or, being firm with their bedtimes to encourage a healthy sleeping pattern.

 

 

 

parenting tips

 

 

Every child is different, but many children have universal needs. One of these will be the need to have their confidence slowly grow over time. A child without confidence can become extremely fearful of trying to express themselves.  This can lead to negative self-belief.   Unfortunately, some parents do little to address this. Helping your children grow confidence should be considered one of the most important gifts you can bestow on them.  However, simply telling your child they can do no wrong is the quickest way to raising a wanting person.  Instead, show them they can be competent while being humble.

With these tips you will be helping your child grow confidence:

 

Martial Arts

One way to help your child grow confidence is martial arts.   Martial arts can often help a child grow and feel more comfortable in their bodies. The emphasis here isn’t to help them turn into a Bruce Lee.  Additionally, it is not to fight off other children in the schoolyard with flips and cat screeches. Instead, it’s to build a sense of character, to learn safety in exercise, and yes, how to defend themselves if need be. However, most practitioners and trainers will not teach your child the ins and outs of causing harm.  Rather, they will teach them how to respect others.

Furthermore, they will learn how to avoid any form of conflict in the best manner possible while keeping their respect. For example, most martial arts sensei’s will ask a hypothetical question.  For example, how you should defend yourself if your wallet is asked for by a violent thug.  They may suggest giving them the wallet peacefully.  After all, this is the most rational and reasonable method of walking away from something without being harmed.  Besides, you can always find another wallet.

While this particular lesson might not apply completely to your child right now, it demonstrates what goes into martial arts tuition.  Not only is it a social environment, but it can also helps them feel confident.  It teaches them correct technique.  Additionally, it helps them to proceed up the colored belt hierarchy.  They will learn how to bow and show respect to authority.  Furthermore, they will learn to be grateful and how to best orchestrate themselves.  Martial arts can help even the most withdrawn child come out of their shell.  So, we recommend Karate, Jiu Jitsu, or even the child-friendly forms of Kung-Fu.

 

Care & Consideration

Giving your child the space to care about something can help them learn self-reliance and care outside of the school environment.  Helping your child grow confidence with a pet is perhaps one of the best methods.  Hamsters, Gerbils and bunnies make great pets.  Something low-key with low maintenance is recommended rather than a puppy that must be trained. However, if you have the time to devote a puppy is a great idea.

If pets are out of the question, working on an art project together is recommended.  It could be model construction or painting a mural.  Creating is a great way to become self-reliant, becoming expressive and helping children feel proud of themselves.

 

 

confidence in children

 

 

Sports

Sports can be an extremely wonderful method of helping a child grow.  While martial arts and artistic projects can help them learn how to be confident, they don’t offer much in the form of team work.  Don’t force your child into anything, but try to see where their natural inclination goes.  Perhaps purchasing backyard batting cages could help them learn how to hit the ball with precision and confidence.

You might decide to help them enroll in an after-school activity.  Or, teach them how to play pool on the table in the garage. It doesn’t matter what the sport is or how much energy they exert.  What’s important is that they enjoy it.  The goal is to teach them how to feel good at something.  And, how you help them feel involved with it. Sports can sometimes be disparaged as forcing sensitive children into physical activity.  But sometimes it can help a sensitive child to get past their fears and become self-assured. Of course, every child is different.  But sometimes, a little risk can go a long way.

Implement these tips, and you will certainly be on your way to helping your child grow confidence through competence.

 

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Caring For Kids In The Twenty First Century

April 5, 2017 by Leave a Comment

 

caring for kids

Children really are a blessing. They are joyous and completely change your life with their energy, enthusiasm and wide-eyed wonder. They also produce some of the most terrifying moments of your life. Caring for kids can be overwhelming at times. It only takes them wandering away from you in a supermarket just once for you to never want to let go of their hand again.  One second they are there, and you turn away for just a moment, and they manage to completely disappear. When you eventually find them you want to hug them and shout at them at the same time. It is not really their fault. They, thankfully, do not realize what the potential dangers might be.

Another sometimes stressful thing about children is when they are unwell. All you want for a child when it is born, and for the rest of their life, is for them to be healthy and happy. The reality of life is that no one is always, at every moment, healthy and happy. Children are no different. There is reason to be optimistic though. We are living in the best possible time in history for healthcare. Scientists learn more and more everyday about how to help this ailment or solve that one and their understanding will only increase. Technology has played a great part in this too. Kids, as they grow and change, will have all sorts of things that go a bit askew. Fortunately, there are also ways to help them. Here are few to be aware of:

Running a Fever

Perhaps the most common, and for many parents, the most alarming problem is a child with a high temperature.  It causes such concern because everybody knows that it is a sign that something is wrong somewhere.  A high temperature is never good, but there are ways to bring it down without a trip to the doctor or hospital.  You can purchase over the counter medicine, a cool damp washcloth on the forehead, popsicles, ice cream or a few ideas. If the temperature remains at 104 degrees or higher consult your pediatrician immediately. The fact remains, it is difficult seeing them in pain, especially since they themselves do not understand it.

Developmental Progress

Aside from infrequent illnesses like fevers, another pressing concern while caring for kids is a child’s developmental progress.  Autism is in the news a lot because of claims that certain vaccines may have caused it in some children.  However, an issue that gets less attention is speech development. It can have a massive impact on a child’s entire life. Technology now allows children to get treatment with experts around the country through online calls. There are lots of helpful telepractice resources that you can read.  Treat speech development problems early.

SIDS

On a particularly positive note, science has helped reduce SIDS deaths (or crib death as it is sometimes known) by half by encouraging parents to put their children to sleep on their backs. It is not understood why, but children who sleep on their back rather than their stomach are at a reduced risk.

While parents will never stop worrying, there is more reasons to be optimistic now than ever before.  We hope that you found our tips on caring for kids beneficial.

 

 

Filed Under: Health, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , ,

This Grandma Doesn’t Wear Depends

April 23, 2015 by
grandparents, grandmothers, grandma

Why do people associate grandmas with being old, gray haired, and wearing Depends?  Now I may have a few gray hair, but this grandma doesn’t wear Depends.  I’ve have some issues when I have coughed or sneezed, but when I do reach the point where I need Depends, will Depends define who I  am?  I think not. 

Here’s a picture of me that was taken of me last year during a promotion that I did for JC Penny’s Portraits, and the second picture with my daughter approximately 5 years ago at a family function. Do I look like an old, gray-haired woman who’s peeing on herself in either?

So you’re wondering what prompted this post, right? Another blogger, yes I said another blogger. Long story short, I was complimenting her and the fact that I liked various things about her site. As the conversation progressed, she stated that she had quite a few grandmas who visited her blog and she didn’t know why. She gently invoked Depends in the conversation. My initial response was is she trying to throw shade? I’m so glad that I have matured and handle things much differently than I did in my 20s, 30s even 40s because: 


1.  I’m the queen of reading your ass and it ain’t pretty. Yeah, Bye Felicia! 

2.  I would have left you with your mouth hanging open and words burned so deep into the recesses of your brain, you would be shaking your head for the rest of your life trying to get rid me. 

However, I don’t see a need to go there anymore so I responded by laughing and stating that I have a few creaks and some other things going on, but I wasn’t close to Depends. I also stated that I was on her site because I was looking for the same things that she and other mothers were looking for with their children. Do our positions or the differences in our ages change that?

 


I further stated that my responsibilities with my grandchildren are no different from her raising her children.  When my grandchildren are in my care and custody, I raise them as if I gave birth to them. It is my job to guide and lead them in the right direction just like their parents. The only difference between their parents and me, I have more money.  She seemed to get it after that, but did it really require an explanation?  

Being a grandmother is quite a prestigious position and one that I will wear with honor even when I reach the Depends stage.  As a grandmother I want to tell you a few things that you should not do with me:

1. Assume that I’m old and gray and ready for a rocker.  I have a lot of fire inside of me and I’m not close to throwing in the towel and rocking the rest of my life away just yet.  

2. Assume that I’m technically challenged and not cool. I have a smart phone, text, use a camera phone, have an SLR digital with long range lens, a laptop, a tablet, a GPS in my vehicle, flat screen TVs, and any other electrical gadgets on the market that I feel I want to buy and can use them. 

 3.  Assume that I don’t have any obligations to my grandchildren.  I’m just as obligated to my grandchildren as my daughter and son-in-law. I contribute to their upbringing, clothing and shelter too. I would die for those babies, wrap myself around a pole and shake my groove thing if I had to so that I could take care of them. Thank goodness, I don’t have to resort to those tactics. I know you’re as happy about that as I am. 

4.  Assume that I don’t know the likes and dislikes of my grandchildren or the latest on the market. I know their favorite cartoon characters, favorite TV channels, latest clothing fads, what sneakers are cool, up on the movies and games, know the great vacation spots, and can make their favorite foods and treats. More so than my 30 year old children. That’s right, they look to me for the information because they don’t know. They love coming to Mawmaw’s too. My grandchildren don’t want to go home because my house is the bomb.    

5. Assume you can say or do whatever you want to me. No you can’t, so be prepared to get a response that you may not like if you don’t come correctly. I require the same respect that I give you. 

As bloggers networking is important, we can all learn from each other. As bloggers and human beings, we all want to connect, build a following and interact. I really don’t think any of us want to talk to ourselves when we write and publish a post, so isn’t our goal to connect with readers and to share what we’ve written? I believe that we have the same goals as parents and grandparents.    

I understand having a target audience, and  a niche. Quite frankly, I write about what I love which is family, gardening, crafts, quotes and motivating others. My target audience is parents who are in the age range of 20 – 60 who are looking for parenting tips/advice, ways to save on food expense, budgeting, a little motivation and lots of laughs. Not once have I wondered why anyone was on my site because of their perceived age or position in life. I have worked hard to make Mother 2 Mother warm, inviting and inclusive!  Everyone is welcome.   


You may also like: Creating Family Traditions

  How To Establish Boundaries For Grandparents

Filed Under: Life-Thoughts Tagged With: , ,

Teaching a Preemie How to Nurse From a Bottle

September 28, 2011 by

I wanted to let my readers know that my little Zarriah is up to 4 lbs.  2 ozs.  Quite a milestone for us.  My daughter is attempting to bottle feed her for the first time in this picture.  She needs to learn how to suck and keep her milk down.  This is a task that she would have learned during the last month in the womb.  Once she masters this task, we will be well on our way to gaining that last pound needed to go home. 

In addition to learning to nurse from the bottle, she also needs to maintain her body temperature outside the incubator, pass the car seat test and maintain a steady heart rate.  So we still have a few milestones to accomplish. 

The first attempt at bottle feeding was a little overwhelming for her.  We’re hoping she will relate to sucking her pacifier, which she loves, and she will get the hang of things quickly.  The hospital she’s in, is ranked as one of the best in the country for nursing preemies.  They’ve actually had a speech therapist working with my daughter and Zarriah to help with the sucking processing.  Is that not amazing?  You wonder how they can teach a baby this small to do anything, but they can. 

We’re thrilled that Zarriah is allowed to wear her own onesies and tees now, but I’m having a time finding preemie clothes.  If you know a site or store where we can find cute onesies for her, please let me know.  If you have experience with a preemie, I would love to hear from you.  Please leave me a comment. 

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