Archive for the ‘Healthy Parenting’ Category

Impact Your Child’s Life – Key Concepts For Building Healthy Parent-Child Relationships

Parents must realize that today’s world may be more challenging for youth than ever before. A statement from Columbia University notes that one third of American adolescents say that drugs are the most important problem facing them today. Another sad reality is that teenagers can be killed by others who simply want their designer clothes. For example, a Los Angeles teenager was shot for his tennis shoes. Children are playing deadly games.

As a parent, show your child that you care. Your interest will prevent them from trying to find attention elsewhere. There are four important concepts to emphasize in a healthy relationship with your child: Listening, Identifying, Friendship, and Encouragment.

1. Listen to your child. On average, parents spend only eight minutes a day in meaningful dialogue with their children. Listening is an art. The word “listen” comes from the root word “list”. So, it is important no only to hear what a child is telling you, but also take note of those things. Ask your child questions, and be prepared to deal with answers you may not like by giving teenagers the respect they deserve.

2. Identify with your child. Place yourself in situations your child may go through. Be observant of interests and issues other teenagers face. Talk to teenagers about the issues that face them. This can be done by simply asking a teenager what they are doing for the weekend or what is going on in their lives. People like to talk about themselves. So ask a few questions and watch them open up.

3. Form a friendship with your child. There is no greater bond than the love between a caring parent and a child. Many people feel that it is hard to bridge the generational gap with their children, however, the results yield a beneficial relationship where both learn. This can be accomplished by:  

Being honest

Sharing your mistakes

Practicing the behavior you expect

Expressing love

Developing mutual respect

Finding an activity that you both enjoy and doing it together once a week

4. Encourage your child. Remind your child how special they are with a compliment and a kind word. Shower them with hugs. Many people feel uncomfortable showing affection to their children because they never received it themselves. You should verbally affirm your child and encourage him or her to set goals. Allow them to make some mistakes and encourage them to try harder when they fail. Remember, your words can empower your child to succeed!

Rodney D. Walker, M.B.A., M.A., is a professional life, business coach and consultant. Visit him today at to receive his coaching tips.

Copyright, 2010, Walker & Associates Life & Business Coaching, Helping You Thrive


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Healthy Kids Start With Healthy Parents

 or are they born knowing the difference between healthy foods …and unhealthy foods? At the tender ages of childhood, kids learn habits that will stick with them into their adolescence years, and well into adulthood. I’m certain you agree…

Here’s my point:

TEACH YOUR KIDS BY ACTION, NOT BY HYPOCRITICALLY TALKING TO THEM.

Let me further explain:

I speak with a lot of parents about what types of food they are serving at the dinner table. Guess what? Their children will never have a chance to be slim and fit with the portion sizes and the quality of foods they are being served. NEVER!

Here is the fascinating part: In one breath, the parents are TRYING to tell their kids about how to eat well, and how to exercise… and then guess what? At dinner, the parents are shoving oversize portions of processed and high-fat foods right down their throats.

The best part? “Be a good boy now and eat all your food.” WOW! We are rewarding our kids by teaching them how to overeat……

Parents, I’m not telling you to stop every single thing you do and re-create a new life of lettuce and water…. and 2 hours of exercise every single day.

No, not at all. What I am telling you is that there are a lot of LITTLE THINGS you can do for your kids that ADD UP to bring them huge benefits in portion control and healthy habits. Here are a few things you can focus on:

1. Snack time- give only HALF of the snack, and save half for later. No child needs 24g of sugar at a time.

2. Multiple kids – split the meals and snacks in HALF. Sugary drinks? Dilute them with water…. help save your child’s life.

3. Television time- during commercials, the kid(s) have to run in place for 1 minute, then do a few push ups, and maybe a few situps…. this simple activity when added up brings HUGE RESULTS- and it helps to build healthy habits that will last a lifetime for your children.

4. Spaghetti O’s – At almost 2,000mg of sodium per can, there is a simple healthy alternative. Whole wheat pasta with low-sodium tomato sauce… sprinkle with oregano and Parmesan. Great tasting, and healthy, too!

Jeff Hopeck: 3yr Secret Service Veteran, Author and Blogger. Be sure to check out these healthy blogs: MUST KNOW food industry deceits that can save your life: [http://www.stopkillingyourselfbook.com]. Healthier living for BUSY people! [http://www.healthyhabitsblog.com]


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The Importance of a Healthy Parent Teacher Relationship

It’s the same story every year – you worry about whether the new teachers will understand your child. Will the teacher adapt to your child’s individual learning speed? Will she be able to recognize your child’s special aptitudes and talents? You don’t want to be the overbearing, interfering parent, but you still want to know these things.

You certainly cannot hold your child’s teacher accountable for every classroom nuance. After all, teachers are qualified educationalists, and we have to trust their judgment to a fair degree without questioning it. So what’s the solution? How do you stay on top of how your child is faring under his or her teacher? The answer is – build a good parent teacher relationship.

Parent teacher relationships are like many other relationships – once they are in place, they can overlook quite a few social gaffes. And like all other relationships, building a healthy parent teacher bond involves a certain process of breaking the ice, winning mutual trust and staying in touch.

Your objective here is obviously not to build a rip-roaring friendship – though that often happens. The primary purpose of building such a relationship is to have informal access to your child’s progress at school, and that may not happen merely by attending local PTA meetings.

Is such relationship-building really necessary? After all, you are busy and have lots of other things to do. Also, you as a parent are obviously entitled to inquire with teacher about your child’s academic performance. However, that is not all you need to know about how your child is faring at school.

You need to know how your kid is doing at the emotional level You may need to be able to make requests for special attention by the teacher You may require the teacher to offer instinctive evaluations You may need to communicate your own insights on your child’s mental make-up and ask that these be factored into the teaching process You may need to advise the teacher on your own parenting style and ask that it be supported in class, as well

Once of the main reason why most parents do not make efforts to build a healthy parent teacher relationship is the fear of vulnerability. Such parents worry that revealing too much about themselves will expose them as inefficient and ineffective parents, thereby laying them open to a teacher’s professional criticism.

The fact is – parents are as human as we are, and are often parents themselves. They may have their own insecurities in that role, and are therefore perfectly capable of understanding yours. On the other hand, you will never know of or benefit from this human side if you do not tap into it.

The only way to break the barrier of formality is to initiate and maintain a healthy working parent teacher relationship. If you aren’t the gregarious type who is comfortable with breaking the ice in person, you can take the help of interactive parent web sites designed to help parents interact with their children’s teachers.

Many parents find staying in touch with their children’s teachers in this manner quite comfortable. While signing up for such a parent web site, ensure that it also helps you connect with other parents and keeps you updated on after-school activities.

Priya Florence Shah writes for Parentella, a private communication platform for parents and teachers that enhances conversations between parents and teachers by creating groups for parents. Visit us for a private, safe, and secure experience in communicating with your child’s educationists.


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