Good Health Good Future

Posts Tagged ‘Parent’

I was a single parent for the first four years of my son’s life. Now, there are two kinds of single parents: those who are co-parenting with a non-resident parent and those who are simply raising their children alone. I was in this latter category and you know what? I liked it. Of course, there were times when it was hard and I felt resentful and angry at having no one to share the burden – or the first smiles – with. But for the most part, I was fine being a single mom for one reason: I didn’t have to compromise with anyone about how to raise my child. I knew he would never be spanked; that he would be raised in a positive, loving environment; that he would be taught my spiritual beliefs; that he would disciplined in appropriate ways.

Being a single parent, with or without a co-parent, is a special challenge. Following, you will find two sets of single-parenting strategies, one for each type of single parent. Taking the time to implement strategies one at a time gives you and your children the space to get used to new ways of being. Try them on, see how they work for you, tweak them as necessary and create the family of your dreams!

Strategies for Non-Resident Co-Parents

o Respect: No matter what your personal relationship with your co-parent (and, perhaps, his or her spouse) looks like; you must speak about him or her with respect in front of your children. If you need to vent, call a friend or your mom or talk to the dog, but never, never disparage your child’s parent. There must be something good about your co-parent, so focus on that and let the other stuff go. Remember, you will always, for the rest of your lives, be co-parents, so you might as well make the best of it.

o Common Ground: The most successful co-parenting teams work together to make sure that the children are getting the same type of discipline and support at both homes. One of the best ways to do this is to define your values and use them as a guidepost for both homes. Write them down, make a poster or collage and hang it in each home. The more consistency your child has, the happier she will be.

o Scheduling: The co-parent schedule can be a nightmare to establish and keep up with. For a child who is commuting between two homes, having a regular schedule, with both parents attending special events, is key. No matter how it works, make it work, so that your child has a predictable, straightforward schedule and never has to guess where he will be and who will be taking care of him.

o Communication: Keep the lines of communication open in your family – not only with your co-parent, but with your children as well. The more your children see you communicating in healthy ways, the more they will trust that you will listen to them when things get hard. Recent studies show that the earlier they learn this lesson, the more open they will be as teens. So talk and listen to your co-parent and to your children.

Strategies for Single Parents:

o Village: Creating a healthy group of adults that your child trusts is crucial for the single parent. Remember, your child must come to learn that she is safe in the world without you and if you isolate yourself with her, she won’t learn how to trust others. The other critical piece of creating a village of healthy adults for your child is in gender balance. Your child needs examples of healthy men and women to learn from and pattern herself after. When I was a single mom, I prayed every day for my son to be surrounded by healthy male role models. And he was (and is).

o Self-Care: I know from experience that “single parent” and “self care” can seem like two mutually exclusive groups. They are not! Find ways to make time for yourself every day. If you have the choice at nap time between cleaning the house and taking a hot bath, take the bath. Burn-out can lead to exhausted, emotional outbursts and can even lead to child abuse. Taking care of yourself first is the best way to take care of your child. Remember, you have to fill up your pitcher before you can fill up your child’s cup!

o Growing Skills: A single parent doesn’t have a co-parent to challenge his or her parenting patterns, so it’s very easy to fall back on unhealthy, old ways of being. Do everything you can to learn new parenting skills: read books, do online research, talk to your friends and co-workers about strategies that work, join a single-parent support group… Do whatever you can to learn more about parenting and work really hard to become the best parent you can.

o Discipline: Sometimes it’s easy for a single parent to let things slip into comfortable, but unhealthy patterns. Take a good look at the last 48 hours in your household. Were your children respectful? Helpful? Happy? Do you feel good about your family dynamic? If not, it’s time for some changes. Making changes in your family patterns can be difficult at first, but no matter how young your children are, talk to them, explain why you are changing the rules and what the new rules will be. Then stick to them! If after three weeks things haven’t improved, re-evaluate your rules. Are they appropriate for your children and your family? Are you following through with appropriate consequences for breaking them? Creating healthy boundaries is critical for every parent, but especially for the single parent.

Remember, being a single parent may be challenging, but it’s also a wonderful adventure!

Straight talk from the mom who?s been where you are and knows how to help your family: Shelly Walker is the mother of two beautiful children and the author of Awakened Power and the upcoming book Parenting Keys. Shelly is passionate about children and believes that every child deserves healthy, happy parents. Her website, http://www.parentingkeys.com , has great information and free tools to help parents raise successful, empowered children.

Incoming search terms for the article:

implimentation strategies for single parents

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.

o You need to know how your kid is doing at the emotional level

o You may need to be able to make requests for special attention by the teacher

o You may require the teacher to offer instinctive evaluations

o 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

o 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.

Incoming search terms for the article:

importance of teacher parent relationship,parent teacher relationship,what is the imfortance of a good-child parent relationship,importance parent teacher relationships,importance of parent teacher relationships,importance of parent-teacher relationship,Importance of relationship between teacher and a parent,importance of a teacher,importance of building a relationship with parents,importance of parents as first teacher,importance of good child relationship,ineffective for no parent teacher relationship,write up on parent teacher bonding,parent-teacher relationships,Parent-teacher relationship,parent teacher relationship in private school,parent teacher relationship importance,parent teacher bond,parent child relationships,parent and teacher relationships,parents teacher relationships important,teacher -student relationship,teacher building good parent relationship,what is the imfortance of a good-child relationship,tips for new teachers,the importance parent as first teacher,the importance of teacher relationships,the importance of teacher parent relationship,the importance of relationships,the importance of parent teacher relationships,the importance of parent as a first teacher,the importance of good child relationship,the importance of a teacher,teaher parent importance in child\s life,teacher relationship with children,teacher professional relationship with parents,teacher parent relatonship,parent and teacher relationship,overbearing parents teachers,iportance of good child rekationship,importance of a relationship between teacher and parent,IMPORTANCE OF A PARENT TEACHER RELATIONSHIP,importance of a healthy parent teacher relationship,importance of a good health for teacher,importance of a good child relationships,good parent-teacher relationship,good healthy parent,establishing parent teacher bond,effective parent teacher relationship,Building Parents and Teacher relationships,building parent teacher relationships,Build a good parent/teacher relationship,importance of building relationships with parents,importance of good child-parent relationship,Importance of the parent teacher relationship,health importance as a teacher,importance of teacher in a childs health,importance of teacher child relationship,importance of teacher /parent relationships,importance of relationships between teachers and parents,importance of relationship over parents teachers,importance of parents teacher relationship,importance of parent teacher relationship,importance of healthy parent teacher interaction,importance of healthy parent child relationship,importance of good health,bariers to effective parent teacher relationship

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.

Incoming search terms for the article:

importance of teacher parent relationship,importance of parent-teacher relationship,importance of parent teacher association,the importance of parent teacher relationships,Values of Teachers Parents Relationship,importance of providing informations to parents students and teachers about health,what is the importance of the teacher parent relationship,PARENT TEACHER RELATIONSHIP,Importance of parents teachers meeting,importance of parents teacher meeting in sep,Importance of Parents teacher association,the importance of trust when developing relationships with parents and how to intiate and maintain trust,good parent-teacher relationship,importance of parent teacher relationships,Parent teacher Relationship and school performance,importance of parent teacher associations,How will be the teacher -student relationship,teacher-parent trust and student achievement,teacher parent relationships friendships,role of good parents,importance of relationships between teachers and parents,what is the imfortance of a good-child parent relationship,parent and teacher relationships within the school 2010,what are the benefits of having a healthy teacher-student relationship,a What is the effect of the ineffectiveness of the Parent- teacher relationship in a child academic performance?,values of teacher-parent relationship,values of teacher- parent relationships,role of parent teacher association,parents-techer relations,main meeting points of parents teacher association in primary schools,key to teacher and parent relationship,key points for healthy parents teacher relationship,positive effect of teacher - parent relationship,informal parent teacher meetings advantages,published article on the parent-teacher association in a school,relationship with Parents Teachers Association,significance of parent teacher associations,role of student in parent teachers association,relevance of parent teachers association,parent teacher importance,parents teachers association meeting purpose,parent teacher friendships relationships,parent teacher relations,Importance of Parent Teacher Meeting,parent teacher barrier,Parent Teacher Association formality,no parent teacher relations,parent teacher relationships videos,parent teacher organizations benefits,parent teacher trust,parent teacher trust building,maintaining parent relations as a teacher,parent-teacher meetings-advantages,maintaining a professional parent-teacher relationship,significance of parent teacher meeting of new students,significance of parents teachers association,why is having a healthy parental relationship important?,value of parents-teacher relationship,types teacher-parent relationship,Trusty Parent Teacher Association,trust in parent teacher relationships,top 10 importance of parent teacher meeting in school,tips for a teacher to build and mantain a relationship with parents,the value of good health -essay for primary school,the positive effects of having good parent,values of parent- teacher relationships,ways to maintain a good relationship with a teacher,ways to maintain a healthy relationship essay,why is a good parent-teacher relationship necessary?,what is the importance of parent teacher association meeting,what is the importance of a good parents and children relationsip?,what is the future of Parent teacher organizations,what are the values of a teacher- parent relationships,what are the values benefit a teacher- parent relationships,what are the good effects of parent and teacher relationship,what are the benefits of parent teacher relationships for parents?,the importance of teacher/parent bonds,the importance of student parent teacher relationships,Teacher Parent relationships video,teacher parent relationship childs progress,teacher parent process,teacher and parent Benefits,teacher & Parent Relationships,teacher - parent relationship,student-teacher-parents-relationship,significant of teacher-parent relationship,teacher parents importance,teacher/parent barrier,teacher/parent realtionship advantages,the importance of having good working relationships in a school,The importance of good working relationships in the setting,the importance of good relationship with children,the importance of a parent teachers association,the importance of a kid and teacher relation,the importance of a good parent teacher relationship,the benefit of having a healthy teacher,the advantages of parents/ tecahers relationships,significance ofparent teacher relationship,importance of a good child parent relation,healthy relation - parents - children - teacher