As anyone with a child knows, parenting is far from an easy and simple task. Being a parent means being responsible for another life, not only financially but also morally. Being a parent means influencing the future with simple actions today. Here are some tips to help any parent shoulder the responsibility with intelligence and grace. For parents of children who are picky eaters, it is important that you give the child whatever they like. Although you may feel frustrated that your child is eating the same foods, it is important that they eat something, even if it is the same thing over and over again. Take advantage of carpools when sending your children to school. A carpool allows you to not have to shuttle your children back and forth to school every day. It also gives your children some extra socialization time with the neighbors. You save time, and save on gas as well. Do not try to introduce the bottle to a normally breastfeed baby who is hungry. A hungry baby will not understand what the bottle is for and will reject it immediately because he at this point only associates food with the breast. Get the baby used to the bottle when they are not hungry so that they can learn that it provides food as well. Instead of buying a baby bath tub, just use the kitchen sink. The kitchen sink is the perfect size and depth to bathe your young child in. It's also a great height so you won't end up with a sore back after bath time. When your child outgrows the kitchen sink, they'll likely be ready to move on to the regular bath tub. For many parents, having a child who is polite in social situations is important. Want your child to say "please" and "thank you"? Children learn from the adults around them, so make sure that you're using those words frequently yourself! Use them in conversations with your spouse, children, or the other people in your life, and your child will follow suit! A great parenting tip is to help your child with their homework as often as they can. Don't just do their homework for them. Try to teach them how to solve problems. By showing genuine interest in your child's studies, your child will be much more invested in his or her own education. Want your child to have a large vocabulary? Talk to her! Studies show that parents who spend significant amounts of time talking with their children about everyday events have children with larger vocabularies than their peers whose parents spend less time talking to them. So turn off the TV, put down your book, and start a conversation! If you are exhausted trying to care for your newborn at night, put her rash cream on her diaper, Just before you go to sleep in the evening. This will save you time during late-night feedings, because you will be able to put your baby's diaper on without worrying about putting the paste on her bottom first. A vital part of parenting is paying attention to all car safety regulations pertaining to young children and ensuring that you always have an appropriate safety seat for your child's age. By making sure your child is properly restrained every time they travel, you will be able to greatly reduce the risk of serious injury. Make taking care of yourself a priority when you have children. Despite what crazy events occur throughout the day, always take some time alone to be by yourself and relax, step away from the world and its worries. Not only will your mood improve, but your kids will appreciate it, too. Giving firm and clear instructions can help when you have trouble getting a child to listen to you. Asking your child to do something generally gets poorer results than when you firmly tell them to do something. For example, a common problem that many parents have is getting their child to brush their teeth at night. Asking the child to brush their teeth is not going to be as successful as telling them it is time to brush their teeth. Know who you kids are hanging out with. Children are influenced so easily that you have to make sure to take the time to get to know the people that they consider to be their friends. If you do not think that they are in good company, be sure to find a way to get them away from that person. If your child comes and asks you a question about something and you do not know what the answer is you should be completely honest about that. Making up something is not going to solve the issue, so it is best for you to say you do not know and offer to help them find the answer. Remember what is happening today will be over with tomorrow. If your kids messed up your clean living room, know that it won't stay that way, it will be clean again tomorrow. Having this viewpoint will help you to move on. Get your child to do chores as soon as they're able to understand what you're saying. From an early age your toddler should be cleaning up their own toys. There is no harm in making it a game, and you can continue turning chores into competitions until your child is old enough to move out! Just because your child is whining or complaining about wanting to do something, do not give in to their desires. By doing so, you are letting them think they can walk all over you. Instead, tell the child that they can do a certain desired activity at a latter time or date. The above tips can't possibly cover the whole complex scope of parenting, of course, and every child is unique and deserving of individual attention -- but these tips can certainly help parents stick to the proper path for raising a beautiful child into a healthy, functional, productive adult. After all, in parenting, every correct action, however small, contributes to a child's future.
