Parenting and Family Education

Posts Tagged ‘Fathers’’

Stories questioning the best way to discipline children never completely drop out of the news.

For example, reports about fed-up parents using Nebraska’s safe-haven law to drop off unruly teenagers incited a debate about how to provide families with the parenting advice and disciplinary tools they need.

And when President Barack Obama revealed that his daughters will be required to make their own beds and clean their own rooms at the White House, it was difficult not to wonder how he would react if Sasha or Malia decided to rebel. Does the new president use the naughty step?

In many families, fathers are the ones expected to dole out punishment when the need arises. However, mastering the art of discipline can challenge even the savviest dad’s parenting skills.

Several parenting advice experts stress the need for consistency. In other words, your children need to know what to expect when they misbehave or they may begin acting up to test the limits.

Similarly, one of the biggest mistakes a father can make when disciplining his child is to not follow through on a threat. It is incredible how quickly children learn to disregard words if they are not supported by actions.

Another important point emphasized by child psychologists is to try to refrain from rewarding bad behavior. Every time you buy your child a piece of candy to get them to stop crying, you are effectively demonstrating that acting up will earn them a reward.

Although it may require you to muster up all of your parenting skills and patience, experts also recommend staying calm while correcting your children’s behavior. Shouting or losing your temper may just end up encouraging kids to yell back and respond to conflict with anger.

Finally, some of the best parenting advice may be to maintain realistic expectations for children. For example, it may be very difficult for a toddler to sit still for an hour, so demanding that they do so is almost like setting them up to fail.

Remember: your children are not perfect – and neither are you

Though it appears much of the country has embraced healthier diets and lifestyles, fathers may want to exercises their parenting skills when some products at the grocery store are marketed as natural.

A recent New York Times article pointed to a new marketing trend that was emerging in various grocery stores for products containing sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup.

Because the ingredient used is sugar, the word “natural” can be used as an ad slogan or banner on the packaging, according to the article.

Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association, told the news provider these kinds of ads are misleading consumers.

“When [consumers] discover they are being misled into thinking these new products are healthier, that’s the interesting angle,” Erickson said.

Some scientists have stated sugar, in high doses, may be just as harmful as high-fructose corn syrup.

Two products that appear to be jumping onto the sugar/natural bandwagon are Pepsi Natural soda and Healthy Choice All Natural frozen entrees.

A new study may also give fathers more cause to worry about the foods their children may want them to buy. A study published in the journal Obesity Reviews found that 89 percent of food items marketed directly to children had poor nutritional quality.

Fathers who are determined to shop healthily in the grocery store may have to put a little extra effort into their parenting skills.

WebMD suggests fathers plan the week’s meals ahead of time and focus on the produce section of the grocery store to ensure healthy buying. If you do end up in other aisles, fathers should strive to get the least-processed foods available and to look to see if products were made with whole grains.

There are whole grain versions of breads, pastas and rice to choose from. For children with a more advance palette, fathers may want to try serving fish at least twice a week, which is the recommendation from the American Heart Association to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular problems in the future.

According to new research, it may be beneficial for fathers to be a kid again, at least for a little bit.

For some fathers, wrestling and playing video games with their kids can lead to some light teasing on both sides, especially if you are losing. While it may not seem like it, recent studies have found that this practice of teasing can be a helpful parenting skill in improving a child’s social development.

New research from the National Communication Association found teasing can be a positive experience in child development because it teaches them “how to show affection and deal with conflict.”

“Research shows us that even very young children can recognize that teasing is not always bad; that sometimes it can be a fun way to play with friends and family,” said Carol Bishop Mills, one of the authors of the study.

This may include a light-hearted “I don’t think you’re gonna make it!” during a video game or a good-humored “You think you can take down the old man? Have at it!” before some playful wrestling.

The key, according to the researchers, is to make sure everyone is laughing and having a good time. They suggest fathers use their parenting skills to identify if the teasing crosses over to bullying.

If some slight aggression does emerge from the teasing, fathers can use the opportunity to teach their child about the difference between teasing and bullying, which may help the child in a school environment.

This somewhat loose approach toward parenting can benefit a child’s social, physical and intellectual development, according to Dr. Kyle Pruett, a professor of child psychiatry at Yale and author of Fatherneed.

By engaging children in this nontraditional manner, fathers may also develop strong bonds with their kids that may not have been formed another way.