One of the greatest things you can achieve in life is a family. Having a happy family including children then you can call yourself a happy man. But having a family is not the only thing you need to strive for in life, because even if you are lucky to have them, you are in charge of their well-being. And for this you need to have the resources to provide a certain lifestyle. But where do those resources come from? The first thing anyone would say is a steady job with a decent salary. But when you look at the solution you have chosen, are you aware that a decent salary provides a mediocre lifestyle? Can you honestly declare that you would rather want your children to live a mediocre life, when financial freedom is within their grasp? Sure, any job is a great way for your child to start on the journey of life, because it can help him grow personally and professionally. But the main ingredient that helps your children achieve their financial goals and freedom lies in the parenting education that you offer them. And by education I don’t mean teaching them to giving a sit in a bus for an older person. Teaching children the financial aspects of life does not have a minimal age. There is no such thing as too soon for your children to know how to manage their money. With a proper parenting education, your children can start making money from scratch before they go to school. School is not the answer for your children’s financial education. I am not saying that school is without purpose in the life of your children, but you are the one that can give them the right parenting education when it comes to managing money. In order to be sure that this is one thing you can succeed at this, you should look at your life. Do you have what it takes in order to make your children successful in managing their money? Or do you need a few parenting tips to achieve this? Parenting tips are always something that can help us, because we all know that raising a child is not the easiest task in the world. Experience is a defining factor in the raising process, but for those that lack it, relying on the experience of others can prove effective. For example, if you are not a well-experienced person in investments and financial, are you be able to teach your child the basics? Or should you receive some outside help and some very useful financial parenting tips from someone that has done it before? Trust me when I say that relying on some of these parenting tips will prove to be highly efficient. I was in your shoes at one time and now I can honestly say that the allowance I gave my child has slowly become part of their college education savings. This happened because, even though I didn’t have great knowledge of money management, I listen to what other people have to say. The best advice I could find and the ones that helped me with my parenting education came from 7moneyhabits.com.
By: Britney Simpson
Archive for November, 2009
Parenting education – choose a secure future for your children
November 30th, 2009Best Toddlers Discipline Techniques For New Parents
November 30th, 2009Before we start with the common yet tested toddlers discipline techniques to help new parents out, let’s first establish that there is no one size fits all strategy to making your little ones behave. Each child is unique and psychologists have found that attitudes and habits may sometimes be hereditary. What may work for one toddler might not with another. Good parenting skills entail that disciplinary techniques should, therefore, be applied according to a child’s response level.
Building Solid Ground
Parenting tips on toddlers have one general idea when it comes to toddler disciplinary styles — set limitations and create structure. Because toddlers are still very dependent on their parents, the first thing you must do, especially when your child is starting to respond actively, is to set a routine.
Have your child wake up at almost the same time daily and create a schedule for meals, for play, for walking, and other activities, so he or she knows what to expect next. Clarity in everyday activities is more likely to produce a well-mannered child, compared to a toddler whose daily schedule is radically mixed and random. Don’t box him or her in with the schedules, though; remember, this is the best age for your child to learn and explore.
Toddlers Discipline and Consistency
If you tell your child now that it is not okay to yank the dog’s tail, don’t let him or her do it when the dog is feeling playful. If you tell him or her now that going up the stairs alone is no-no, then don’t encourage him to do so even when you have your eye on him. Toddlers are adorable, but they can also be quite a handful if they don’t see you as an authority figure.
Consistency is crucial to getting your toddler to behave and listen. By staying firm with your instructions and setting a good and also consistent example, your child will see you as a credible source of information and will definitely not hesitate obeying you. Over the long term, if this keeps up, you will find that you no longer have to raise your voice just to get your child to listen.
Parenting toddlers is one of the trickiest stages new parents will encounter, perhaps next to raising teenagers. It is during the toddler phase that the child absorbs every piece of information around him or her; and, thus, the pressure is greater on the parents not only to create a structure and set limitations but also to provide a good example.
By: Tess Brahm
6 Practical Tips for Long-distance God Parents
November 30th, 2009Every Godparent who lives in one country while their Godchild resides in another country must feel a little bit concerned about how they will do justice to their role. I felt the same way recently, when one of my dearest friends and colleague entrusted her precious firstborn daughter to me as one of her two Godparents.
The family resides in the Caribbean and I am in Central America. True, not too far away. Nevertheless, I am not in the same country and it is still going to be long-distance affair. As in any relationship, distance can make a negative impact.
Since being asked, I have been thinking about my role a lot. Moreover, I am accustomed to wearing the other shoe – giving parents advice on this issue. Therefore, I decided to revisit and listen to my own counsel. I believe it wise to take my own advice before all my older, and my newest, Godchildren decide to get rid of me.
Being a Godmother, or Godfather is far more serious than many people realize. I might be stating the obvious for some of you. However, the fact is too many persons (including some parents) tend to see this responsibility as a position of status and prestige, without realizing that an awesome responsibility has been placed in their hands. So I made up a list for myself and I’m sharing it with you.
6 Helpful Long- Distance God Parenting Tips
Attend First Ceremony – It doesn’t matter how far away you live. You should be present at this first ceremony of Baptism or Dedication. Some churches make this mandatory. My sister & colleague is Moravian and my presence is mandatory. I guess I won’t be missing this ceremony!
Make a Chart of your one or several God children- I have 6! I heard of this excellent idea and thought it was just so practical. Keep your chart in a prominent place. It can be a mini-one in your diary or a large one hanging from a wall in your bedroom or office. Use this chart to also boost your prayers for your Godchild.
List their names, birthday, date of Baptism or Dedication, other rites of passage like first day at school and so on. In this regard, you will need the help of the parents to send you informative updates and pictures.
Pray Regularly – Keep your Godchild(ren) on your prayer list and pray for them. Your role as Godparent is to offer spiritual nurture. It is not for buying expensive presents unlike what popular culture would have you think.
Maintain Contact and Communication – Even before the child is able to speak, ask the parents to put him or her on the phone so they get accustomed to hearing your voice. Trust me, your Godchild will recognize you by your voice the first time they physically meet you. Keep in contact by sending cards and letters on occasions such as the anniversary of their Baptism/Dedication, birthdays, illness, or to say ‘you are in my thoughts’.
Today’s children seem to be born knowing how to use a computer. They are more advanced that we the are. If you are reading this online, then perhaps you are not too ancient then. Keep in touch via the Internet by using email and Instant Messengers. This can turn out to be a helpful means of contact and your Godchild knows he or she has someone they can talk to besides their parents.
Spend Time With Your Godchild – Whenever possible spend time with the family of your Godchild and also invite them, or the child alone, to spend time with you. This might include Summer vacations or other school breaks and use of your vacation time.
Give Spiritually Nurturing Care and Gifts – Too often parents look for Godparents not for the spiritual care they can give, but for their capacity to buy their children expensive gifts. Those parents have missed the point of this religious role. When properly understood, God parents should appreciate their role primarily as support in spiritual education and nurture of children.
Even though you are far away, you can still give meaningful gifts that will help to affirm the spiritual care and education of your Godchild. It makes sense then that your gifts be mostly of a religious nature. This is not an easy choice when competing with violent video games, dolls that scream out commercialized versions of beauty, and other useless and psychologically damaging toys.
So, I hear the question every godparent must now be asking. Where on earth do I get these ’spiritual nurturing gifts’ that are not boring? Listen, that is a whole new story. I’m still searching so look out for my suggestions.
Happy Godparenting with renewed committment!
By: Marvia Lawes
