And You Will Have Kids

For some children, it seems that a switch is flipped when they become a teen.  Overnite, that sweet youngster has turned into a sullen, argumentative teen.  What happened? What do you do now?

The teen years are a turbulent time in life.  Teens are struggling to adjust to their changing bodies and struggling to figure out “who they are”.  Some children breeze through this transition easily, and others have a difficult time of it.  This can create problems at home and at school. More →

MS,

The neighbor just asked my 13 year old to babysit her daughter this weekend for a few hours.  I’m not so sure how I feel about this, but my daughter is very excited to have the chance to earn some extra money.  Is she too young to be babysitting at 13?

JO

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I’ve talked with a lot of parents and opinions on dating or courting vary widely across the spectrum. Some families take a more conservative approach and other families are more laid back in regards to the subject.

My oldest child is almost 16 and I will tell you that she arrived at that age seemingly overnight.  It doesn’t seem like that long ago I was arguing with my parents about dating.  Now my daughters are arguing with me!  I say this because I think it’s important to start thinking about teenage topics and issues before your children become teens.

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Halloween can be a scary time of year especially for young children.  While adults know that the decorations and costumes aren’t for real, young children don’t understand that concept.  Here are some tips which should help you to enjoy the holiday with your young ones and avoid any meltdowns.

Decorate Simply

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Hello! 

My name is Michelle, and I am the new blogger for And You Will Have Kids. I want to introduce myself to everyone out there reading this blog.

I really believe there is truth in that old African saying: It takes a village to raise a child.  Because of that belief, I am hoping to create a virtual parenting village where parents can come to share, learn, and support each other as we raise our children.

My first child was born 15 years ago this September.  I never, ever guessed when I held her for the first time how drastically my life would change in the coming years. I remember peering into her big blue eyes and wondering who ever decided that I was capable of taking responsibility for another human being.  I remember wondering if there was a manual perhaps on how to parent? The thought of it all was terrifying to me.

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New Year’s Day is a great time for families to look over the past year and make resolutions for the new year.  Yes, even children can make and keep resolutions!

For younger children, resolution is a big word.  They may or may not be able to understand the concept.  Explaining that a resolution is like a promise you make to yourself may help them to understand.

What are some promises you would like to make for the upcoming year?  Younger children may promise to clean their rooms or to treat their siblings with respect.  Older children may resolve to eat less junk food, or watch less TV.  Perhaps even to text message less!  Here’s a great one: I resolve to not answer the cell phone at the dinner table!

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Parenting is the most difficult ‘job’ in the world. The process lasts longer than most modern careers. It requires a larger investment - in time and money - than just about any other activity. The complexity of choices is greater and the outcome more uncertain. Greater patience is needed and the roller coaster of emotions steeper than any other undertaking.

Parents have to learn, virtually from scratch, a range of new skills — and they have to get it as close to right as possible the first time. Relatively simple diaper changing rapidly gives way to complex medical conundrums. Educating a child, both intellectually and ethically, not to mention choosing among formal education alternatives, is a serious and difficult process.

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