Parenting with preteens

Why does parenting get harder as the kids grow up? I thought the whole newborn thing was hard. Waking up every 2 hours, feeding, diapering, crying, etc. Boy was I wrong! My 12 year old and 10 year old are my hardest I think sometimes. I mean my two year old gets into everything and you cant take your eyes off her. My four year old is stingy and throws tantrums and is just mean sometimes. My 6 year old is whiny like all the time. My 8 year old is sneaky and is whiny when you try to correct her. My 10 year old is whiny, mean, thinks he is the boss, yells, screams, throws tantrums, hits and threatens and fights all the time with his sisters. My 12 year old Tops them all with sneakiness, lying, calling others names, fighting and arguing, thinks she is always right and you are wrong, blames everyone else, screams, back talks, disobeys rules, etc.

I thought I was a good parent. I have rules, I help them with their homework, I reward them, I let them be kids but I am picky when it comes to little things. They have to clean their room once a week and help around the house when I need help. They eat what they get that's that. I do not let them walk to friends houses or go to stores alone with friends. I don't let my kids stay home alone. They don't have cell phones. They don't play on the computer unless they tell me the site they are going to and I type it in and I keep a eye on them while they are on the computer. They aren't allow facebook accounts. My oldest has a email address but that is it. I guess its because I watch the news and the world has changed alot since I was a kid. Its not safe anymore! I want my kids to be kids and not grow up so fast. I see 1st and 2nd graders with cell phones. I hear 4th and 5th graders using foul languages. I have seen 3rd and 4th graders with facebook accounts. I see what the high schoolers do and wear and see. I don't like any of it. I am not ready for my kids to turn into that. I want them to be kind, considerate, helpful, thoughtful, teenagers that use their brains and realize when they aren't ready for stuff and not getting into the wrong crowds. I know they learn from their mistakes but kidnapping, rapes, child molestation, drugs, suicides are all on the rise and I am trying to teach my kids right. My 12 year old got grounded today for not letting me know where she was going and that she was walking with her friend to her house. She told me she was getting picked up to go play and here they were walking around the neighbor hood. Two 12 year old girls alone on a busy street I don't think so. Now she is mad since I grounded her for a week from treats and phone calls from friends and playing with friends. I don't think I am being harsh but I was scared when I didn't know where she was for around 45 minutes. I guess I am just not ready for my kids to grow up. I am just not good at disciplining them either but I want rules followed and I want them to do the right things and stop fighting and whining. Is that too much to ask???

Thursday Blogging - tips

10 Smart Parenting Techniques that Will Get Your Newborn to Sleep Longer

If you have been working on getting your newborn baby to sleep longer, it may help if you feed your baby before getting him to sleep, give your baby a warm bath, follow a consistent routine, put a sound machine near your newborn, always be on the lookout for a sleepy baby, create a conducive environment for sleeping, make sure your baby’s diaper is dry, swaddle your baby, keep the temperature right, and be flexible and try different techniques.

As a parent, it is very challenging to get your newborn baby to sleep longer. Though they sleep for as much as 15-19 hours in a day, they do not do this in one period of time and their sleep habits usually make you getting really sleepy and tired as well. To help you get your newborn baby to sleep longer, consider the following advice:

Feed you baby before getting him to sleep
The foremost reason why your newborn does not sleep longer is that his stomachs is still small and he needs to be fed every few hours, usually every two. To help your baby sleep longer, especially at night, feed the baby before putting him to bed. But, be sure not to overfeed him, as this will cause discomfort to your baby and make him sleep less than you expect.

Give your baby a warm bath
A warm bath can help your baby sleep longer through the night as it will help soothe your baby. You can make this a part of your bedtime routine to give him a cue that it is about time for bed.

Follow a consistent routine
Bedtime routines can help put your babies in a good sleeping condition. Although it takes weeks or months to get your newborn baby to get used to a routine, it helps a lot to start introducing it to him early. A warm bath, a good book, and a lullaby can help your newborn baby start thinking that it is about time to sleep. Set your own routine that you think will work for your baby.

Put a sound machine near your newborn
Many white noise machines are designed to help your baby get to sleep easier and stay asleep longer. A sound machine (Keyword/URL) will help cover the noise around the house that might disturb your baby’s sleep, like when you are doing some chores or when a dog is barking. Make sure you choose a sound that is comforting for the baby and not something that may scare him. Alternately, you can keep some classical or other soft music playing all throughout his sleep to soothe him.

Always be on the lookout for a sleepy baby
As a parent, you may often get the wrong notion that tiring your baby can make him sleep easier and much longer. The thing is, when babies are overstimulated, it makes them harder for them to go to sleep. If you see signs that your baby is sleepy, such as when they start to yawn, rub their eyes, and cry, get your baby ready for bed before he starts getting more irritable.

Create a conducive environment for sleeping
Whatever the time of the day is, make your baby’s bedroom a soothing place for him to rest so he will be able to sleep longer. It would be great if your newborn gets to sleep longer during the night so you can get the rest that you need. To help achieve this, differentiate your baby’s afternoon nap and his night time sleep so that he will be able to adjust his sleeping hours. For example, you can lie down with your baby in bed to help her get a nap, and you can do your bedtime routine at night to help her sleep easier and much longer. Keep the room dimly lit at night to help your baby differentiate night and day.

Make sure your baby’s diaper is dry
Wet diapers and clothes can disturb your baby’s sleep. Make it a point to change your baby’s diaper before takging him to bed to give him a comfortable sleep that can last for longer hours.

Swaddle your baby
Newborn babies need security. When your baby does not feel safe, the tendency is that he will not be able to get a good sleep. Swaddle him and make him feel safe and secure, just like those days when he was still in your womb, and give him a better, more secure, and longer sleep.

Keep the temperature right
A bedroom that is too cold or quite hot can leave the baby uncomfortable, waking him up earlier than expected. Keep the temperature right for the weather to help your newborn baby sleep longer during her naps and especially at night.

Be flexible and try different techniques
All babies are different when it comes to sleeping, even twins. Stay flexible, and try different techniques to help your baby get to sleep longer. For some, nursing the newborn will work great as part of the bedtime routine after a warm bath and a good book. Others carry or rock their newborns to sleep. Make sure that you put the baby down when he is already in deep sleep. When you find your newborn already sleeping, keep rocking or let him stay in your arms until about thirty minutes before putting him down to bed to make sure he is really asleep.

Getting newborns to sleep longer is a very challenging task. They get hungry easily, they get scared easily, and they need to adjust a lot to their new environment. Try different things out, see what works best for your newborn, and be consistent when you have found the right technique. Once you do this, you will not only help your newborn sleep longer, but you are instilling in him a healthy sleep habit that will help him as he grows. You, too, can get the rest you truly deserve after all your love and care.

Thursday tips

8 Useful Time Management Tips for Mom

You and the rest of the moms out there can have good time management skills by following some useful tips: get organized, delegate household responsibilities, multitask, focus on priorities, develop household shortcuts, follow a routine, bend to certain unexpected situations, and relieve yourself of stress.

Dealing with time properly is something moms should learn how to do effectively. If you consider following specific time management tips, it will not be hard for you to adjust and complete all your domestic responsibilities, kids’ needs, the relationship with your spouse, and even tasks at work. You can manage all of these responsibilities well if you learn to adapt to some forms of effective time management discipline.

Get organized
Getting organized can get rid you of the stress of failing to remember a number of appointments, unfinished tasks, and forgetting other relevant activities. Getting organized by coming up with a system that makes it possible for you to accomplish everything efficiently and effectively. Organize your home by eliminating any clutter anywhere within your house. A messy place drains your time and energy too. Your time is another aspect to organize. You do this by making a ‘to do list’. This will serve as guide of the things you need to finish during the day.

Delegate household responsibilities
Another secret to managing time is to delegate household responsibilities. It will soon become rewarding for the entire family when everyone is able to take turns in doing household chores. Start by asking your kids and spouse to take part in doing the simpler household tasks.

Multitask
The surest and safest way to multitask is to pair one simple task with a another that needs more focus. One good example is to clean your kitchen counter top while making a phone call. However, if you feel that you become agitated by doing two tasks at a time, then it is time to stop.

Focus on priorities
Giving in to other people’s requests can be a nice gesture. However, there are times when you have to say ‘no’ for the simple reason that you need to attend to more important things that are of top priority to you.

Develop household shortcuts
You can develop your own style of taking shortcuts when doing household chores. You can implement your way of clearing clutter, dusting your furniture, cleaning the windows, washing the dishes, and doing the laundry. Think of a technique to hasten your accomplishments without jeopardizing the quality of your work.

Follow a routine
Have a routine to prevent any waste of mental energy. Schedule your time for menu planning, going grocery shopping, running errands, and other essential activities.

Bend to certain unexpected situations
You must be flexible so you can cope with changing and unexpected situations. Even when you have your own set schedule, there are unforeseen things that might come up. When you are flexible, you will not easily get distracted and annoyed by any alteration in your planned activities.

Relieve yourself of stress
You deserve some forms of self-care. You must be able to spend time alone reflecting, meditating and journaling your thoughts. Indulging in a home spa and engaging in various exercise programs can be of great help too. Quality sleep and a healthy diet are two basic things you must have.