advice
It takes a village to raise a family; advice and tips to make the most of yours.
Life of a Stay at Home Wife and Mother
As a stay at home wife and mother of a three-year-old, I can tell you that it is the most rewarding experience of my life. I love being able to take care of my daughter and be at home to have dinner ready for my husband every night. Although I love every aspect of it, it is anything but glamorous.
By R Williams8 years ago in Families
Toxic Family
It seems nowadays many of us have issues with our family members that either force us to walk on egg shells around them or avoid them entirely. We prefer to skip out on holiday gatherings and screen our relative’s phone calls and texts like they're bill collectors. There are some people who can’t be around their family without experiencing a strong sense of anxiety and others whose relatives are a major cause of their depression. Perhaps they have a father whose substance abuse made growing up more difficult than need be, a sibling who bullied them to the point where they have developed self-esteem issues, or an overly critical and emotionally detached mother who makes them feel worthless and unloved. Question is, how do you handle it and do what is best for you?
By EJ Shannon8 years ago in Families
Life of a Practically Single Mom
I was only 16 when I found out I was pregnant. I’d been dating the person who I thought was the love of my life for almost a year and he was going to basic for the Army National Guard. It was rough finishing school when his sisters had told everyone the news. I finished my sophomore year and tried to tough the summer out being pregnant by myself.
By Just a mom Doing her best8 years ago in Families
Parenting the Unparentable
Being a parent of gorgeous children is a blessing in its own. Have you ever had that child that is unteachable, or unparentable? Given the idea of having kids is a blessing and a great thing, but where are the parents who have kids that are unteachable? Why don't they come forth and explain the bad sides of parenting? This is the thing, everyone is supposed to recreate and bring forth the next generation and so on and so forth... Blah blah blah... All is good until you come across a child that just doesn't get it at all! A child who since he was 3 years old has been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and at 8 years old diagnosed with ODD (Oppositional Defiance Disorder)... One of those disorders alone is enough to drive a parent crazy. Mind you he has both!! Now with all the school involvement and home teachings you would think a child would get the point of learning new things and being able to understand right from wrong at this point right? Wrong! The unteachable is unthinkable but BAM... There it is right in your face. Failing grade after grade, psychological evaluations, and therapy sessions just doesn't even put a dent in this child's mind. Day after day it's a struggle to even wake up to tackle the day knowing you have a child that refuses to listen, learn, or even remotely act like he loves his mother a tiny bit. The daily dose of, go to your room now, get off your sister, don't talk back to me, slow down, eat your dinner, wash yourself right, brush your teeth correctly, clean your room now, and of course the discipline that follows if he does exactly the opposite of what you told him or does exactly what you told him not to do! It's the struggle of parenting a unparentable child.
By Christina Moxley8 years ago in Families
4 Top Tips for Tackling Toddler Tantrums, Plus the Top 50 Baby Names of 2017
So here's the thing: I have wonderful twin boys ❤️. They are three and their "terrible twos" has arrived late. We've had some pretty award-winning performances from our angelic-faced boys at home, in public, ...anywhere. I know how you feel about being stared at!
By Hollie Taylor8 years ago in Families
Play and Leisure
Play and leisure is a key part of a child’s development. They learn through play and leisure; it helps their imagination grow and their social, emotional, intellectual and communication development will blossom. They will learn what works and what doesn’t in certain activities by simply doing it themselves. Role play helps to build on their imagination and social skills whereas they will play together and make friends, all of this will increase their self-esteem also.
By Hollie Taylor8 years ago in Families
The Space Between
I had a space between my ears; it was empty. Or so I thought. I spent years conditioned to believe that whatever I had rattling around in there was useless, and definitely didn’t allow for my own thinking. In fact, whatever rattled around in there rendered my mouth useless, too. It seemed that, even though I had graduated with honours and headed to college a year prior to when I should have, sometime between when I met my first husband and we got married, it melted. I’m not entirely sure how I didn’t feel it turning into sludge as the weeks went by, and no one is really quite sure how I let that happen. My sludge brain made a family, brought little ones up and they mostly manage to function like normal human beings, except sometimes, like in the morning, or bedtime, or lunch time...OK, all the time. But basically, I raised small chimpanzees and they are doing just fine.
By Rachelle Hanlan8 years ago in Families
I Found Myself When I Quit My Job
I would never personally suggest women return to a 1950s lifestyle. I can only imagine the horde of women marching up to my door with torches and pitch forks demanding my head for that one. Women have strived for decades to earn an equal footing in the working world with men. Before a year ago, I would have laughed at the idea that somehow, giving up my 9 to 5 job might give me a more fulfilling life. In fact, I probably would have been the woman supplying the lighter for the torches.
By Kimberly Adams8 years ago in Families
Understanding the Effects of Addiction on the Family
Addiction is a disease that has a profound effect on everyone that it touches. No one wakes up one day and decides that they want to become addicted to drugs or alcohol. It’s a complex combination of genetics and life experiences that will, ultimately, lead someone to become dependent on substances.
By Aeden Smith-Ahearn8 years ago in Families
8 Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Teenagers and Young Adults. Top Story - December 2017.
Christmas is that time of year where most people stress about what to get their children. Sometimes their child is picky. Sometimes they already have everything that they could want. But when it comes to teenagers and young adults, buying Christmas gifts can seem like an impossible task.
By Samantha Reid8 years ago in Families
Best Co-Parenting Tips
When a schism of some kind occurs within a family, whether it be the mother or father leaving for whatever reason, a host of issues can be bred during that child's rearing. It's important to keep the children out of it at all costs, so as to ensure they aren't left feeling like it's their fault, or that they may not be the issue, but an issue. This is why co-parenting is one of the most important concepts when designing a family after a separation.
By Salvador Lorenz8 years ago in Families
