Fathering Court:A Good Way To Enforce Good Parenting

Fathering Court programme is a new way a Washington
D.C. Superior Court is enforcing good parenting on the
part of fathers who are behaving badly.

A news item from MyFox news reports that the father
who are trying to escape paying their children's upkeep
allowance are now being forced to carry out their parenting
responsibility.

This is what one of the judges that have been enforcing the
good parenting ideas have to say:

"For those folks that don't want to pay and aren't going to pay,
jail's the right place to put 'em," says the judge. "But for folks
that are trying and [who] need a helping hand... there's another
approach."

One of the culprits who have been helped by the Fathering Court
remarked thus:

"It's getting you ready for the workforce again.Waking up, if you're
not used to waking up. Getting up. Getting dressed. Going to work
with your suit and tie on."

Another one was reported to have spoken this way about the project:

"It showed me how to be a better parents, a better father to my kids.
How to be patient... how to interact with them."

What else is better than this?

Let me know what yopu feel about the Fathering Court project of the
Washington D.C. United States of America.

Don't you feel it should be practised in other states of the U.S.A. and
other countries too?

Happy Parenting...
Kazeem.

Four Things To Consider Before Becoming A Parent

Parenting is tedious job whuich is not meant for the
the lazy type of people.

If you are interested in becoming a parent, these are some
of the things you have to consider in order to make a success
of it:

1.Right Partner:You need a partner to raise your children and
both of you must be desirous of having children. Your wiliness
and preparedness will make whatever pains you may be going
through ease out since he would always be there to assist you
when he is needed.

2. Taking Responsibility: This is another issue to tackle seriously before

the two of you embark on child bearing.Eachof you should choose and

take responsibility for having and raising a child you will bringing into

the world.The fact is that your partner may die, or you may split up.

You might end up raising them alone in case any of the above suddenly happens

3. The Time: Timing is crucial.It is the right time for you to be pregnant?

Would the pregnancy not affect yoour job,health or relationship with your

partner?You need to ask yourself these questions before you decide to

become a parent.

4.Financial Condition: Are tyou financially okay to take care of youself,

your wife and the children you intend to bring to the world?

It is desirable that at least you partners should have a steady job

when planning for a family.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

Why You Should Never Swear In Front Of Your Children

Do you use a foul language whuile dealing with your children,
perhaps as a reult of a bad mood?

Well, that is a wrong thing to do,if you do not want your
children to grow up thinking that foul language is acceptable!

You should be careful about using foul language in front of your
children no matter how provoked you are. Realise that such
language is inappropriate anytime your children are around.

You needn't wait for anyone to "preach" to you about this.I'm
saying this because there is every likelihood that your spouse
may not like your choice of language.

The unfortunate thing is that your children are getting swept up
in the tension and arguments that you two have over his language
you may be having with your spouse over this matter of language usage.

You don't want to set a bad example for our children by using foul language.

You're may not necessarily be a dad,perhapa you are somehow bothered by something.

The fact ios that you have to get your anget and language in check in front of the kids.

Perhaps you are thinking that stopping the foul language is a loss of power.Perhaps you have actually been using this language from your childhood and nobody ever bothered to put you in check.

Now is the time for you to stop it for the sake of your children, if you truly love them as you claim to.Never again swear in front of your kids and in the presence of your family members as a whole.It takes some self discipline efforts to do so,but you can do it all the same.


Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

How To Help Your Child Face Peer Pressure

Teens all over the world are faced everyday with a lot of
pressure from their peer group members.

Some teens are able to go through this pressure successfully,
but some others are so pressed up that they will easily cave in
when the their friend apply too much pressure on them even
when the result of what they are about to do is going to be very
devastating to their self image and reputation.

As a parent you need to come to the rescue of your child at a time
like this is you don't want to have a bad case in your hand.

Call your child when you begin to see the following signs.Let him
know that you are concerned about his life and well-being at all
times.

Give your child the necessary assurance that he could rely on you
at all times for the necessary support if he is confronted with any
unnecessary pressure from people to whom he won't be able to say
no,even when he is not comfortable doing what they want him to do.

Always observe your child's feelings at all times.It is only through this
observation that you can sense it if anything is happening to him.

Build the necessary confidence in your child and teach him never to
say "Yes" when he means to say "NO".The courage to say the
appropriate words at the right time will make his peer take his words
for real when he objects to their suggestion instead of applying
unnecessary pressure on him and make him do things he will later
regret.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

Why Children Lie

Have you ever been enraged when your children lie to you even when the lie is
so obvious?

Well, the truth is that most children lie and they get on their parents' nerves
when they do so.

The question that begs for an answer is: "Why do children lie?"

Children lie for many reasons and in different circumstances.

They lie simply because the adults,especially their parents,do not allow them to tell the truth about the circumstances they are in at that moment in time.

When a child truthfully declares that she does not like her brother and the mother becomes furious ans spanks her for speaking the truth,what the mother is indirectly saying to the poor girl is that the girl should lie and keep her truth to herself because the world is not ready to accept it.

Children lie in self-defence because they had been punished for speaking the truth at one time or the other.

Children tell lies to stop their parents from interrogating them on matters they feel parents have already known the answers to.

Children also lie to reveal what they would like to be or do.You as a parent need to react positively to such lies.

Now that you know why your children would lie to you,try as much as possible to listen to some of the bitter truths they are always ready to release,if given the chance.

Your children will only learn whether to lie or tell the truth from your reactions to their
expressed honest feelings.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem

How To Develop A Kids Reward System

Your parenting efforts could become more rewarding and fruitful if you will just learn how to reward your kids throughthe Kid Rewarding System.

Every kid wants to be rewarded for whatever efforts they put into what they have been asked to do by their parents. They love it and desire it most times.But most parents do not seem to understand this all important fact about their children.

The trick of the Kid Rewarding System(KRS) is to reward immediately he does something appreciable and present him with something he is actually interested in.

Make effort to set a goal for your child and tell your him that when he accomplish the task (which can be anything such as keeping his room clean, completion his homework, doing school projects, learning a new instrument and so on) ‘X’ reward awaits him. The ‘X’ reward must be a thing he desires.

From your announcement it is clear and understood that when the task is completed you would be rewarding the child.However, the proper system is that here you shall also be rewarding the child for a good try even though the task is not accomplished.

Most of us reward only an accomplished task which discourages the child because he would have felt within him that his effort,though an attempt, should have been recognised at least.

Please begin to implement this new system and see how your children will improve their task every time they are given anything to do.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem

Do You Want To Know What On Earth Your Kids Are Thinking?

Parents are the most worrisome human beings on earth.
They get themselves worried over almost everything
concerning their kids.

The problems with most parents is that they think they
know everything,whereas they don't.

But there are ways by which you can know what your child
is thinking about which will stop you from unnecessary worries
that you always fill your life with at all times.

This is not in anyway magical in the true sense of it.It is just
something you can fish out by yourself if you choose to learn
the rope.

One way buy which you know what your kid ids thinking about
is by observation and deep interest in their life.

If you devote your time to observing what your child is doing
at a given time, there is the possibility that you will be able to guess
right whatever they have in mind.

You may also try to be friendly with your child so as to create a
no-hold-barred relationship[ between you and him.You will then
become the first person he will want to share his thoughts with.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem

Have You Ever Had Parental Guilt?

Today's parents are all burdened by a feeling of guilt one
way or the other due to what they perceived as inadequate
time and devotion for their children.

If you ever feel guilty about what you think you should do
for your children,especially the teenage ones,which you have
not been able to give them, you need not worry so much.

A lot of parents think that if their children are not given their
full time ,then they are lacken in their responsibility as parents.

I agree to this,but the fact still remains that the quality of time
you have for your children is what maters and not the length
of the period.

Control your time .Break your time into whatever division
possible,but with some time left for you and your children to
be together.Do not be concerned about how long or how short
the time is.Instead think quality.

A few quality time spent with your children will be enough to last
in their memory til when next you have another quality time with
them.Believe me, they will always be looking forward to spending
time with you since they know that it will eventually end up being
a productive time after all.

Hapy Parenting...

Kazeem.

How To Help Your Teenager Develop Good Study Habits At Home

Parents are always complaining about the studying
habits of their teenage children.They find themselves
somehow helpless when it comes to matters of this
nature.But there is always a way around whatever
problem there is.

The following are ways by which you can help your
teenager develop good study habits:

* Let your child know that you are a team player in his school
life. You,as his parent, are there to help him become a better
student.

* It is imperative for your child that you create an environment
where he can study and do his homework with few interruptions
and distractions.

* Make sure that his homework is done at a particular time of the
day regularly.This is because children are always interested in
routines .Research has proved that children feel more balanced
and comfortable when there is a routine for the day. However,
you should not expect you child to sit and work quietly on
homework during a chaotic time in the house.

* There is a need for the whole family to come together to create a
"Quiet Time"every day.The time should be spent with the parents
reading, doing laundry, working on the computer, etc. - certainly
not watching TV or talking on the phone. This will make the child
have the idea that it is very important that all of us can get our work
done in a quiet and efficient manner.

* You should create a "Corner" for the child in the house where he
could set up his reading.This could be anywhere in the house.

* Avoid laying any complaint about your child's homework while
other children including his siblings will be with you.All your comments
about his academic works should be centred on him alone and in the
absence of other people.

* Avoid the temptation of doing the homework for your child.This
does not mean that you may explain things to his if he doesn't
understand the question.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

Why You Should Not Lock Your Teenager Out When He Comes Home Late

Is it a good idea to lock your teenager out when he comes
home late?

Do you think locking your teenage child out will solve the
problem of late night out with his friends?

As for me, l don't think doing so will ever solve any problem.
In fact, you will be adding to the problem at hand as the child
will begin to cultivate the habit of staying late at night since
the possible punishment for such behaviour is already stipulated
by you unwittingly.


What if your teenager impulsively breaks a door or window to
get in to the house?

What if the child decide to make so much noise and disturb the
neighbours in the process?Would you feel happy with him or
yourself?

Suppose the child leaves and goes away to spend the night
with friends who may possibly influence him negatively?

What if the child just decides to run away from you his
parents?

The important question you need to ask yourself is how to
deal with these consequential problems as a result of your
action against the child's behaviour.

Instead of taking an action that you may later regret, I would
suggest that you should make effort to tell your child that if he
comes home late at night, he will not be allowed to go out for the
next few nights or the next week.

You have to take concrete action about this so that the child will
believe it is real.You can even withdraw his privilege of going out
with friends entirely.

There is every likelihood that you will may see some positive results.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

Five Ways To Teach And Promote Tolerance Among Your Teenage Children

Tolerance among teenagers is a desirable thing and parents really need to teach their
teenage children the ways to be tolerant of other people,starting ewith their siblings.

Lack of tolerance is what has turned our world upside down,.and we cannot afford to
continue like this with the coming generation who can avoid intolerance , if only we
make efforts to teach them how to.

Here,therefore, are eight ways to teach and promote tolerance among your teenage
children:

* Make effort to identify intolerant behaviour that is being displayed by the child
and point his/her attention to it with an instruction that he should try to change.

* You should try to encourage your children to use resources that are provided
by the communioty for the general use of everybody.That way the child would
have reason to share the resources with others and learn to tolerate them ion
the process.

* You as a parent should be homst in all your dealings to serve as a good example
for the children to emulate.This is a fine way; the easiest way to teach and
promote tolerant without too much sermon.Action speaks louder than words!

* Anytime your child displays an intolerant behaviour you should not hesitate to
challenge him.If you do this at all times, he will try to always check himself and
see that he is not intolerant in his behaviour.

* Always talk about tolerance with your children.Draw experiences from what is
happening around you and those things that are taking place around the world
that are caused by lack of tolreance for one another.That is a practical way to
teach and promote tolerance.



There is no better way to end this than to remind you thast as parents we all must learn to
tolerate other people in our community.You should let them be themselves no matter how
negative you may feel about their personal behaviour.In as much as they don't physically
hurt you, let them be.

Your teenage children are critical about everything they encounter including your personal
behaviour.

These are the ways to teach your teenage children to tolerate others and live in harmony.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

Curbing Underage Drinking And Other Risky Behaviours Among Teens

Curbing underage drinking and risky behaviour among teens
is a desirable thing for parents who are truly interested in their
teenagers.

It is a fact that teens a re faced with a lot of risky behaviours
which have inn the past subjected their lives to early death.

The risky behavoiurs like drunk driving,marijuana smoking,
overdose of drug intake,illegal use of poisinous drugs that are
injurious to their body etc could be curbed as long as the
parents are ready to play their God-given roles as the
guides the childrrn are supposed to look up to in their daily life.

Parents,these days, are not so concerned about the kind of life
their children live or the type of friends they keep as weell as
the possible efects such a relationship is having on thier children.
And this is a pity indeed.

As a parent, the onus is on you to guide and guard your children
against early drinking and risky behaviours.Let them know the
dangers inherent in early drinking and the possible early death
that their risky behavoiurs potent.

I agree that there are some teenagers who may feell distrurbed
by their parents' constant supervisory roles.Such children complain
about lack of space and freedom in the house for them to be them
-selves.

But the fact is that as long as they are still under your roof,
their so-called freedom can not be total at all as you have a
responsibility as a parent to know what they are doing in your
care.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem

Children Are Bearing The Brunt Of The Conflict In Gaza

Today l felt moved by the conflict going on in Gaza where
as lot of the children are bearing the brunt for a conflict
they did not start on their own.

The trouble with parents is that majority of them do not
seem so think deeply about the effects their actions will
have on their children and this insensitivity has led to a
lot of children dying in Gaza today.

Conflicts like wars are usually triggered off by adults,parents,
mostly.And the people that are always mostly affected are
the innocent children who may not even be able to explain
what the whole thing is all about.

There is no doubt in my mind that the children of Gaza are
not only dying as a result of gun shots, they are now being
killed by malnutrition and diseases that are plaguing the place.

We as parents should first think about the effects of our actions
on our children before embarking on them.That way, we may
have a rethink before the total destruction like what is being
experienced on daily bases in Gaza.

Six Ways To Cope With A Child Who Prefers One Parent to the Other

In a normal situation children usually show some preference
to one of their parents to the hurt of the other parent.

There have been reports of parents that feel so angry about
this situation that they come to the conclusion that the
beloved parent has done some things to "poison" the mind
o f their child against them.

The parents that are mostly affected are the new parents
who have little or no understanding about parenting.

The truth is that the situation you have found yourself in
is a normal situation and nobody has taught your dear
child to be against you and feel as if you are about to kill
him anytime you stretch your hand towards his direct in
a bid to carry him as every parent usually does.

Here are six ways by which you can cope with a child
who prefers one parent to the other:

1. Give the time child time and don't take the matter personally.

2. Let the parent that is not 'loved' leave home for a few hours
or even days. Surely,by the time the parent gets back, the
child may have decided that the "unloved" parent is not
evil after all.

3. Giving the chance and with the knowledge of one who knows
children very well,l can assure you that there is a likelihood
that within the next year or so the child will bounce in the
opposite direction.That time the so-called "beloved" parent
will be feeling neglected.

4.You should try to understand your child's personality because
children are not alike.If you have another child who does not
behave the way the one you are concerned about does,do not
try to compare the two.They are separate individuals that
would never behave the same way.


5.You may decide to follow the child around everywhere.In
addition, constantly ask him questions.Do whatever he
chooses to do at every given time. If he Is reads a book,
read a book too. If he is jumps, jump.You should,however,
prepare yourself for whatever he may want to do to reject
you such as throwing insults at you, etc.Don't mind. He will
eventually wear himself down and both of you may end up
being great friends.


6. Plan a Daddy/Mummy- Child outing on a weekend.If the
two of them hang out, they may end up forging a strong
relationship.

Coping with dislike is never going to be easy,but try any of the
ways suggested above and see how effective they can be.


Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

How To Make Maximum Impact As A Busy Dad

Are you a busy dad?

Is your life anything like this:

Commuting to or from work, business travel,scheduled
and unscheduled meetings and attending to files even
as you close the door behind you in your master bedroom?

Most busy dads hardly have time for their children,they
work so hard that they tend to end up unwittingly denying
their children a valuable time which should have been
positively used together as a family.

Well, you don't need to worry for too long because here you
will be learning how to make maximum impact as a busy dad
in the life of your children.

It is possible to raise the kids you want in the time you have.
You needn't feel anyway guilty with yourself.

Simply follow these steps and see how much impact you
would be making in the life of your kids as a very busy dad:

* Be involved in your kids' schooling - Try attend
the child's"Back-to-School Night" and other activities once
in a while,or even every time since such things don't happen
every day.

* Give your child a few minutes to play together,no matter
how short,everyday before leaving home for work.Your kid will
definitely appreciate the few minutes.
* Build relationships with your child's teachers.Teachers appreciate it
and communicate more with parents they have met physically.
The consequence is that your child won't get away with anything
because he will surely be reported.
* Plan a trip with your child.There are always some work-free
days that would involve both you and your child.So, while not
plan a short trip together?You will be glad you did as your child
will forever thank you for it.
* Develop the habit of listening to your child anytime he talks to you.
I don't mean that you should just pretend that you are paying
attention while you are not.Deliberately pay serious attention and
let your child be convince that you are.

These are just a few of the things you can do to make maximum
impact as a busy dad in the life of your children.You need to be
fully engaged in the development of your children regardless of how
busy you think you are.

Take action right now and see how your parenting life will improve for
the better.


Happy Parenting...

Kazeem

Annoying Normal Behaviours From Your Child

Children are normal human beings like the rest of us.
For this reason,therefore they will normally pose some
annoying behaviours that some times get on their
parents' nerves.

These behaviours are normal even if they are annoying
to your as a parent.They may make you mad but to the
child, there is nothing wrong.It is just the way people of
his age will behave in such circumstance.

The appeal here is that you should not see your child as
being different from the other children of his age.He is
normal, there is nothing strange in his behaviour.

Instead, you should wonder why the other child around
you is not doing what your child is doing which you think
is annoying at that moment in time.

These are common annoying,but normal behaviour
common among children that are 13 years old:

*He may refuse to communicate
*He withdraws to the room most times especially
when he sights a stranger.
*He will frequently demand more privacy and he
could even accuse you of prying too much into his life.
* He may be uncertain about himself and about life generally.
*He could be unfriendly and unhappy without any visible,
clear or explainable reason.
*He may worry himself about his body features.
*He may not want to be understood by you or anybody
else around.
*He may just have fewer friends and feels happy about it.
*He could choose to speak in a low voice.
*He may just shrug his shoulders when answering
your questions.
*More often than not he may feel teachers are unjust.
*He may be found crying in his room for no clear reason.
* He worries about everything.
* He may not find it easy to express affection.
* He may not often confide in you his parents.
* He feels easily embarrassed by you.

Have you noticed any of these behaviours in your 13 year
old child?Don't worry,it's a passing phase.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

The Challenges of Raising Teenagers As A Parent

There are numerous challenges you face in raising teenage
children.The challenges are so enormous that some parents
allow themselves to be weighed down by such demands.

But the question should be this: "Is it worth killing oneself
for?"

There is no need trying to kill yourself simply because you
are parenting a teenager if you know your onion on matters
concerning parenting.The fact that you are not alone in this
situation should give you the need assurance that there is a
solution somewhere.

That you have not been able to go across what you can read
to help you in parenting your teen children does not translate
to an acceptance of lack.

That you have not got in contact with people who can provide
practical solution to teen parenting does not mean there are
no people who could be of assistance to you.In fact, such people
will even be talking from an advantage position as they have
had real on-the -spot experiences about training teenage
children that you can use to your advantage.

One of the many challenges of raising a teenage child is under-
standing your teenager.

You may find it somehow hard or unbelievable to see your own
child making some "crazy" choices in matters you would have
thought that he could do well.

Yes, this will happen.The fact is that many parents are always
trying to think back to their teenage years and try(in vain though)
to make their children behave just the way they had done in their
own time.The reality is that times have changed.Your child is
behaving according to his own time and season.

You should make a deliberate effort to understand the "How"s
and "Why"s of the child's behaviour.This will demand some
efforts on your part,but who cares as long as you can find a
reason to justify whatever your child is doing as being legal,not
harmful and neighbour friendly.

Don't worry so much about your teenager's actions.Don't give
him reason to always think about the possible questions you
will ask him concerning what he is trying to do at any time.If
you do, he will always 'manufacture' tenable excuses for all of
his actions.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

How To Pave The Way For A Healthier Teen/Parent Relationship

The present day teenagers are always at logger-head with
their parents to the extent that some will even decide to leave
home in protest against what they term "a hard handedness"
by their parents.

But is this how it should be?

Can't there be a smooth and happy relationship between the
parents and their teenage children?

Where have we lost it as parents in our relationship with the
children who are seeing themselves as adults ,but whom we
are looking at as our young children?

The thing is that most parents do not allow their children to
come to them.They don't give the children the chance to be
themselves.No chance has ever been given to the children to
talk and ask questions concerning things that are worrying
their lives.

Most experts agreed that parents should try to raise their
children in an open and loving way which will directly
translate to easy communications between children and
parents.

The other consequences of such principle will include
strong friendship between the children and their parents
as the young ones will quickly take to their parents like
they take to their friends and feel very free at all times
to communicate their seeming problems without hindrances.

Another way to go about the relationship thing is for you
to keep asking your children questions about their friends,
hobbies,relationships with the opposite sex,movies, news
items etc.

Show them your concern about their lives and their future.
Where they show some fear, assure them that as long as you
are informed about whatever is agitating their minds,they
will definitely get some positive responses from you that will
give them the need assurance.

Assure them that you are taking cognisance of their likes and
dislikes which you consider very important in the scheme of
things just like they consider them too.

If you do the above, you shall be paving way for a healthier
relationship between you and your teenage children.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

The Best Way to Make a Kid Happy

The best way to make a kid happy as a parent is very
simple,if you know what to do.You don't need any Disney
world materials to make your kid happy as most people
will want us to believe these days.

It is only a lazy parent who lacks initiatives or who is not
creative that will resort to paying heavy amount of money
to buy too much toys in order to engage their kid with.You
can't get the desired result from such inanimate objects
compared to what I'm about to suggest to you here.

As a parent all you need to do is to just pay some attention
to your kid as he plays in the natural environment.Forget
about toys or videos.

As many times as you can make effort to tickle your child.
Play horse-rider by stooping and allowing him to climb your
back as if he is riding a horse.He will appreciate it and will
want a repeat,l tell you.

You can volunteer to do the number game with him by
counting his toes and persuade him to count yours too.

While doing this, you should not be surprised if your kid
is expressing his amazement at seeing your "very big"
toes for the first time.Just let him know that adult toes
are always like that and that when he becomes an adult
his toes would be big too.

How about playing a hide-and-seek game with your kid?
This could be very exciting indeed.

Kids like hiding themselves from the adults.They think
they are very intelligent than their parents,you know.
Don't worry,just agree to be the pursuant.Let him hide
himself while you seek him out.Later you may have a role
reversal.You hide and he seeks you out.

Anytime you decide to play with your kid try to stay outside
the house and do it in the compound,preferably in the garden,
if you have one.

These are some of the ways to make your kid very happy
whenever you are around.

If you play with your kid, he will always long for you anytime
you are not around or you are on a journey.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

Advice And Wisdom For New Parents

Are you a new parent?

Welcome to the world of reality!

Forget all the dreamy words of ease and comfort.
Parenting is tough, tedious and very depressing,
if you don't know your onion.

You should begin to think about schedules and learn
how to organize yourself in order to accommodate
the demands your child would request of you.

Now you don\t own your time as you used to.The
reality is that you will be sharing your time with
both your husband and the new child.

If you lack organisational ability, you should prepare
your mind to learn as nobody knows it all.There could
be some people in your neighbourhood who may be of
help if you cry out for their advice at the right time and
you show your readiness to learn from them.

Learning from someone who had gone through what you
are about to go through will reduce the burden you may
have to pass through and everything will just look very
comfortable and without stress,contrary to whatever you
might have been told earlier.

Do you have a mother?Does she have time to spare with
your young family without complaint?

Then call her in and make sure you learn under her foot
with joy.The situation will definitely be different when you
are learning parenting and having your own mother as your
"Instructor" compare to when a neighbour is doing same.

Happy Parenting...
Kazeem

Why You Shoud Lay A Good Example As A Parent

The renowned scholar,James Baldwin, said "Children have
never been good at listening to their elders but they have
never failed to imitate them."

Children do not really cherish paying attention to listening to
people, not even their parents,for too long.They prefer seeing
you instructing them by your own good examples.

You have to do and stop showing.

Act it!

Say less as a parent,if you desire to have children you can be
proud of later in life.

Parents are failing in their duties simply because they emphasize
sermonising over showing by example.This will never yield the
expected result.

How do you explain a situation where a father smokes,drinks,
gambles and womanizes,yet he tries to persuade his teenage
children to deviate from such vices by tagging them "unhealthy
and life-threatening"?

The children will point his attention to the fact at hand - "You
are doing what you are castigating,sir".

The right thing should be to live out your words.When you say
something,let your children see the same thing being done by you
as their parent.

The truth is that even before you say so the children will "never
fail to imitate you".

As a parent you should lay a good example for your children to
emulate.

Happy Parenting...

Kazeem.

Do You Make Up Time For Your Children?

Most busy parents l know do not seem to have time for their
children simply because they are always press for time in their
daily jobs.

There is really nothing wrong with doing your job, but this
should not be at the expense of your children who will always
look forward to getting help from their parents in case they run
into difficult or challenging situations.

Since you are not always there for them, then there is the need
for to make up for this lost time any time you find a space of a chance
to do so.

You must find the time to spend real quality time with your children
once in a while.

You can also deliberately programme yourself and make your leave
period from your job fall in such a time when your children will be on
holidays.

Schedule a weekend to go to interesting places that children are
always interested in visiting.

You can also make the children plan their own tour of any place they
want you to visit as a family.Believe me, you will surely enjoy this one.
The thing is that the children will not give you any hassle as long as
they planned the tour themselves.

Why don't you try the above for a trial and see what result you could
get in the end.

Do always make up for the time you have lost not being able to stay
with your children due to the demand of your daily job.

Happy parenting.

Kazeem.

Make Friends With Your Child's Teachers

You should endeavour to make friends with your child's teachers as
they are out to assist you in the parenting enterprise you have
embarked upon.You have everything to gain rather than losing if you
make up your mind today to begin a lasting relationship with your child's
teachers.

Some parents are so carefree about making friends with the teacher with
who their children are spending the better part of the day while they are at
work minding other businesses.


The fact remains that we are so very busy that most parents hardly have
time to find out what is going on with their children during the day.Teacher
are the ones on ground to see to it that no harm befalls your child.


The teacher are more placed in an advantageous position to know who your
child is away from home where they have the best chance to disguise from you
who they truly are.


There at school, the teachers see the children at close range;not necessarily
because they are spying on the children,It is just that they are always close to
them due to their professional calling.


If you look very well, you will realise that your child prefer taking orders from
his teacher to you.


Hasn't your child come back home and do things from which you may want to
divert his attention and the child refusing to obey you because he must do it
simply because:"Our teacher said we should do it"?


Besides the above, teachers are also very helpful in the care of the children
left with them.


l remember when my teenage child was still in secondary school - boarding
house-to be precise.He started falling out ion his performances academically
due to the new friends he was associating then.His teacher noticed this, and
because we had established a good relationship with him, he quickly phoned
me and l rushed down to the school to have a hearty discussion with my child.
He promised a change which he kept to and we are all the better for it .


My child graduated with very good result due to the teacher's intervention
in his relationship with the so called friends who were not helping him .


Finally,l want to plead with you to make friends with your child's teachers for
the betterment of the child's life .

You have everything to gain and nothing to lose in such relationships.

Happy parenting.

Kazeem