Having two children of my own I perfectly understand how difficult it is to travel with children on the back seat of the car. After a small amount on the car they become tired of being there and they become very upset.

I always had some trouble to control my oldest son since he becomes seasick when he for instance tries to ready while we are on the road. But one thing is certain, I always used attractive distractions to keep them busy.

When they were younger I used to take travel toys in the car to keep them occupied. Toys could be magnetic boards, rattles, and other noisy toys. As they grew older I started taking puzzles, electronic games, books, UNO game, cards, and so on.

There are some special designers that provide us with the best toys to keep our kids happy and quiet. Melissa and Doug design and manufacture those toys, both educational and fun. They have a wide variety of toys for all ages. Toddlers might be difficult to entertain but bigger kids are not easier.

We should always buy toys that match our kid’s age. A baby might be happy and entertained with baby banz products such as sunglasses and attractive hats while a ten year old will be more interested in a video game or a DVD player with a great movie for his or her age.

Overall the most important thing is to keep the kids entertained while we are driving even if it is a short distance. When there are siblings, travel toys should be in the same number so that there are no fights to dispute a toy. Of course that can always happen , but if each kid has its own toys in the car it will be easy for them to be quiet while playing with their own toys. Cards can be used to keep the kids entertained with each other.

Drive safe and don’t forget your travel toys at home.

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Moms and dads struggle with their kid’s behavior. If you need a little help to manage those unwanted and exhausting moments than The Mumsnet Rules book is perfect for you.

Being a mother of a son and a daughter five years apart makes me struggle with their behavior at two age levels.

The twelve year old is starting to deal with different issues in a very confident way. When he says or asks something he does that with the conviction that I will approve it upfront. That happens to be a major problem when I don’t approve what he requests and a load of emotions just emerge from inside him and myself.

My seven year old is very insistent and demanding. She asks if she can do something even if she knows I will not because she will then confront me with an endless back and forward, yes and no words. She also likes words like, come on; pleeeeese, and she also does the sad puppy look.

Rules is something I am terrible at from time to time. I can be very strict in some situations but I can also be too complacent in another. I think there is the need to know exactly the do’s and don’ts of rules when dealing with children.

If you need advices, instructions, specific information about how to deal with children’s behavior than you are going to love The Mumsnet Rules book. Parenting is not easy and we can always accept some help. This book will bring you in a very clear way all the information you need to deal with your children no matter their age.

The Mumsnet Rules is the book parents everywhere have been crying out for – provocative, funny, indispensable, inimitable, and a triumph of commonsense over hysteria

If you want a free family haircut than you can contact a Trotters branch and schedule a haircut for June 11 mentioning the secret word “Mumsnet”.

This post is sponsored by Mumsnet.

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Parents seeking to teach their kids to be responsible must determine which age appropriate chores they can assign their kids. Here is a guide to help you decide which tasks you should allocate to your children based on their ages.

Children aged 2 to 4 have a lot of energy. They enjoy running around the house and creating havoc. It would be a good idea to assign them chores that they can handle. They are also very eager to help and this works to the parent’s advantage.

The age fitting tasks for children of this age are:

• Helping to make the bed

• Picking up after themselves when it comes to toys and books.

• Helping in wiping up spills

• Going to potty

Those ranging in age from 4 to 6 are still as energetic as the group above. They are now interested in discovery and will be able to do chores on their own without your constant supervision.

The age appropriate household tasks for youngsters of this age are:

• Setting the table and clearing it after a meal

• Helping with the dishes

• Putting away groceries

• Personal hygiene activities like brushing teeth, washing hands and using the toilet

• Watering the garden

• Helping out with making up their beds

• Keeping their rooms tidy and also preparing for the next day at school

Children in the age group 7 to 12 are mature enough to help out around the house in a manner that adds more responsibility to them.  These children are more responsive to a chore routine and so you should carefully consider what to assign as daily chores and weekend chores. This is also a time to give them rewards when they do their chores.

The age appropriate tasks for young ones of this age are:

• Helping to plan the meals and prepare them

• Gardening chores

• Taking out the rubbish

• Tidying up the bathroom

• Helping with the laundry

Teenage years are very important in the molding of a child and preparing for the future. This is a time when responsibility should be taught to the teen. Some teens will shun the idea of doing chores and parents seem lost on what to do about this situation. Teenagers are busy visiting friends or playing computer games. Therefore, they are unable to devote much time for chores. You should help your teen to manage their time properly so that they have time for their chores.

The age appropriate household tasks for kids of this age are:

• Doing laundry

• Preparing meals

• Cooking simple meals such as breakfast

• Cleaning out kitchen appliances

• Mowing the lawn

• Baby sitting younger children in the family

Age appropriate chores for children are supposed to develop a sense of responsibility toward the family unit. This will make them into respected and fruitful members of the community once they grow up and start their own families.

Author Byline: This is a guest article written by Haliyma, a freelancer based in New York. Haliyma regularly writes parenting articles covering topics such as educational gifts.

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Many parents feel frustrated and annoyed by the fact that their children simply do not seem to take them seriously.  They resort to yelling and shouting at their kids because they do not feel like there are any other available options and it basically becomes a knee-jerk reaction each and every time.

Sometimes parents reach a breaking point because they have allowed certain inappropriate behavior go by without any consequences for the child.  With each successive problem their frustration levels rise until they reach breaking point and lash out.

If this sounds like you do not despair and do not feel as though you are alone.  This is a very common thing for most parents but there is good news.  You can do something about it because there are other options available and you might find that implementing some of the tips we have outlined below beneficial in the relationship you have with your child or children.  Let us take a closer look at some of the alternatives:

Walk Away
Just because you are invited to a fight does not mean you have to attend.  By simply refusing to yell or shout any longer you will find that very often the screaming match will simply end right then.  It doesn’t matter how long you and the child have been arguing, simply refuse to continue.  Although this will be difficult at first it gives you and the child a chance to calm down and therefore be more rational.

Take Some Time
Much of the time we yell at our children over things that are in fact really not urgent and we do so because of many different factors, such as overwork, stress, etc.  By taking some time to reflect on the issue you will find that you calm down and are able to gather your thoughts so that when you go to the child, even if it is the next day, you will be able to discuss with them the issues at hand, be it the use of bad language, or not doing their homework.

Know What Triggers You
Decide what the triggers are they make you blow your top.  Perhaps it is that they backchat or leave a mess in the kitchen.  Once you know what the triggers are you can then figure out the best way to cope when you encounter one.

All parents know that there are highs and lows when it comes to parenting. Yelling does not have to be part of yours or your child’s every day.  The important thing to remember is that you are not alone and you can do something about it.  Decide what kind of parent you want to be for your child and then work toward being that.  Seek help from your spouse, friends and family as very often they might have the advice that you need.  The wrong thing to do is to pretend that it is normal and okay when in fact it is not and will not result in your child or children taking you seriously.  Instead the child will learn to tune you out and the screaming matches will continue and escalate in severity, making life miserable for all concerned.  All parents want their children to take them seriously but that means that the child has to understand and believe that you are in control at all times.  Yelling and screaming does not send that message at all.

Joyce Brister is a loving parent and blogger for the My Baby Blog.  Joyce loves writing about situations that parents are often faced with.  She would like for you to take a look at My Baby Bedding Shop and her Glenna Jean Crib Bedding.

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We’ve all been there: trapped on an airplane, with that annoying baby crying in the next aisle throughout the flight. I was even on a plane once where another “helpful” woman angrily screamed, “Have you heard of a pacifier?!” Maybe like me, now you’re on the other side of the equation, with a toddler in tow, trying to fend off pissed-off passengers with apologetic half smiles. From navigating the maze of airport security to the endless hours in the sky, here are ways to cut down on the inevitable stress of flying with your child. Just look at it this way: at least we don’t have to travel by wagon train anymore.

Before You Get to the Airport

•    Make sure you have the right size containers. You’re allowed to fly with juice, formula, or breast milk for baby, but it has to be in the right size container. Only 3.4 ounce (100 ml) or smaller containers are allowed. Check the TSA website for the most recent information on airport security and what it means for your toddler.

•    Keep your stroller organized: You’ll have to take everything out of your stroller, in order for it to be x-rayed. Keeping things organized will cut down on annoying time in the security line. Pack things together, and minimize the amount of clutter floating in your stroller’s compartments.

•    Bring a baby seat and reserve that extra plane seat: While it might be possible to carry your child on your lap while flying, it sure isn’t comfortable. The money you can save by doing it might be appealing, but reserving an extra seat is more courteous to the fellow fliers and more likely to result in a calmer flight for your kid. And, if your child weighs more than forty pounds, you’re required by the FAA to restrain them with an airplane seatbelt.

•    Bring the right entertainment: If it’s the portable DVD player your kid loves, make sure it’s in the bag. Don’t overpack, however, or you’ll be lugging a heavy bag through the airport.

In Flight

•    Pack a diaper change kit: Put all the things you need to change a few diapers in one easily accessible bag. You’ll be glad you had that diaper, some wipes, and a good smelling lotion around when you need to change a diaper in flight. If you’ve got a larger kid, ask a crew member if there is a bathroom on the aircraft with a change table, as this is often the case.

•    Dealing with ear popping: That uncomfortable feeling of pressure buildup in the ears can be one of the most trying things about flying with children. A pacifier is helpful, and should be put in during take-off and before your descent. Unfortunately, for kids too young to understand the instructions to swallow, crying can be the only effective way to relieve ear pressure. Let them cry it out—it’s actually helpful.

•    Bring more food than you think you’ll need: Pack food and snacks as if you won’t be getting any on the plane. This is often the case these days, and even if there is food that doesn’t mean your toddler will actually eat it. When it’s time to eat, feed your kid first, then yourself. Manipulating trays of food in flight can be difficult, and you’ll be more relaxed while eating if your child has already.

•    Be prepared for motion sickness: If it’s your child’s first flight or you know they are prone to motion sickness, be prepared. Put a Ziploc bag in your purse or in front of your seat, if you fear they might puke. And of course, keep lots of wet wipes around for clean up. Don’t let them eat too much before the flight, and consider putting a disposable bib on any child that may get sick. Even a little puke smells really bad, when stuck in a tiny airplane.

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My son entered to the 6th grade and he thinks we can trust him has a responsible boy.

The school he attends had a id card system used as information about what the children are authorized to do or not. They use a id badge printer to print out an ID card to all the children. If the parents authorize the child to leave alone from school the card is green, if the child is not authorized to leave school without one adult, the card is red.

We decided to trust him and we authorized the green card, however he has to call us each time he leaves school. Now he is able to leave school at lunch time to go for a walk with his friends and go to the store to buy a gum.

I must confess that I worry each time he goes out of school, however I trust him and I think we owe him that trust. School is also a 15 minutes walk from our home and, having the green card allows him to go home alone if something unexpected happens and we are not able to pick him up. Of course he know he can only do this on a very special and authorized situation but in a couple of years he will be able to walk to without any problem.

It would be great to be able to use HID proximity cards and keep control of his moves, but that would look like surveillance and he needs to feel that we trust him. I know that kids his age want to be independent, but the fear of kidnaps and abuse are vivid in my head and I want to protect him as much as I can. I guess at the age of 25 I will be able to let him go.

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No matter how much I tell my son not to damage the furniture he keeps doing it. His desk is full of pen strokes, marks that won’t disappear and I wonder: when will he be aware that he’s damaging thinks that cost money.

Sometimes I think he does that unconsciously while he plays in the computer or while he is thinking about the answers he has to write on his homework. The truth is, he is damaging his own room and he doesn’t care about it.

I know he has other things on his mind like playing video games or playing with his educational toys but he is eleven years old and he knows life is not easy.

My sincere opinion is that we parents in general spoil the kids too much. We do our best to keep them happy and we give them access to too much stuff making them undervalue what they have. He has a office chair that was quite expensive because we were thinking about his spine posture, guess what, one of these days while playing with two neighbors in his room they broke one side of the chair. I confronted him and he just said: it just happened, that’s ok, It can still be used.

What am I doing wrong? For my son kids furniture is just something that can be replaced when damaged.

I was raised on a “short of money” environment. I know what is like to want something and can’t have it. I want my kids to realize that too, but it seems I’m failing to accomplish that. I guess I have to change to a more severe posture and reducing on some demands I receive from them.

Well, If you have some advice for me just let me know please.

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It was a very busy week.

Last Sunday we attended a wedding; Monday we had lunch at the bride’s mother house and spend the rest of the afternoon there. After two days eating and drinking what I wanted was not to see food in front of my eyes.

The kids are too excited, too much excited in fact because Monday they will return to school. They are anxious to see their friends, the school, everything so these last couple of days were a little difficult. Who said parenting and being a parent was easy?

Being excited and anxious change they daily behavior. They are agitate, picky, stubborn and well, it’s difficult to handle kids this way.

Monday the school routine is going to start and I think the worse thing will be taking them out of bed in the morning.

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My daughter frequently ignore me…on purpose. I found this article on Baby Center about “Dealing with Ignoring” and I find the ideas quite helpful. Here it is:

“Often kids ignore parents so they can avoid doing something or fighting over something they really don’t want to do. Or they do so because they know you’ll get mad and they want to get a rise out of you. Some kids get in the habit of ignoring parents because parents then give up and do the thing themselves. These are all forms of disrespect that should not go unaddressed.

Some ideas for an ignoring problem:

• Start by making sure your requests are simple and specific. “You need to pick up sticks in the yard and put them in the compost heap” is better than “Clean up the yard.” That way, your child can’t claim she didn’t know what you meant.
• Find the right motivation. We all respond to positive reinforcement, so offer rewards when your child does listen and follow through. (Your reward could be something as simple as a hug or a heartfelt “Thank you!”)
• Try to eliminate “No” from your vocabulary. The more they hear it, the more you begin to sound like the teacher from Charlie Brown (waa waaa waa wa) and the easier it is to tune you out. Instead of “No, don’t use the pogo stick in the house,” try “Take your pogo stick outside, please.”
• Don’t let your child get away with ignoring you on purpose. If she doesn’t do as you request, mete out a swift, appropriate penalty.”

photo credit: nattu

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I must confess, I have an annoying daughter! Yeap. When she puts something on her mind she just insists, insists and keeps insisting. Sometimes the stubborn side is overcome by the annoying side.

When it is related to something she wants on that moment, I know she wants a “yes” instead of multiple “no”. But when it is related to something she will do some time in the future, it’s terrible to hear her for days and days and days…

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Today it was the first day of Summer Holidays for the kids. They stayed at home last week with my husband due to my father’s funeral but now he is back to work and I’m jobless therefore at home.

The kids woke up at 11am and although everything was just fine at first, they soon become very active and screaming at each other. Oh boy!! I must take some rules around here otherwise I’m going nuts in no time. They keep messing with each other all the time.

I have no brothers or sisters so I don’t know how it is to have them but what other parents is that it’s common, natural that siblings compete with each other. I read an article from Kids Health that says:

About Sibling Rivalry

While many kids are lucky enough to become the best of friends with their siblings, it’s common for brothers and sisters to fight. (It’s also common for them to swing back and forth between adoring and detesting one other!)

Well, this paragraph says everything about my kids. One minute they love each other on the other minute they detest each other. I only say something when I start to see some martial arts being performed and I’m afraid they might hurt each other. Other times I just shout at them to see if they stop but usually it just works on that minute and then they start all over again.

But not everything is bad, I love to see them hugging, watching television together, helping each other, jumping and laughing together.

I’m sure the sibling rivalry is going to continue throughout adolescence, maybe it will get worse, maybe not. I just wish they can be friends for life and they support each other in good and bad times.

So, let’s see how the next days will be!

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Here’s the tip for today:

We don’t tell our daughter she’s bad but instead stress that a particular behavior is bad. I try to build her self-esteem and make sure that she knows what behaviors are appropriate and not appropriate in our house.

Author: Bridget

From now will I will post Parent Tips from real Moms/Dads on Thursdays. I will gather them over the internet and if you want to contribute please send me an email to soleflor at gmail dot com or send me a DM to @soleflor if the tip has less than 140 letters and I will publish them. If you have a blog I will link to it, if you don’t no problem send me the Tip and I will post it with your name.

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