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01/14/11 | Parenting Guidelines For Single Mothers
Raising children as a single mother is a challenge. There are moments when you find that your life is in complete disarray and your house is in complete chaos. This is the time when you feel that you lack essential parenting tips as a single mother. It is better to have such arsenal at your disposal before you land in such a situation. There are numerous ways to deal with various age groups. Confronting strategies for toddlers differ with those for teenagers. Your 16 year old boy is likely to make fun of you if he is told to spend some time in a thinking chair as he is being obstinate, stubborn and aggressive. On the other hand a few minutes time out will do wonders while tackling a 4 year old. So to be successful as a single mother you should have a set of parenting tips for each group. Material regarding good parenting skills is widely available. A number of genuine and self proclaimed specialists are also around. A list of websites, books and other means in this aspect would probably require paragraphs. To make your life easy I would mention a few here. You can start with a library or a book shop. Single moms bringing up toddlers and smaller children will really benefit from the Parents Magazine. Unfortunately the major content in Parents Magazine is aimed at married parents. Among the various books available, you should go through at least a couple of them. Those who like Dr. Fan will recommend you his books. Dr. Terry Brazelton is an authority on child behavior. He is a father as well as a pediatrician. Even though a number of his books may be out of date, the attitude of babies and other children has remained the same since long. Last of all "The Well Trained Mind" is a good choice for those who want to train their children early. A number of websites and organizations are available to assist single mothers with parenting tips. A renowned group is Parents without partners. They provide a wide range of information for single mothers. In the UK similar information is available on gingerbread. Early Start and Head Start Programs deliver the same services in the USA. You may not be eligible for their preschool assistance, but you can participate in courses and seminars which they conduct on positive parenting. Last of all you can look for topics like single parenting and single mothers through any search engine on the internet and get the required information. So if you are a single mother in search of parenting tips now you know where and how to get the required information. If you require some parenting tips just now I can give you a few basics. As an adult you should be in control. Keep yourself composed all the time. This may not be easy, particularly when you find green finger paint all over your kitchen. The moment you become angry and irritable, you lose your composure. Such a situation may make your little child scared. To be successful always be composed and exercise control over your voice and actions. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_A._Gardner |
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01/02/11 | Hire a Nanny Legally to Take Care of Your Children
Many people who hire nannies, it seems that they are independent contractors and therefore can be given at the end of 1099 years.
EDD (Employment Development Department) clearly indicates that domestic workers are qualified to be placed on payroll. "Qualification" means that if you receive a salary of at least $ 750 per quarter, would be eligible to pay payroll taxes and employer. Although it may seem exorbitant taxes on wages, there are savings that can be obtained by placing a nanny or a housekeeper on the payroll. You can save taxes by incorporating in the pre-tax $ 5,000 per family per year to maintain your health and if offered by employer. According to the effective tax rate can save hundreds, even thousands of dollars in taxes when you use the pre-tax dollars on eligible dependents, including the payment of child care providers. Another form of savings is the tax credit for child care that you may be entitled to claim under the federal tax legislation. In 2005, the credit amount, if any, you can receive at least 20% for the first $ 3,000 in eligible expenses for each of the first two children per year. Finally, you will have peace and sleep well at night knowing you did everything according to law. You'll never have to worry about and take the consequences of hiring illegal. The main thing is that after calculating the potential tax advantages, hiring a nanny legally usually adds about 4% to 5% at cost. A $ 20,000 annual salary is about an extra $ 800 – $ 1000. Social Security, Medicare and federal taxes and state unemployment of around 9% of employee's salary to a typical household employer costs. However, like most of the tax benefits available to you, the real burden of hiring a nanny can be much less. In addition to a very important issue, it is illegal if you do not put the nanny or a housekeeper on the payroll, there is no reason to think about doing the right things. People who have industry generally expect that their wages in cash because of the fact that most employers do not want to bother. It is in fact rejected the wage moderation for those of us who pay our reality across the country. If you offer $ 15 per hour gross and neighbor cash offer $ 15 an hour, what do you think the employee would work? We need everyone on the same page and pay the whole country, respectively. The person who pays the payroll is often the gross amount must be equal to what the employee wants the tax net. If someone offered to them throughout the country on gross income (before taxes) a tax perspective, we would not have these problems in terms of wages. Employees should be informed of the benefits of being on the payroll. For example, there is no social security, workers compensation, unemployment and the creation of credit history. What you will encounter is a disgruntled employee notification and reporting to help at the same time. Source: "BestArticleInfo" |
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01/02/11 | Child Development
No words on earth can explain the happiness and the elated feeling of a mother, to feel her baby growing inside her. When the little one emerges from a single cell to a complete human, after nine months, the mom becomes simply euphoric. For her, the first few years of parenting are filled with exhilaration, as this is the stage when she witnesses the development of her child, in terms of language, communication, social skills and growth in the physical and mental levels. With some of the inborn capacities like the ability to recognize touch, reflex actions, the infant grows in many other dimensions, when he/she is nourished by his/her parent. Some of the strategies of child development are given below.
The communication skills in infants develop with time. Their communication skills typically include the use of words, development of vocabulary and the ability to attach meanings to specific words. Initially, they learn to communicate non-verbally, through touch, eye contact and gestures. They recognize the touch of their mother first, and then go on to explore others around them. The babies start to develop eye contact as well, with time. Hand gestures are learnt by them later on. One of the milestones in the little ones' life is the ability to communicate through words. In the first few months post birth, the infants babble. They are able to speak the first few words like 'mama' and 'papa', when they are 11 to 14 months old. Slowly, the babies pick up the words that are taught to them and try to imitate the 'sounds' listened by them. They start to speak in complete sentences, when they are 18 - 24 months old. However, the parents should know that no all the children attain the language milestone at the same age. The language learning pattern differs from infant to infant. With the ability to organize words, communicate orally and the growth of memory, the babies become more and more active. In fact, the toddlers become hyperactive at this stage of development, when they have graduated from merely babbling words to speaking words clearly. They might be a big 'question mark' for their parents and caretaker. At this stage of development, they tend to ask questions, both relevant and irrelevant to them, to their elder ones. They become very curious about knowing anything and everything surrounding them. They try to explore the world. The little ones are keen about learning everything, within a short span of attention. As they grow up, the ability to concentrate increases considerably. With the growing age, the children start interacting with the rest of the world, Apart from their parents and elder ones in the family. Their ability to socialize with others develops, when they get an opportunity to interact with other children. At times, they become cheerful, calm, while at other instances, they could be very restless. They make use of their facial expressions to convey their feelings to others. The body language of the infants is another way to convey what they want to express. The development of a child depends upon how they are nurtured, apart from their interaction with the rest of the world. Communication Skills Baby's first complete sentence can give you a thrill and become one of the most unforgettable moments in your life, just like the time when children roll over for the first time or touch and play with their toes for the first time and the first time they utter their first words. Babyhood is the time when children are curious about everything and are experimenting with everything. Controlling Active Babies Active toddlers can be quite a handful at times. It is not at all possible for children sit quietly all the time. In fact, most of the babies are hyperactive in the initial years. They are also very curious and try to poke their noses at the most unexpected places in your home. They try to explore new things every now and then and in the process, get hurt easily, even in the most baby-proofed homes too. Hide & Seek At about eight months, children start understanding that things and people exist even when they are not in direct line of sight. They may toss a toy on the floor and then stoop down to see where it falls. They take more interest in looking around and trying to find a thing or a person after they have left their place, perhaps just to be hidden from the baby. They start developing object permanence. Language Milestones Every child has a unique language development pattern so the parents should not worry too much about their children not following the growth chart as they had expected or should not think that their child can become a child prodigy just because he achieved some language milestones quicker than what have been reflected in charts. Developing People's Skills Babies start socializing even before they are born. While in the womb, they listen intently to your voice and know it to be yours and can recognize as being different from others. Their first smiles and constantly changing facial expressions are a practice to what comes next in social interaction. Promoting Language Skills All babies are born with an extraordinary ability to learn languages, pattern of sounds and associate them to the meaning attributed to them by their parents. The process of language learning begins when the child is still in the womb. From the seventh month of pregnancy when children develop hearing skills, they listen intently to all the conversations that their mothers have or the people around her have. Source: I Love India |
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11/14/10 | Baby Care Tips for Mothers
 If you are a mother that has recently given birth to a baby, you may find it to be quite strange taking care of the baby as it will be a totally new experience for you. Some mothers are also not very keen on doing the babysitting and may otherwise also be clueless about what it takes to properly care for their babies. It would pay for such mothers (and more experienced mothers as well) to make use of a baby care tips to help them learn about how to care for their newborn babies.Bathing Frequency The first baby care tip that every mother will need to follow is learning about how to bathe their babies. Normally, you will be advised that your baby only needs to be bathed twice or even thrice in a week, or whenever he or she becomes dirty enough to warrant giving them a bath. Other than that, there is also a need to give the baby sponge baths following a change of diapers and also after the baby has eaten a meal. The second important baby care tip that you will need to follow has to do with how the baby should be cared for when he or she is being given a bath. It is absolutely not advisable to leave the baby on his or her own for even a single second while he is in the bathroom. Mothers and parents and baby caregivers must always be within arms length of the baby while he is in the bath. A third baby care tip that you will have to follow is learning how to prevent your baby from suffering from diaper rash and from suffering from skin irritation. The simplest solution in this regard is to ensure that you change the baby's diapers either prior to or after feeding him and also soon after he has relieved him. There is nothing quite as bad as letting a baby sit in dirty diapers because that is a sure way of causing him to suffer from skin irritation. The fourth baby care tip that mothers and parents need to learn about is learning to buy diapers for the babies. It is recommended that the diapers should fit him or her without being too tight or too loose. Too tightly fitting diapers are sure to cause irritation to the skin, especially near the thighs and also around the stomach. Besides following these and other baby care tips, as a mother and parent you also need to do your best to bond well with your newborn baby. There are also many other useful baby care tips worth learning about, and if you are interested in knowing how to address different aspects of proper baby care, you must then make it a point to read books and magazines as well as go online and search for more information in this regard. Read more: Article Base |
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09/19/10 | Scholarships For Single Mothers
Are you a single mother in debt trying to make your way through school hoping to attain a better education so you can support your family? If so you should consider applying for a scholarship. What is a scholarship? A scholarship is a grant of financial aid awarded to a student, as for the purpose of attending a college. Scholarships are beneficial because it allows a student to cover all or a fraction of his/her college expenditures without having to pay the money back. The majority of scholarships come from federal funds, with the remaining balance coming from private organizations. As a student takes a step forward in his/her education and chooses a career path, more opportunities will become accessible. Scholarships can be based on: region, academic performance, religious affiliation, sports, ethnic background, military status, intended major. Where to find out more information on scholarships As a single mother it's always best to investigate on known avenues, such as State Department for Higher Education for residents, a high school guidance office, an academic department or college's financial aid office, free internet searches or libraries. One area that is not searched as often but should is a parent's company, or even student employers, so if you are a single mother working and going to school contact your employer to see if there are scholarships available. Scholarship for Single Mother With so many scholarships being available it can often be difficult to choose which one is best for you. Narrow your search by which you believe best meets eligibility factors, and then take the time to devote persuasive applications that include transcripts, proof of eligibility, personal essays, recommendation letters, etc. Make sure to follow directions carefully, as well as giving yourself enough time to put together a great application opposed to something being done at the last minute. Follow directions, proofread your work, double check that, apply early and keep copies for your records. Scholarship for Single Mother: Beware of Scholarship Scams There are entities that state that there's millions of scholarship dollars that go unused every year. This is incorrect, as the greater part of the funds comes from the federal government and the private scholarships come from organizations that are willing to let students utilize them. The Federal Trade Commission alerts families to beware of scams that encourage students to make a payment to hold the scholarship, or if the student has been selected for an unknown scholarship. Schools have a given amount of funds to make use of for students, and no one can change the system to get more money for scholarships than they are granted through the standard financial aid process. Why Should I Apply? As a single mother, don't let high costs be a reason not to go to school. Bettering your education should be a top priority because it will pay off in the future and you will be able to support yourself and your family. Apply today for a scholarship and it will be one less financial cost you will have to worry about, every little bit helps, right? Source: "isnare" |
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09/19/10 | Mothers As Single Parents In USA
Single mothers face a lot of problems while bringing up children in USA. Financial problems being the most important as ex-husband may not pay the court order money for child support. These mothers may not be able to do a full time job as a result they may not be able to pay for day care and may not meet the criteria for head start. Many are thus dependent on AFDC (aid to families with dependent children) or WIC (Women Infants and children). This dependence on welfare organization once established is difficult to break. There are many reasons for the financial worries of single mothers. Although most ex-spouses fulfill their court ordered financial obligations regarding their children; a few of them do not comply with this court ordered support. The latter case not only results in extra psychological and physical burden on the single mother, it makes it difficult for her to fulfill the requirements of the child in regards to food and clothing. A lot of people may consider court ordered support as luxury; but on the contrary it is just enough to meet the requirements. The children constantly grow so they require a regular supply of clothing and food. Education is not entirely free even in state schools. Similarly preschool children require child care, whereas day care is difficult to afford. More over the WIC or AFDC will not support the mother till the issue of court order is resolved. This means going back to the court again and making your ex-husband to pay either by wage garnishment or by any other legal way. It is not an easy task to find an ex- husband so the lone mother can do nothing than to rely on herself alone. This places the mother as well as the child in a danger of becoming homeless. These are the risks of single parenting. It is difficult to afford daycare as they usually require up to $400 per month. Most lone mothers have to take a job. However with the daycare being so costly it may not be possible for the mother to work as well as look after her preschool children. The head start and the early start are good supportive programs but most of these mothers do not fall in the specified low income groups especially when receiving court support. So they may not get any support from head start and have to bare all the expenses of daycare all by themselves. She might not get some help from the child's preschool also. Actually she belongs to the working community among poor. These and such are the problems faced by a single mum in America. Short comings in the welfare system also effect these single mothers. These mothers are considered the same as any other poor social group by many federal and state programs which run WIC and AFDC. On the other hand these women are more likely to suffer from many psychiatric illnesses which then become a major hurdle in getting job or other financial assistance. As a result of which it becomes difficult for them to gain financial independence and they become permanently dependent on welfare. As a whole the single mothers living in USA face problems which are quite different from others. It is essential that more funds should be allocated for them Source: "isnare"
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08/29/10 | Baby Care
Growing up we all have that beloved pet that and was our best friend. We thought we could never love anything as much until you parenthood and newborn baby care entered our lives. Suddenly, entrusted with that precious little life, baby care products and adhering to the appropriate infant care program are the most vital aspects of life. New baby care makes for a frightening business. There's always that little voice in the back of your mind, that tiny tingle that makes you question ever move you make. You become fixated on what to feed the baby, how to change him and even how much sleeping is normal. Sometimes the joys of parenthood get lost in all that worry. There are a variety of guides geared toward newborn baby care . There is also a booming market for infant care products and even natural baby care. A built-in support system might be closer than you think.
Finding a Support SystemFirst make good use of parenting reference guides that got their start during the Baby Boom generation. Boy did parents need a lot of advice then! Reference guide focus largely on new baby care and what to expect as the child continues to grow. Child care classes can be an e xcellent method of soothing new parent jitters and learning hands-on around people just like you - frightened parents! Finally, Mom, Grandma or Aunt Sue can be a good to guide for questions on conquering colic and making bottles. In fact, an older woman to consult comes highly recommended.Baby CareHolding your baby is one of the first lessons you'll give him or her in people skills. They'll need that later in life, you know. Skin to skin contact shows the baby how much love Mommy and Daddy have, even if they make a couple of mistakes every once and awhile. There's an art to baby holding. You want to be sure to support baby's neck and head using your arm and hand. Babies aren't able to support their heads at this stage of their development but they will attain that strength quickly.The umbilical cord will eventually dry out and fall away. This process could take from one to three weeks depending on how stubborn the stub might be. Be sure to rub the stub with alcohol during every diaper change to help it to dry out properly. Use quality baby care accessories for diaper changings and all other aspects of day to day care. Once Baby reaches age two "NO" will become a catch phrase, and ultimately the favorite word. Until then, crying will just have to do. Crying is now Baby's only form of communication, so expect to hear a lot of it. All babies cry when they're in need of a burping, a diaper change, a big bottle of milk or just a hug from Mom or Dad. By being responsive to cries, parents teach babies that they can depend on someone. It's the first lesson in trust. Image Source: "RateTag" |
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08/16/10 | Dr. Steinberg's 10 principles of good parenting
1. What you do matters. Whether it's your own health behaviors or the way you treat other people, your children are learning from what you do. "This is one of the most important principles," Steinberg explains. "What you do makes a difference...Don't just react on the spur of the moment. Ask yourself, What do I want to accomplish, and is this likely to produce that result?"
2. You cannot be too loving. "It is simply not possible to spoil a child with love," Steinberg writes. "What we often think of as the product of spoiling a child is never the result of showing a child too much love. It is usually the consequence of giving a child things in place of love -- things like leniency, lowered expectations, or material possessions." 3. Be involved in your child's life. "Being an involved parent takes time and is hard work, and it often means rethinking and rearranging your priorities. It frequently means sacrificing what you want to do for what your child needs to do. Be there mentally as well as physically." Being involved does not mean doing a child's homework -- or correcting it. "Homework is a tool for teachers to know whether the child is learning or not," Steinberg says. "If you do the homework, you're not letting the teacher know what the child is learning." 4. Adapt your parenting to fit your child. Keep pace with your child's development. Your child is growing up. Consider how age is affecting the child's behavior. "The same drive for independence that is making your 3-year-old say 'no' all the time is what's motivating him to be toilet trained," writes Steinberg. "The same intellectual growth spurt that is making your 13-year-old curious and inquisitive in the classroom also is making her argumentative at the dinner table." 5. Establish and set rules. "If you don't manage your child's behavior when he is young, he will have a hard time learning how to manage himself when he is older and you aren't around. Any time of the day or night, you should always be able to answer these three questions: Where is my child? Who is with my child? What is my child doing? The rules your child has learned from you are going to shape the rules he applies to himself. "But you can't micromanage your child," Steinberg notes. "Once they're in middle school, you need to let the child do their own homework, make their own choices and not intervene." 6. Foster your child's independence. "Setting limits helps your child develop a sense of self-control. Encouraging independence helps her develop a sense of self-direction. To be successful in life, she's going to need both." It's normal for children to push for autonomy, says Steinberg. "Many parents mistakenly equate their child's independence with rebelliousness or disobedience. Children push for independence because it is part of human nature to want to feel in control rather than to feel controlled by someone else." 7. Be consistent. "If your rules vary from day to day in an unpredictable fashion or if you enforce them only intermittently, your child's misbehavior is your fault, not his. Your most important disciplinary tool is consistency. Identify your non-negotiables. The more your authority is based on wisdom and not on power, the less your child will challenge it." 8. Avoid harsh discipline. Parents should never hit a child, under any circumstances, Steinberg says. "Children who are spanked, hit, or slapped are more prone to fighting with other children," he writes. "They are more likely to be bullies and more likely to use aggression to solve disputes with others." "There are many other ways to discipline a child -- including 'time out' -- which work better and do not involve aggression." 9. Explain your rules and decisions. "Good parents have expectations they want their child to live up to," he writes. "Generally, parents overexplain to young children and underexplain to adolescents. What is obvious to you may not be evident to a 12-year-old. He doesn't have the priorities, judgment, or experience that you have." 10. Treat your child with respect. "The best way to get respectful treatment from your child is to treat him respectfully," Steinberg writes. "You should give your child the same courtesies you would give to anyone else. Speak to him politely. Respect his opinion. Pay attention when he is speaking to you. Treat him kindly. Try to please him when you can. Children treat others the way their parents treat them. Your relationship with your child is the foundation for her relationships with others." For example, if your child is a picky eater: "I personally don't think parents should make a big deal about eating," Steinberg says. "Children develop food preferences. They often go through them in stages. You don't want to turn mealtimes into unpleasant occasions. Just don't make the mistake of substituting unhealthy foods. If you don't keep junk food in the house, they won't eat it." Source: MedicineNet |
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08/15/10 | Parenting Guidelines For Single Mothers
Rising children as a single mother is a challenge. There are moments when you find that your life is in complete disarray and your house is in complete chaos. This is the time when you feel that you lack essential parenting tips as a single mother. It is better to have such arsenal at your disposal before you land in such situation.
There are numerous ways to deal with various age groups. Confronting strategies for toddlers differ with those for teenagers. Your 16 year old boy is likely to make fun of you if he is told to spend some time in a thinking chair as he is being obstinate, stubborn and aggressive. On the other had a few minutes time out will do wonders while tackling a 4 year old. So to be successful as a single mother you should have a set of parenting tips for each group. Material regarding good parenting skills is widely available. A number of genuine and self proclaimed specialists are also around. A list of websites, books and other means in this aspect would probably require paragraphs. To make your life easy I would mention a few here. You can start with library or a book shop. Single moms bringing up toddlers and smaller children will really benefit from the parenting magazine. Unfortunately the major content in parents magazine is aimed at married parents. Among the various books available, you should go through at least couple of them. Those who like Dr. Fan will recommned you his books. Dr. Terry Brazelton is an authority on child behaviour. He is a father as well as a pediatrician. Even though a number of his books may be out of date, the attitude of babies aren other children has remained the same since long. Last of all, "The Well Trained Mind" is a good choice for those who want to train their children early. A number of websites and organizations are available to assist single mothers with parenting tips. A renowned group is Parents without partners. They provide a wide range of information for single mothers. In the UK similar information is available on gingerbread. Early start and Head start programs deliver the same services in the USA. You may not be eligible for their preschool assistance, but you can participate in courses and seminars which they conduct on positive parenting. Last of all you can look for topics like single parenting and single mothers through any search engine on the internet and get the required information. So if you are single mother in search of parenting tips now you know where and how to get the required information. If you require some parenting tips just now I can give you a few basics. As an adult you should be in control. Keep yourself composed all the time. This may not be easy, particularly when you find green finger paint all over your kitchen. The moment you become angry and irritable, you lose your composure. Such a situation may make your little child scared. To be successful always be composed and exercise control over your voice and actions. Source: Articlebase.com |
