raising kids Archives | Sleeping Should Be Easy

Why We Need to Stop Telling Boys to “Man Up”

Published Sep 28, 2016 Updated Jun 15, 2020

Want to raise strong, confident boys? Stop telling boys to man up. These 5 reasons explain the downsides of telling a boy to be a man and what to do instead. We value a certain kind of boy. The ambitious and popular boy all the girls have a crush on. The class clown who can make anyone laugh, and of course the boy who won't back down from insults or harsh words. Being ambitious, popular, funny or assertive isn't the problem, but hiding other aspects of being a boy in the name of "manning up" is. The documentary The Mask You Live In addresses these issues and how often we're telling … [Read more...]

Are You Teaching These Life Skills Your Child Needs in Adulthood?

Development

Published Aug 29, 2016 Updated Feb 28, 2020

Parenting includes teaching life skills your child needs in adulthood. Find activities and ideas to make learning life skills easy and effective at an early age. It's hard to imagine, but our kids will be adults. We assume we have time before they really need to buckle down and learn a few things. We don't think about important life skills they need to learn before becoming adults. Author and former Dean of Freshman at Stanford, Julie Lythcott-Haims, says many young adults don't have the skills they should've learned throughout childhood. Her book, How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of … [Read more...]

These Are the Things Your Kids Will Remember About You

Parenthood

Published Oct 02, 2015 Updated Jun 15, 2020

Do you feel pressured to create the "perfect childhood"? Don't add unnecessary stress—these are the things your kids will remember about you. A mere toddler, I remember running to my mom as she came through the front gates. I had been sitting on the steps with my brother and sister when I saw her squat down and stretch out her arms. At about five-years-old, I remember my sister and I vowing to stay up the entire night. To cap it off, we sneaked downstairs to the basement to watch The Flintstones at five in the morning. Feeling proud, we couldn't imagine why our parents were furious when … [Read more...]

Why Parenting Is Harder than Your Day Job

Parenthood

Published Jun 23, 2014 Updated Feb 12, 2020

Is parenting harder than a job? Read several reasons being a parent is often harder than your day job, no matter your career. I had always believed taking care of kids is not for the faint of heart. I read statistics in the past that claimed a stay-at-home parent's salary, if paid, would be worth at least $100,000. Such is the testament of the work and dedication we put into this job. I agree—taking care of kids has been harder than my own day job. Yes, I have perks—during maternity leave, I got to nap or veg out when the kids did. I didn't get ready, pack a lunch or drive anywhere. … [Read more...]

The Biggest Reason to Have a Life Beyond Kids

Parenthood

Published Jun 17, 2014 Updated Feb 12, 2020

Moms, it can sometimes feel like we have no life. We hardly have time to shower or cook, much less pursue a hobby. Tasks clutter our to-do list and the kids clamor for attention. We can't always follow common advice to get away from the kids once in a while. And we know we should have a life beyond kids but can't seem to figure out how. Yes, it's important to balance parenthood with other aspects of our lives. We get a break from mommy madness, and we build the ubiquitous village to raise our kids. Why you should have a life beyond kids Though well-deserved reasons, there's one crucial … [Read more...]

Why Boredom is Good for Your Child

How Kids Learn

Published Jun 11, 2014 Updated Jun 30, 2020

Next time you hear "I'm bored!", don't be too quick to entertain your kids—boredom has its benefits. Learn why boredom is good for your child in many ways. We hear it a zillion times: "I'm bored." And when we do, we're compelled to engage with our kids. That's whether we work outside the home (I hardly see them enough!), or stay at home (Isn't this why I left work to begin with?). But guess what: boredom is good for your child. Why kids get bored I get it though, it's hard not feel obligated to entertain our kids and save them from their boredom. This, despite the toys, books and … [Read more...]

How to Build a Close Relationship with Your Child

Parenthood

Published Mar 28, 2014 Updated Jun 15, 2020

One of my goals is to remain close to my kids well into their adulthood. Here's how to build a close relationship with your child, starting now. Many years from now, we'll stop doing everything for our kids. They'll learn to follow their own paths and decisions, only turning to us for advice or support. They'll be adults, and the majority of our parenting duties would have finished. In those years, what will your relationship become? And is there a way to create a close relationship with your child now that extends into his adulthood? I'd like to think so. We can't choose our kids, … [Read more...]

Bad Parenting Habits We Need to Break

Parenthood

Published Jan 31, 2014 Updated Jan 27, 2020

We all have bad parenting habits we need to break. See if you can relate to these habits that are too easy to fall into—and how to avoid them. "Gotta stop doing that." I've said this so many times to myself. I know what I "should" be doing as a parent but I sometimes keep repeating bad parenting habits I mean to break. You know they're pretty bad not so much because its consequences are dire but because you keep telling yourself over and over not to do them anymore. And while these won't make or break me as a parent, they're still annoyingly persistent, despite my best … [Read more...]

Search