New research shows that constipation can cause bed wetting. I know, I bet you’re probably thinking – if only I knew this years ago, I could have saved the many hours of stripping my child’s bed sheets, washing, drying, and remaking the bed! But for those parents experiencing the bed wetting stage, this one is for you. The study shows how several hundred children took part in a study, which involved screening for constipation. When the children were treated for constipation with a series of enemas, not only their bed wetting and soiling disappeared but they had a long-term success rate of 80-95%. If you have a bed-wetter in the family, maybe looking at their toilet routine could be beneficial to both you and your child – to relieve the stress and embarrassment for them, while allowing you to get a couple more hours of sleep.
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Sometimes our children can sound like a broken record wanting and, needing everything in sight! It is times like this when can find ourselves going a bit crazy wanting to run from all the demands. One major tip to help avoid this, is teaching your child the difference between ‘want and need’. By explaining to your child there is a big difference between “I need a drink” or “I want a toy”, you will help your child understand when it’s the right time to ask for something and, hopefully will diminish the list of requirements for you!
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As parents we all will experience our children saying rude words, whether it is as small as be saying ‘poo’, or screaming a swear word in the middle of a supermarket. No matter the circumstance, it is our job as parents to teach the child what is acceptable language to use. When your child uses these inappropriate words you can…
1. Firmly explain this is a bad word and “we don’t use that word in this house”.
2. Set a rule that if this word is used again, there will be a punishment.
3. Ask if they understand this discussion you two have just had.
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1. Practice role play – By using role play with your child, you’ll allow them to become more comfortable with situations and, can allow time to think of different ways to respond without pressure.
2. Understand communication – Teaching our children the basics of communication at a young age will be the foundation of their social skills. Simple things such as a smile or good eye contact when meeting someone will make the task less daunting.
3. Common interest – Finding people with a similar interest is the easiest way to spark a conversation. Teaching them conversation openers such as “I really love rugby; can I please play with you guys” is a good way for your child to bond with other children through a mutual activity.
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Nail biting is a habit many kids will pick up, but on the positive side there are many things we can do to help them cut this habit!
1. Figure out the peak time your child bites their nails and try keep them busy.
2. Use a star chart to encourage each week your child doesn’t bite.
3. With older children, consider buying your local chemists anti-bite nail polish.
4. When your child has grown out their nails, offering to go get a manicure together could be a fun idea, for a reward and incentive to keep going.
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First things first, you’re not alone! We’ve all been there, waiting for our child to stop looking at the tree and hurry up and come to the car since we are already late! One thing we need to remember is a young child cannot tell the time so they have very little sense of urgency. However, we can use tricks to encourage them to hurry along
1. Speak calmly – Try to control your anger or tone of voice when telling them to hurry.
2. Instructions – Explain exactly what you want from them and, when you want it done by. Be careful to make these instructions simple and, clear so they understand what is expected of them.
3. Play games – Try and make it fun for the kids. Race you to the car, or first one to the house wins. This allows a task to become fun and of course, a lot quicker for you!
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All children have a different temper and tolerance, it is just about learning to control these outbursts and, prevent this from happening again.
1. This is not tolerable – Make sure your child understands violence is never the answer. By telling them, this they know that this is not acceptable behavior.
2. When will it happen – Learning your child’s behaviour is crucial. Knowing when your child will use violence is a big part of the teaching process. Try to remove your child from the situation before this happens and talk to them calmly.
3. Set up systems – Guidelines are set in place for the child to know what is acceptable and what is not. Rules should be set in place for a child susceptible to using violence.
4. Punishment – If the violent behaviour continues, discipline should be enforced. Time out is a good idea, this is when the child can reflect on their behaviour. After this time alone, you should talk through the incident with your child and enforce that this is not the way to treat people.
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Its normal for parents to have the dreaded battle of putting your child to sleep each night. A method you could try is the ‘pop in method’ – this is when you tell your child you will pop in to see how nicely they are sleeping. Pop in 30 seconds later and praise them on how good they are sleeping. Continue this for the next 10 minutes, going in every two minutes. If the child does hop out of bed in between this, explain the door will now be closed for the next 5 minutes. After this, continue popping in every two minutes, this is time consuming but proven to be effective. If they continue hoping out of bed, tell them you will see them in the morning and close the door till he is asleep. Remember, you are in control and have to persist through this trying period!
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It’s normal behaviour for children to interrupt, however, it’s how the parent deals with this interrupting that can break the habit.
1. When your child does come and interrupt you, explain “please wait till mummy finishes her sentence, then you can speak”.
2. Explain why it’s important to wait for others to finish speaking and give them friendly reminders about this expectation. Especially when visitors are coming over, remind your child they are welcome to join the conversation, but to allow others to speak.
3. If they keep interrupting, use time out as a good punishment. Explain “they know they are not allowed to interrupt and can come back when they are ready to not interrupt”.
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“You’re going to get square eyes if you keep watching that TV”, an old wives tale we have all heard or rather used on our own children! All parents struggle with the idea of how much tele they should allow their child to watch; but the decision is up to you! A good tip to use is on weekdays, once the children have finished their homework or given chores, they can then watch the television. The trick with this, is to insure you check the homework and chores are up to standard, then give them a certain amount of time they can watch. Television time can be cut for bad behaviour or unfinished duties, as a punishment. This gives the kids motivation to fulfill their given tasks.
Another idea (particularly good for couch potatoes), is to allow them tele time, only once they’ve been outside and played for a while (minute for minute).
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Kids fighting can really test your patience at times, so try out these tips and see if they help:
1. Establish limits – Rules and boundaries will allow children to understand what is acceptable behaviour. By putting these rules in place, this allows your child to know you are in charge.
2. Encouraging conflict resolution – Avoid becoming the referee in your children’s battles, but rather ask the children “how can we fix this problem”?
3. Choose the peace path – As busy as parents can get, try not to ignore the fights your children have. Listen to what has happened, but rather than picking a side, suggest a positive outcome that suits the situation and both kids.
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Having a fear of dogs is common for children. The battle many parents face is how to deal with this fear.
1. Acknowledge their fears, as this lets them know you understand the fear and have listened to them.
2. Gradually allow them to become familiar with dogs, by giving them a toy dog or showing them pictures of a family member’s dog.
3. You can then take your child to a friend’s house that has a dog. The trick is keeping the dog outside, but allow your child to see the dog play through the window. This will help your child to feel more comfortable, and in the future, have enough courage to approach the dog.
Make sure you go through this process step by step with your child, and don’t pressure them into something they are not comfortable with.
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Changing how you grocery shop can save you money and energy. Try buying local and remember to buy what’s in season. Head to your local farmer’s market where you’ll find good quality fruit and vege at a good price. Purchase re-useable shopping bags to cut back on plastic bags. Select products that use minimal or recyclable packaging. Choose products wisely and shop for products from companies that are reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
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1. Try setting a timer and setting a specific amount of time for reading, this makes them feel in control and that it will only take a short period of time.
2. Focus on one thing at a time, start and finish maths homework before starting on something else.
3. Create categories for the information. Break the information down into bit-sized chunks that are easier for the child to process.
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1. Arm kids with their own backpack with earphones, extra layers, cards, dark glasses and special cuddlies.
2. Treat your kids to a neck rest and tie it to their backpack. This will be good for sleeping on the plane and while travelling in cars.
3. Check out some fun apps for the kids, games, download some shows or even show them pictures of where they’re going.
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