There isn’t a set recipe for parents on how to raise a successful child. However, research points to several factors that could help.

Most parents want their kids to stay out of trouble, do well in school, and go on to live successful lives as adults.

And while there isn’t a set recipe for raising successful children, psychology research has pointed to a handful of factors that predict success.

Unsurprisingly, much of it comes down to the parents. Keep reading to take a look at what parents of successful kids have in common.

Drake Baer contributed to a previous version of this article.

They make their kids do chores

“If kids aren’t doing the dishes, it means someone else is doing that for them,” Julie Lythcott-Haims, former dean of freshmen at Stanford University and author of “How to Raise an Adult” said during a TED Talks Live event.

Lythcott-Haims believes kids raised on chores go on to become employees who collaborate well with their coworkers, are more empathetic because they know firsthand what struggling looks like, and are able to take on tasks independently.

They teach their kids social skills

Researchers from Pennsylvania State University and Duke University tracked more than 700 children from across the US between kindergarten and age 25 and found a significant correlation between their social skills as kindergartners and their success as adults two decades later.

The 20-year study showed that children who could cooperate with their peers, be helpful to others, understand their feelings, and resolve problems on their own were far more likely to earn a college degree and have a full-time job by age 25 than those with limited social skills.

Those with limited social skills also had a higher chance of getting arrested, binge drinking, and applying for public housing.

“This study shows that helping children develop social and emotional skills is one of the most important things we can do to prepare them for a healthy future,” said Kristin Schubert, program director at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded the research, in a release.

“From an early age, these skills can determine whether a child goes to college or prison, and whether they end up employed or addicted.”

They have high expectations

Using data from a national survey of 6,600 children born in 2001, University of California at Los Angeles professor Neal Halfon and his colleagues discovered that the expectations parents hold for their kids have a huge effect on attainment.

“Parents who saw college in their child’s future seemed to manage their child toward that goal irrespective of their income and other assets,” Halfon said.

The finding came out in standardized tests: 57% of the kids who did the worst were expected to attend college by their parents, while 96% of the kids who did the best were expected to go to college.

This falls in line with another psych finding: The Pygmalion effect, which states “that what one person expects of another can come to serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy.” In the case of kids, they live up to their parents’ expectations.

They have healthy relationships with each other

Children in high-conflict families tend to fare worse than children of parents that get along, according to a University of Illinois study review.

A nonconflictual single-parent family is better for children than two-parent families with conflict, according to the review.

But, conflict between parents before and after a divorce can affect children negatively.

Another study in this review found that 20-somethings who experienced divorce of their parents as children still report pain and distress over their parents’ divorce ten years later.

They’re educated

A 2014 study from the University of Michigan found that mothers who finished high school or college were more likely to raise kids that did the same.

Pulling from a group of over 14,000 children who entered kindergarten from 1998 to 2007, the study found that higher levels of maternal education predicted higher achievement from kindergarten to eighth grade.

A different study from Bowling Green State University suggested that the parents’ education levels when a child is 8 years old “significantly predicted” the education and career level for the child four decades later.

They teach their kids math early on

A 2007 meta-analysis of 35,000 preschoolers across the US, Canada, and England found that developing math skills early can turn into a huge advantage.

“The paramount importance of early math skills — of beginning school with a knowledge of numbers, number order, and other rudimentary math concepts — is one of the puzzles coming out of the study,” coauthor and Northwestern University researcher Greg Duncan said. “Mastery of early math skills predicts not only future math achievement, it also predicts future reading achievement.”

They develop a relationship with their kids

A 2014 study of 243 children born into poverty found that those who received “sensitive caregiving” in their first three years did better in academic tests in childhood than those who did not receive the same parenting style.

Those children also had healthier relationships and greater academic achievement.

“This suggests that investments in early parent-child relationships may result in long-term returns that accumulate across individuals’ lives,” coauthor and University of Minnesota psychologist Lee Raby said.

They value effort over avoiding failure

Where kids think success comes from also predicts their attainment.

Over decades, Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck has discovered that children (and adults) think about success in one of two ways. Over at Brain Pickings, Maria Popova says they go a little something like this:

  • A “fixed mindset” assumes that our character, intelligence, and creative ability are static givens that we can’t change in any meaningful way, and success is the affirmation of that inherent intelligence, an assessment of how those givens measure up against an equally fixed standard; striving for success and avoiding failure at all costs become a way of maintaining the sense of being smart or skilled.
  • A “growth mindset,” on the other hand, thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of un-intelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities.

Dweck’s mindset theory has attracted valid critiques over the years, but the core tenant of believing that you can improve at something is important to encourage in children

The moms work

According to research out of Harvard Business School, there are significant benefits for children growing up with mothers who work outside the home.

“There are very few things, that we know of, that have such a clear effect on gender inequality as being raised by a working mother,” Harvard Business School professor Kathleen L. McGinn, who led the study, told Working Knowledge.

Daughters of working mothers went to school longer, were more likely to have a job in a supervisory role, and earned more money — 23% more compared to peers raised by stay-at-home mothers.

The sons of working mothers also tended to pitch in more on household chores and childcare, the study found.

But, working mothers aren’t necessarily spending every waking minute outside of work with their children. Women are more likely to feel intense pressure to balance child rearing with workplace ambitions. Ultimately, they spend more time parenting than fathers do.

A 2015 study found the number of hours that moms spend with kids between ages 3 and 11 does little to predict the child’s behavior, well-being, or achievement.

In fact, the study suggests that it’s actually harmful for the child to spend time with a mother who is sleep-deprived, anxious, or otherwise stressed.

“Mothers’ stress, especially when mothers are stressed because of the juggling with work and trying to find time with kids, that may actually be affecting their kids poorly,” study co-author and Bowling Green State University sociologist Kei Nomaguchi told The Washington Post.

It could be more beneficial to spend one fully-engaged hour with a child than spend the whole evening half-listening to your kid while scrolling through work emails.

They have a higher socioeconomic status

One-fifth of American children grow up in poverty, a situation that severely limits their potential.

It’s getting more extreme. According to Stanford University researcher Sean Reardon, the achievement gap between high- and low-income families “is roughly 30% to 40% larger among children born in 2001 than among those born 25 years earlier.”

As social scientist Dan Pink wrote, the higher the income for the parents, the higher the SAT scores for the kids.

“Absent comprehensive and expensive interventions, socioeconomic status is what drives much of educational attainment and performance,” Pink wrote.


As an adult, we’re well aware of when to go to the toilet and usually have the wherewithal to know we don’t want to sit in our own dirty pants.

We don’t normally ascribe that level of consciousness to babies; mainly because they can’t even hold their head up properly.

However, an age-old technique that puts a lot more faith in babies’ capabilities is making a resurgence here in the West, and it’s called elimination communication.

Parents who practise this may use no nappies at all, and start toilet training their kids right from birth. Here’s how it works.

What is elimination communication and does it work?

Although it’s making its way onto the Insta feeds of new age parenting bloggers, elimination communication (or EC) has actually been around pretty much since babies have.

Parents in less industrialised countries have carried their babies without nappies for centuries, and have found ways to ensure a minimum of ‘accidents’.

There are a number of ways to do this, but they essentially centre around working out the cues your child has for needing to use the loo, and taking them there when you think it’s time.

It also involves teaching your baby to tell you that they need to go via signing, sounds, and eventually words.

You can start from birth, and completely forgo nappies, or start at a later date and gradually reduce their need for nappies until full potty training is received.

Pros and cons of elimination communication

The pros of EC are first and foremost that you’ll use fewer nappies – both saving money and helping the environment – and that it’ll be easier to fully toilet train as your child gets older. It can also help avoid nappy rash and even (by supporting your baby in a certain position over the toilet or potty) reduce constipation. The most obvious con is that it might not fit in with your lifestyle. You need to be personally present most of the time to interpret your baby, which isn’t compatible with a number of childcare situations. It can take a lot of time to start off, and also could be messy at the very beginning.

How do you get started?

Proponents of EC recommend starting off by leaving your baby without a nappy for a while when they’re sitting on a baby mat to gauge their timings.

Newborns often pee every 10 to 20 minutes, and poo after feeding and before waking up. From there, the timings may change, so you’ll need to get used to your own child’s rhythms.

Interestingly, many babies won’t automatically go to the toilet if they’re held close (such as in a sling), and will signal through crying or noises that they wish to, prompting you to take them to the potty.

Cueing is another technique you may choose further down the line, which involves you making a ‘psss’ or ‘shhh’ noise as your child goes to the loo, effectively signalling to them that this should be associated with it. Some parents use visual cues like sign language instead of noises.

EC is not for everyone, and there’s nothing wrong with not having the time, patience, or want to do it.

A number of these parenting trends might seem silly, and EC is certainly one which might make you double-take.

However, what’s worked for centuries can’t be completely wrong, even if it has been co-opted by parents whose lives seem pretty unattainable.

It’ll take work, and it may take a lot of cleaning up, but if it’s something you wish to do, conquer that elimination.


via Child Development: The term “sibling” refers to children who are related and living in the same family. Sibling rivalry has occurred as long as families have existed. Think back to biblical times and Joseph’s problems with his brothers or of Disney’s “Cinderella” and the dreadful experience she had with her step-sisters!

It seems strange that whenever the word “sibling” comes up, “rivalry” seems sure to follow, despite the fact that there are many solid sibling relationships in families (brothers and sisters who genuinely like and enjoy one another). However, it’s typically rivalry that gets the most attention.

What causes sibling rivalry? Think about it. Siblings don’t choose the family they are born into, nor do they choose each other. They may be of different genders, probably of different ages and temperaments, and worst of all, they have to share the one or two people they want most for themselves: their parents. Other factors which may cause sibling rivalry include:

  • Position in the family. For example, the oldest child may be burdened with responsibilities for the younger children or the younger child spends his life trying to catch up with an older sibling.
  • Gender. For instance, a son may resent his sister because his father seems more gentle with her. On the other hand, a daughter may wish she could go on the fishing trip with her father and brother.
  • Age. A five and an eight-year-old can play some games together but when they become ten and thirteen, they will likely have very different interests.

The most important factor, however, is a parent’s attitude. Parents have been taught that they must be impartial with their kids, but this can be extremely difficult. It’s inevitable that parents will feel differently about children who have their own personalities with varying needs, dispositions, and places in the family. Picture the age-old conflict of the young child whining: “It’s not fair. Why can’t I stay up until nine-thirty like Johnny?” Fairness has nothing to do with it. Susie is younger and needs more sleep. It’s as simple as that, and parents are advised never to give in to the old “it’s not fair” strategy. Besides, when Susie is finally allowed to stay up until nine-thirty, it will feel like a privilege to her.

Many parents feel that in order to be fair, they must treat their children equally. It’s simply not possible, and can be dehumanizing if a mother feels that when she hugs one child, she must stop and hug all of her children. Hugs will eventually become somewhat meaningless in that family. When Susie has a birthday or is ill, she is the one who merits the special attention and presents. You can be sure that no matter what they may say, the other children in the family recognize the inherent “fairness” of the situation.

Ever since we decided that sibling rivalry is a normal occurrence in a family system, we’ve had a terrible time figuring out what to do about it. Here are some do’s and don’ts that may be helpful in reducing conflicts as well as the negative effects of sibling rivalry:

  • Don’t make comparisons (e.g., “I don’t understand it. When Johnny was his age, he could already tie his shoes.”). Each child feels he is unique and rightly so; he is his own person and resents being evaluated only in relation to someone else. Instead of comparison, each child in the family should be given his own goals and levels of expectation that relate only to him.
  • Don’t dismiss or suppress your children’s resentment or angry feelings. Contrary to what many people think, anger is not something we should try to avoid at all costs. It’s an entirely normal part of being human, and it’s certainly normal for siblings to get angry with each other and have the impulse to physically fight. They need the adults in their lives to assure them that mothers and fathers get angry too, but have learned self-control and that angry feelings do not give license to behave in cruel and dangerous ways. This is the time to sit down, acknowledge the anger (e.g., “I know you hate David right now but you cannot hit him with a stick.”), and talk it through.
  • Try to avoid situations that promote guilt in siblings. First, we must teach children that feelings and actions are not synonymous. It may be normal to want to hit the baby on the head, but parents must stop a child from doing it. The guilt that follows doing something mean is a lot worse than the guilt of merely feeling mean. In situations like this, parental intervention must be quick and decisive.
  • Whenever possible, let brothers and sisters settle their own differences. While it may sound good, it can be terribly unfair in practice. Parents have to judge when it’s time to step in and mediate, especially in a contest of unequals in terms of strength and eloquence (no hitting below the belt, literally or figuratively). Some long-lasting grudges among grown siblings have resulted when their minority rights were not protected.

When One Sibling is Disabled

Quite different considerations must come into play when there is a disabled child in the family, especially if it’s a child who requires a lot of extra support both in and out of the home. In this case, non-disabled siblings can be resentful of the time spent on their brother or sister; they sense the parent’s preoccupation. They often feel they are receiving only “surface attention,” and that the parent is not really alert to their needs.

There is one critical point that should be made and emphasized in all such cases. Whatever time and effort are spent with the disabled child, it’s done with the goal of improvement: making the child better able to function independently over time. As he improves his skills, the demands on his parents will decrease commensurately, freeing them to devote more time to other members of the family. It actually boils down to, “Come on, let’s everyone help, and ultimately everyone will benefit.”

There are other measures to be taken to lessen sibling rivalry and tension in families with a disabled child. Every child deserves a certain amount of quality time with a parent. It needn’t be long but it should be undivided. Maybe a short quiet chat before bedtime, or lunch at a special restaurant. Additionally, when one of the non-disabled siblings is involved in a school or community function, the parents should make every effort to be there, no matter how much advance planning is required. Should the disabled child go, too? Take your cue from the child who is involved in the function — it’s his night. Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.

When One Sibling Is Gifted
Different people, including gifted children, have abilities and talents in different areas. Talk openly about this reality with your children so they can begin to develop appropriate expectations for themselves. You can do this by comparing your own strengths with those of your husband/wife or other family members or friends. There are two important points to be emphasized:

  1. Don’t expect to be great in everything.
  2. Recognize and develop those areas of strength you do have. Help your children make similar comparisons among themselves in the hope that they will have a greater understanding and respect for each other (e.g., “My brother gets all A’s in school but he can’t hit a baseball.”).
    It’s also okay to mention your weaknesses. This can be especially effective if there is something you don’t do as well as your non-gifted child (e.g.,”I wish I could make brownies as well as yours.”).

Above all, honesty and acceptance are the greatest consideration you can give your children when the ways in which they are like and unlike one another come up in discussion.

Some Useful Sibling Conflict Resolution Strategies

Common Mistakes Parents Make in Managing Sibling Rivalry

  • Taking sides, such as attempting to punish the child who is at fault, (usually the one seen pounding on the other child). How long has this child put up with the taunting of the other child before taking drastic measures?
  • Ignoring appropriate behavior. Parents often ignore their children when they are playing nicely. They only pay attention when a problem arises. Behavior Mod 101 teaches that behaviors that are ignored (go unrewarded) decrease while behaviors that receive attention (are rewarded) increase.

Simple Parenting Techniques That Work

1. When the sibling rivalry progresses to excessive physical or verbal violence OR when the number of incidents of rivalry becomes excessive, take action. (Action does speak louder than words). Talk with your children about what is going on. Provide suggestions on how they can handle the situation when it occurs, such as:

  • Ignoring the teasing.
  • Simply agreeing (in a kidding way) that whatever the teaser is saying is true.
  • Telling the teaser that enough is enough.
  • When these measures aren’t working, ask the person in charge (parent, babysitter) for help.

2. When the above does not work, introduce a family plan to help with the situation that provides negative and positive consequences for all concerned, such as:

  • When there is any fighting or shouting, all involved will have a consequence such as a timeout or the temporary removal of screentime.
  • However, when we can go the whole day or afternoon or evening (whatever makes sense for your situation) without fighting, everyone will earn a privilege such as (1) you can have a snack, (2) I will read you a story, (3) we will all play a game together, (4) I will play outside with you (catch, etc.) or (5) you can stay up later. (Note that several of these provide parental attention for appropriate behavior).

3. Develop a system for evenly distributing coveted privileges. In other words, a system for taking turns for such things as:

  • Who gets to ride “shotgun” in the car. (It’s amazing how many teenagers and young adult siblings still make this an important issue).
  • Who gets to push the button in the elevator.
  • Who gets to choose where to go to eat lunch or dinner.
  • Who gets to chose the television show.
  • Who does the dishes or takes out the trash (rotate on a weekly or monthly basis).

For more parenting techniques visit Parenting 101. For help in improving your ability to cope with the rigors of parenting, we suggest Stress Management For Parents.

Yes, siblings can create certain stresses, but if they are overcome successfully, they will give your children resources that will serve them well later in life. Siblings learn how to share, how to come face to face with jealousy, and how to accept their individual strengths and weaknesses.

Best of all, as they watch you handle sibling rivalry with equanimity and fairness, they will be gaining knowledge that will be valuable when they, too, become parents.


via njfamily: It’s winter… which means you probably spend 20 minutes in the morning searching for the left mitten that’s lost in a snowdrift somewhere. Here are tips to keep them from getting separated.

Mitten Clips
One easy solution is to buy those handy little clips, where one end clips to their jacket and the other to the mittens. More precocious kids may pull them off, but its a good option for babies and toddlers. These are surprisingly hard to find once the snow starts falling, so check amazon for the best variety.

A String
All you need is a long piece of string (twine, ribbon, yarn) that you match to the length of your kid’s wingspan. Tie the string to both mittens (you may need to make a small hole and a knot, but it is worth it in the long run). Then run one mitten and the string through both sleeves of the coat. The mittens will then just hang out the bottom of the sleeves and you’ll save your sanity.

Velcro
Grab some adhesive Velcro and cut a piece as long as the cuff of her jacket. Then separate (aka un-velcro) the halves, remove the adhesive backing and stick one piece to the outside of his jacket cuff. Then press firmly. Next, turn his mitten inside out and press the other piece to the inside of the mitten cuff. When you velcro the pieces together, they’ll create an extra barrier against snow, as well as increase his chances of returning home with a complete pair. Check out motherhood.modernmom.com for more detailed instructions.

Buy Multiple Pairs
If you’ve got a favorite pair of gloves or mittens you like, buy two pairs, so they can be mixed or matched as needed. It will cost you a little more at the outset, but save you a headache in the long run. As an alternative, Lands End will actually sell you a single kids glove throughout the season if you lose one of your pair.

Keep a Stash of Stretchy Gloves
Those little stretchy gloves aren’t the warmest outerwear you can buy, but for a dollar most places, you can stockpile a bunch of them and keep them handy as a backup for when your kid inevitably loses their “good” gloves. The best part is that they can fit many sizes, great if you lose your own gloves. Check dollar stores and the dollar bin at Target, they always seem to have them there.

Put Them in the Sleeve
It’s a simple fix, but if you put the gloves inside the hat and stuff them all in the sleeve of a coat, they should actually be there when you get back. Not ideal for wet items, but works well, especially at crowded places like schools.

Buttons and Elastic
If you can sew, try a more permanent solution. Stitch a piece of elastic to the inside of the coat sleeve. Then attach a button to the edge of the mitten. Cut a small hole in the elastic (just about the size of the button), put the button through the hole and you’re ready to attach them together.


via LIFECHO: We try to answer the question What is the Role of a Parent? by taking into analysis the biological, psychological, social and financial dimensions. The parents’ roles are of the maximum importance for personality development of the children. Basic traditional roles of being a parent are: nurture and educate children, discipline them, manage home and financially support family. Modern roles brought an active participation of fathers in children care. The main idea is that parents must be child centered and should aim to optimal growth and development of their children, to help them have satisfactory biological, social, psychological and emotional growth.

Take Care of the Biological Needs of Children
The first role of the parents is to take care of their child’s biological needs. Providing physical care to fulfill the needs of the child imply: proper food, fresh air, good lighting, enough sleep, recreation time, etc.

Provide an Optimal Environment
You have to provide a safe, nurturing and supportive environment that allows the children to grow healthy. For an optimal development, children need: adequate physical home environment; a tolerant and positive atmosphere; conditions for positive changes and improvements; opportunities to explore and experiment in his environment; consistent routine; etc.

Protect Your Children
Make sure their environment is safe. You have to protect your children, to warn them by telling what is safe to do and what isn’t, before they venture out on their own. Teach your child the difference between right and wrong, and that wrong may be harmful both for him and for others. Your goal is to protect your children from dangers to which they may be vulnerable and to keep them safe. Also children feel safe when there is continuity and consistency in daily routines, and especially when there is a loving atmosphere.

Teach and Educate Your Child
To raise your children properly, your duties aren’t limited to food, shelter and protection, but also require you to teach and educate them, to shape knowledge and character, to prepare your child to face the real world. So another parent’s role is to make possible learning of such actions as walking and talking, reading and writing (to facilitate learning of these activities, a parent must have patience and understanding). The main goal here is to provide the children with the best possible education. A parent has to be a fine observer (to have an overview of their children’s behaviors, moods and activities) and instructor for his children. If you want to be successful in this process of education, you have to be a model for your child. Especially be a gender model for the child and show him or her how to be a man or a woman. Teach your children about what is at the core of masculinity or femininity (see gender roles in the family).

Give your child various opportunities to finally become a healthy member of the community. To successfully integrate your child into your community, you should give him the knowledge of your community culture so that he will have the needed information and skills to grow up into a adapted adult. It is very important to guide your children toward social adaptation and integration. To help your kids develop appropriate coping skills and help them gain independence, explain and carry out tasks with your child. You also must be an advisor and a checker for homework. Take the time to explain. What is the role of a parent question doesn’t imply that there is just a single and essential role. There are many roles of being a parent and some of them are essential, while others are secondary.

Provide Guidance, Direction, Assistance and Help
Sit back and listen to your child, abstain from imposing your point of view and just offer appropriate direction and guidance. Another important role of parent is to provide guidance and assistance in the process of personal development and growth. The most effective way to help children is to advise them instead of commanding and to guide the progress of child development without doing his work (help them cope, but don’t solve yourself their problems). Give them a sense of direction and provide sufficient support to succeed and to feel that they are the source of the achievement.

Step back and facilitate children find out independence, allow and encourage them to be independent, help them handle and balance their needs for independence and dependence. Understand their need to be independent without loosing all your authority. When children show a certain level of responsibility and independence extend their privileges and freedoms, but hold them back when their behavior go wrong. At an early stage you make decisions for your children, but at teenage just assist them to decide (provide the wisdom to make themselves the final decision). Assist your child in the achievement of a task; help him only when necessary and only as far as needed. Familiarize your children with the diversity, pros and cons, and benefits of the most relevant ways to make a living, but let them to choose their own career. Ask various questions to get the child to discover exactly what it is he wants to do or be.

Support and Motivate the Child
If you want the child to be successful and to achieve his goals, encourage and motivate him. Positive motivation and encouragement is a must, love your kids both when they succeed and when they fail. Provide empathic encouragement as a reward for an achievement, but also to minimize the frustrations of failure. Teach the child to look at failure as a situation of learning and not as a tragic situation. Listen and be supportive, encourage instead of crushing child’s capacity to say no, at all costs. Motivate and persuade children to achieve more than they thought possible. Motivate the child and even gently push him to strive ever harder, if you want him to gain a strong will.

Don’t think that your children are sufficient to themselves and that they will grow up into strong young adults by themselves! Children should be personally motivated and trained to achieve their tasks. In short, you must be the personal coach of your kids: hearten the positive, temperate the negative, be active and influence your kid development. Praise your child, not only his behavior!

Take Care of the Social Emotional Skills
Another duty of you as a parent is to help your child to acquire emotional wellbeing. There are positive factors, such as: praise, encouragement, calm talk and response, affectionate attention, etc. that will help to build healthy emotions. Strive to eliminate negative factors such as will annihilation, sarcasm, neglect or bullying. Each child is unique, don’t compare your child with others (especially when you observe a weakness), rather help him deal with being different and even encourage him to be unique. Assist children in learning how to express their feelings and desires and help them develop healthy relationships. Socialize your child.

Monitor the emotional development of children and keep away main traumatic events that can negatively affect their emotional dimension. Assist child develop a positive self-perception, a strong sense safety and make sure they feel loved, if you want to raise an emotionally healthy young adult. Be calm and emotionally supportive. Teach child how to control and change their thoughts, emotions and behaviors.

Discipline Gently
Understand what the child is communicating directly or indirectly by his attitudes and behaviors. A major aspect of the parent’s role is to establish and maintain order in family by requesting a certain level of discipline. Always have a calm reaction, respond consistently, appropriately, and sensitively and gently give a corrective feedback to your child when his behavior is inappropriate. A calm and emphatic talk helps children become conscious of their mistakes. An upset reaction increases the tendency of child to defend him. You have to do what is best for your children, rather than overlook their ways of behaving in order to meet your need for silence. Practice a gentle but firm style of discipline.

Set boundaries and limits to control the children, impose ground rules and standards if you want to cultivate a good will. Build your authority, take charge and when limits are transgressed, issue ultimatums, enforce discipline and impose consequences. Don’t provide approval, praise or rewards when child’s behavior is inappropriate. Also parents’ duty is to warn their children to set aside games and TV until homework is finished. If you want to master the art of gentle discipline you have to acquire effective parenting techniques.

Finally, as a parent you have to be strong and do your best for your children even at your own cost (put your children position first). Be a giver rather than a receiver, give and go on giving, but at the same time demand (role of the child may be that of succeeding in school and of respecting the ground rules of family). You also have to continually learn, improve and optimize your parenting knowledge and skills. We tried to answer to What is the role of a parent? inquiry by describing the most important roles of being a parent and hope you will benefit our tips.


Teaching friendship skills to children is one important mission that parents need to take on to develop the social skills in their children.

This mission however could be especially hard for parents of introverted kids.

Even though some kids are born shy and introverted, social skills are still an important lesson to be taught to them.

Teaching friendship skills to kids will have a tremendous impact to our kids’ wellbeing. It happens so because kids who bond better with their friends can harvest better sense of belonging which help them to develop their emotional skills and reduce stress.

Watch this video now for how you can help your kids making friends if social skills do not come naturally to them.


As parents, it is our responsibilities to teach children the right values, various life skills, and the essential knowledge for them to succeed in life.

Out of so many things for kids to learn, it might be challenging for parents to set their priorities right when it comes to teaching their children.

If you are concerned whether are you missing out any important life lessons to teach to your kids, the following video is for you.

This video is a great guide to help you decide what to teach children and what are the things that they should have known at the age of 10.

Watch the video now and share it with your friends if you find it helpful!

10 Things Children Should Know By Age 10

10 Things Children Should Know By Age 10

Posted by David Wolfe on Saturday, March 17, 2018


Many studies have found that messy play for kids is one of the best ways to let them learn and develop. It was also found that messy kids are more creative.

With the findings of these researches, more and more parents are starting to embrace messy plays and messiness in kids to empower them in exploring their curiosity, creativity and imagination.

However, it is never easy for parents to put up with their kids’ mess.

If you need help to deal with your messy kids, check out this video now for the children hacks that will help your life way easier.

BLhacks – Children Hacks to make things a little less…

Children Hacks to make things a little less messy!

Posted by Madres Solteras on Friday, March 30, 2018


Even though many children are lucky enough to become establish strong sibling bond with their brothers or sisters, it is common for siblings to fight. Sibling rivalry is unavoidable as long as there is more than one kid in your house.

Sibling rivalry usually starts when the second child is born. As the children grow to reach different phases of development, the way they relate to one another would be significantly affected by their evolving needs.

It certainly is upsetting and frustrating to watch your children fighting with one another. When a family is full of conflicts, the growing environment can sometime become stressful and toxic to the kids.

If your kids fight often, you might be worried about their sibling bond.

Check out the following video and article now for the sibling bonding activities you could try to improve the sibling bond in your little ones.

Via Playtivities: 20 Sibling Games to Bond, Compete and Cooperate

Activities for siblings that are easy to set up, can be played independently, help siblings bond, be a team member and even have some healthy competition. I picked our favorite sibling activities to share with you today. Honestly, they are life savers during colder weather when play time outdoors is limited.

Activities for Siblings

Lava game. It’s fun active game for at least 2 players/siblings. Let the kids jump from couch to couch without touching the floor unless it’s a pillow. The players must keep moving and try to hit and make other person touch the floor and melt (in lava).

T-shirt walk. Put both kids in one t-shirt and let them walk in the house. Ideally pick a room or place with less sharp furniture edges in case they fall. This sibling activity would be perfect to play in the backyard on the grass.

Pillow sumomo. We have played this so many times already. Find the rules here.

Apple roll. Give your kids an apple and tell them to roll the apple between their bodies without dropping it. Great team work!

Twister game is a classic, but perfect to play on a family night or on a rainy afternoon.

The ball roll. Let 2 kids hold long piece of cardboard with their hands and roll ball back and forward and try not to let it fall on the floor. The longer they will keep it on the cardboard – the better.

Freeze game. Perfect activity to lift up the mood in the house. Turn on favorite music and let your kids dance. Then stop the music, the kids must freeze until the music starts playing again. If anyone budges before you start the music again, they get a point.

Catchy Catch. Get a beach ball (balloon could work too) and toss it in the air. The players cannot touch the ball with hands and cannot let the ball fall on the floor. Advise them touch it with their noses, heads, feet, tummy.

Balloon pop. Ready for some loud fun? This sibling game is perfect if you have more players and bigger space to play in. Tie a balloon to the right leg of each player’s leg and leave a three foot long string. Then tell the kids that they have to pop each other’s balloons by stepping on them. Whoever is left with the balloon on their feet that is not popped – wins the game!

Balloon walk. Stand your kids side by side and but the balloon between their hips. Tell them to walk across the room without dropping the balloon (and without using their hands to help hold it). If they drop it, they need to start all over again.

Together we stand. Sit your kids on the floor, touching their backs and their arms linked at the elbows. Now tell the kids to get themselves up and standing without ruining the position (their backs touching and elbows linked). There will be some pushing against each other. To make the game more challenging leave some treats on the floor around the house for them to pick it up (while linked together). My kids had so much fun doing it!

Potato drop. This sibling activity is great for kids who are competitive and can handle the race. Put 2 bowls at the finish line. Then mark starting point across the room and give each child a potato. The task is to race while carrying the potato between their knees and drop it in the bowl at the finish line. They can’t use hands!

Touch my po-po (pom pom). This fun activity was created by my kids. I am not sure if they saw it somewhere, but they have been playing it for a while now. Attach pom pom to kids’ backs and tell them to try to catch each other’s pom poms. Lots of fun and laughter!

Beach ball towel game. Grab a beach towel and and a ball. Let your kids hold the towel stretched from both ends and drop the ball. The goal is to let the ball bounce on the towel on not fall on the floor. This is a great boredom buster activity for siblings.

Cardboard Slide Indoors. This is one of the favorite activities for siblings in our house up to this day. They play on it the entire day. See how we made our ultimate indoor slide.

Engineers. Let your kids explore with different ”building materials”. Let them build a tower together from what’s around the house. Then knock it down. How fun is that. My kids used pillows, trash cans, pots and pans, even their Lego blocks.

Blind Treasure Hunt. Place some treats around the house and blindfold one of the siblings. Let the other one (who is not blindfolded) guide the ”blind one” to the treat with words.

Spider Game. Tie some rope on the hall between the walls and let them get out of there.

Large Paper Painting – Tape some paper to a large piece of cardboard, put it on the ground outside and let the fun begin!

Scavenger hunt. Get these 30 free printable scavenger hunts for indoors and outdoors that are perfect for siblings. It’s great for teamwork practice.


Happy Zoo Lover’s Day!

Visiting the zoo is such an exciting event for kids! Seeing the animal in real life which was taught to them in books or even on screen would get most of the kids hyped and excited.

If you are planning on a zoo trip with your kids today, it is important to educate your kids on the zoo safety rules and some safety tips for kids to keep your kids safe throughout your exciting trip.

Here are some zoo safety tips for kids that you would need to take note of before bringing your kids to the zoo.

Via Love and Marriage Blog: 10 Must Know Tips to Keep Your Child Safe At The Zoo

With the recently terrifying incident at the Cincinnati Zoo, you may be a parent who is wondering how to keep your child safe at the zoo. I don’t blame you. I have been, too. To find out as much as I could about keeping your child safe when you take them on a trip to see the animals at the zoo, I’ve done some digging at a number of sites that offer safety information from the experts.

How to Keep Your Child Safe at the Zoo

1. Don’t hold your kids in a dangerous position so they can get a better look.

You may think you have a tight grip on your kiddo, but it’s better safe than sorry. (A parent did this at a zoo & their child fell into a Cheetah exhibit.) For goodness sake, DON’T let your kids sit on the zoo fences or walls.

2. Teach your children not to tease the animals.

You shouldn’t trust that a piece of thick glass will always hold. There have been instances of cracked glass at zoos in the past. No matter the danger of cracked glass, teaching your child to be respectful of animals is just the right parenting decision.

3. Read and follow the zoo signs.

If a sign says not to feed an animal, don’t. If a sign tells you to stay back, do so. It is your responsibility to follow the rules so that your kids are safe.

4. If your child mentions wanting to go in the enclosure, take it seriously.

Children are often mesmerized by the animals, but also by the enclosures themselves. They often look like fun swimming pools are exciting places to play. When your child tells you they want to go in let that sound a caution alarm for you.

5. Create a learning opportunity about wild animals before you visit.

Your kids have stuffed animals at home. They watch cartoons and nature shows. Those things are fine, but they may ultimately teach kids that all animals are friendly, snugly and harmless. Spending some time teaching them about wild animals prior to your trip to the zoo is important.

6. Keep your kids close & accounted for at all times.

While you may find it appalling to use a child harness or a backpack with a harness, I personally would rather see a child safely attached to Mom or Dad than to see them on the news at the bottom of an enclosure. Hand holding is great, but kids have a knack for wrangling away. If your child is too big for a harness, you must be extra vigilant. Have a talk prior to your visit about your rules and make sure they know if they aren’t followed you’ll have to leave.

7. Stop with the photos.

If you’re distracted because you’re taking pictures or selfies or videos, you’re not being a responsible parent. Focus on making memories, not on documenting your outing for Facebook.

8. Focus on the educational benefit of a zoo outing.

Talk to your kids about the animals. Read them the signs. Take every opportunity to impart a love of wild animals so that when they grow up, they’ll carry that love with them.

9. Tell kids you are visitors in the animals’ home.

This is where animals live and kids need to know they are to be respectful visitors. You wouldn’t want a lion tapping on your bedroom window and yelling at you, would you?

10. Visit the zoo’s website before your trip.

There is always lots of helpful information about rules and regulations as well as info about the animals your child will get to see. As a parent you’ll also want to know where the first aid office is, where the bathrooms are, and whether you’re allowed to bring water or snacks inside the zoo.

No matter your feelings about whether animals should be in zoos at all, you can be a great teacher and a great example for your kids about loving, respecting and protecting wild animals. Just be safe while you’re doing it!