• Knowledgebase: Parenting Questions

    Questions about the managment of common parenting problems such as discipline.

    10. New Years resolutions for parents - Top

    The following are new years resolutions for parents:

    1. Improve communications with your children. Actively listen to your child. Be interested and attentive with both your eyes and ears. Resolve to be an available and askable parent during the many Teachable moments that arise every day with children.

    2. Be actively involved with your child's education. Read to your small children regularly. Promote education in your older children by showing interest. Remember, you are your child's number one teacher (children are learning something all the time). Balance reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic with teaching respect, responsibility and resilience.

    3. Become more computer aware and competent. Computers are part of the future (if we like it or not) and your child's life will be involved with computers even at a very young age. Make sure to keep a balance with computers - don't forget physical activities.

    4. Work hard at observing and understanding your child's temperament (their basic individual style and reactions to the world around them). Once you have an understanding of their temperament, you can adjust your interactions with them to make their life and yours run more smoothly. Encourage them to use their temperament in positive ways rather than unconstructive ways.

    5. Be vigilant about your children health. Make sure all appropriate vaccines are given. Teach good health habits like hand washing (your example is the best teaching tool). Reduce or eliminate your child's exposure to smoke, thereby reducing respiratory illnesses. Discourage your child from becoming one of 3,000 new pre-teens and teens who begin smoking every day.

    6. Provide good nutrition. Realize they will not always eat what is best for them, but your job is to provide it and reduce exposure to less nutritious but more inviting fast foods and sugar snacks.

    7. Pay attention to safety issues; buckle up, install smoke detectors, practice fire escape plans and use sunscreen. Don't forget the Killer B's - bullets and bicycles. If guns are around, lock up guns and ammunition in separate locations and always wear helmets when riding bikes (you too, Mom and Dad).

    - Updated: March 24, 2001

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    • James L Horwitz, MD

    David C. Thomas, MD

    Barbara Lindberg, PNP