Resources

http://www.quotegarden.com/parents.html (Parent Quote)

http://www.quotegarden.com/children.html (Children Quote)

http://heavensentme123.services.officelive.com/childcareservices.aspx (Hands Picture)

http://www.dltk-kids.com/school/poems_for_teachers.htm (Teacher Poem)

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/adolescence.html (Adolescence Quote)

http://www.mystrongfamily.org/family/index.html (Parenting Picture)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZCSnFOioOg (Pre-School Video)

http://www.life-changing-inspirational-quotes.com/inspirational-parenting-quotes.html (Parenting Quote)

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/p/power_of_attorney.asp (Funny Parenting Cartoon Image)

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Communicate-with-Your-Teens-516948044 (Communicating with Teenagers Video)

http://www.love-quotes-and-quotations.com/parent-poem.html (Parenting Poem)

Parenting Today - BEHS 343

These chapters cover parenting from infancy to adolescence.

"If you want your children to walk through the righteous path, do not merely point the way - lead the way" -J.A. Rosenkranz

Parenthood is one of the most rewarding and challenging parts of a persons of life. I know that when I became a parent I felt like my life had changed, and it's so much better! Having children gives you a purpose to raise a child into the purson they are to become. Watching my nine-month old learn to crawl and start to wave makes me so proud. It makes me sad that he's growing so quickly but I'm just so glad that I can help mold his life. I love that I can have an affect on his life to that extent.

We laugh about how much parenting really does change things. The easiest things become much more difficult but even more fun at the same time. I'm still learning how to manage things myself because while I am the oldest in my family and learned a lot, I still had so much to learn and I didn't realize that until my son was born last year. He has taught me so many different things. I know I wasn't the best with time management, man did that change!

The art of parenting can cause you to learn so many things, many of them can be hard to believe because it goes so fast. We never realize how fast our children grow until we have them!

Parents and their School-Age Children

"Children make you want to start life all over." -Muhammed Ali

The transition in going to school for a child can be a real challenge, especially if they have stayed with their parents at home previously. Most of the time, children start pre-school first in order to learn the basic socialization and basic skills needed for kindergarten.

I remember the day that I started kindergarten because it was very scary because I was with my mother more than I was with anyone else. Having to learn how to be around others and not rely as much on others was a difficult transition. I'm sure that it had even more of an affect on my parents though. I can only imagine when my little one begins school!

Who's child is this?

"Whose child is this?" I asked one day
Seeing a little one out at play
"Mine", said the parent with a tender smile
"Mine to keep a little while
To bathe his hands and comb his hair
To tell him what he is to wear
To prepare him that he may always be good
And each day do the things he should"

"Whose child is this?" I asked again
As the door opened and someone came in
"Mine", said the teacher with the same tender smile
"Mine, to keep just for a little while
To teach him how to be gentle and kind
To train and direct his dear little mind
To help him live by every rule
And get the best he can from school"

"Whose child is this?" I ask once more
Just as the little one entered the door
"Ours" said the parent and the teacher as they smiled
And each took the hand of the little child
"Ours to love and train together
Ours this blessed task forever."

-Author Unknown

This chapter also covers the idea of activities that children participate in and how parents can affect it. If a parent requires a child to take part in a specific activity it can possibly cause some hostility. Everyone deserves to be a part of something that they enjoy, child or adult. It also is possible that when sceduling activities for your children, you can "overbook" them. Children deserve time to be kids and without schedules. Time just to run free and be a kid.

When children begin school, they also face the issue of potential bullying which comes from a child's upbringing and their home-life in the first place. If a child is being bullied, he or she deserves to know that it is not their fault but at the same time, the bully is in obvious need of attention and that should be acessed as well.

This chapter covers a vast array of topics and it is even included how we attempt to mold our childrens nutrition. We, as parents, have a great affect on how our children choose their meals and how it affects their overall health. I know that I will personally attempt to help my children choose nutritious choices but I don't believe that a child should be restricted from the "fun stuff" either.

Things have certainly changed with the new inventions and advances in electronics. Children don't play outside like they used to. Their choices usually involve what kind of video game they would like to play. I believe that if we decide to take our children outside, they'll be more likely to want to run and play which is very important in many different areas.

We know that in American society, children often start school in pre-school in order to get ready for kindergarten which is the beginning of the school-years snd teaches them the basics.

Each country is differentt in it's opinions on how a child should prepare for for school and how much schooling a child should ultimately have. In Germany, they begin school much earlier, when a child is three or so and they take part for much longer.

When a child starts school, much of how a child reacts and interacts in school can impact their home-life and vice versa.

Parent-Adolescent Interactions

"Adolescence represents an inner emotional upheaval, a struggle between the eternal human wish to cling to the past and the equally powerful wish to get on with the future." -Louise J. Kaplan

They Don't Understand

© Emily J. Taylor

I'm confused about life
it seems like no one understands me
especially my parents
they try to run my life
but they don't understand
my life's my own to run
they can't run it
it seems we live in two different worlds
at two different times
they should know no matter how much
they try to control my life
I'll always rebel
I don't care about the punishment
because they can't take away my
freedom, hope, dreams, memories
and people I love ever.
I wish they would understand
they never had to go through
the problems us teens are going through now
they would never understand
back then there weren't so many problems us
teens face now
they just simply don't understand
us teens

This chapter discusses how a parent interacts with their child as they enter adolescence. This can be one of the hardest times for a child and how a parent tends to interact is one of the keys to success for a child. It can also be a key time for a parent as well, which causes a parent to learn many different ideas on how to handle a new adolescent's behavior, which may not be the best always.

Teenagers tend to go through many different changes and a parent's role can shape much of how they feel about themselves and how the interact with other people which can mold their future either for positive or negative. Learning how to communicate with your teenager can be one of the key's to learn how be a positive parent. 

How to Communicate with Your Teens



How a child tends to communicate with their parents tends to change once they reach adolescence because they have the fear that their parents will not only understand them, but not listen to what they have to say, which can be one of the main issues in parenting a child entering adolescence.


Daddy's Footsteps

“Walk a little slower, Daddy”,
Said a little child so small.
“I’m following in your footsteps,
And I don’t want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they’re hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

Someday when I’m all grown up,
You’re what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child
Who’ll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true;
So, walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you.”

-Author Unknown




Parents will impact a child's life in so many ways and during adolescent years, it is possible that it is even more so that a parent impacts their lives during those years. This chapter covers how a parent can influence a adolescent in how they live their lives. Whether a child wants to admit it, children, even adolescents, want to be like their parents. A child will mimic their parents habits and if their habits are bad, their children's habits will follow. A child can have issues with emotions, or weight and it can be much of how a parent interacts that has the impact.

Becoming Parents and Parenting Infants and Toddlers

"You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parent's will always wave back." -William D. Tammeus

This chapter covers how a child comes into the world, from being an infant and through the process of growing into a toddler. The changes that a child goes through during that time, are not comparable to any other time in a person's life. Becoming a parent is one of the most memorable, enjoyable and scary experiences a person can go through.

The beginning of the chapter discusses the importance of a mother's prenatal care and how it can affect the growth of a child. If there are complications with a woman during her pregnancy and they aren't treated, they can have a lasting impression on a child and the mother in care.

I remember the day that my son was born, actually at midnight November 2nd, 2010. I remember being so exhausted but that the moment the nurse placed him on me, I wasn't tired anymore. This action is noted as Kangaroo Care in our textbook. I'll never forget that feeling. I remember being so scared that I wouldn't know what to do and how to make sure he had everything he needed. I've made it through that stage and now he is almost considered a toddler. I can't believe it!

The day I had my little one, life seemed to fly by. I can't seem to keep up!

Everyone has their own ideas and views on how to raise their children, even from day one. One of the first and most important decisions you make is whether you will formula feed or breastfeed. From personal experience, breastfeeding is one of the hardest  and time-consuming actions possible but I felt it was important.

Kangaroo Care - Using a mother's body tempurature to help regulate a newborn's health, especially if born premature.





Time Well Spent  

See tiny fingers and tiny toes,
Bright baby eyes, cute baby nose;
Hear baby gurgles and baby sighs,
As Mom and Dad sing lullabies.

Life is changed, but that's okay;
It's fun to spend glad hours each day,
Taking time for all the good
That comes along with parenthood.

 -Joanna Fuchs   

Becoming parents can be one of the most difficult stages in a person's life but it has to be one of the most important and memorable as well. I know I can't imagine life being any different.