Parenting is Child's Play : Independence

Allowing your child to independent.

That sounds obvious, and maybe even easy.
But it is something I believe every parent may struggle with at some point in those early independent, yet dependent, years.

How to keep some control of the chaos, yet allow your child to have a say, takes some balance. Jillian, author of the inspiring learning blog A Mom with a Lesson Plan, helps us achieve that balance. Or, at least, lets us know how she's learned to balance it out.

I have always believed that kids should have a space that allows them to practice independence.

Three tips to remember that Jill shared with me are:

1. Change the Rules. 
2. The tools must be available.
3. Everything has a place.

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Unwanted Behaviors : Repeat Questions

Why?
Why?
Why?

... Why?

Experience that in your house?
Repeat.

Ha. Okay. I won't be the one with the repetitive questions.
Its probably your kids.

There's the 'why' stage that we're currently in. 
[Which I think I'm pretty good at answering... for now.]
But, I'm sure the nagging repetitive questions will be coming soon in full force.

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Unwanted Behaviors : Acting Out

Henry acting out?
No....
That never happens.

Ha. I wish that was a true story.
Henry whizzed through the terrible twos with just a lot of energy, not really being terrible.
The threes have been another story.

It has been very common to see a full-blown tantrum over the tiniest thing.

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Raising Kids is Tough : Gender Awareness

More of those Unwanted Behaviors have been answered! This time its a pretty touchy topic but one definitely to be aware of. Is your child becoming a little too aware of his/her private parts, or worse, others?

These hands on experts have given their professional and personal answers to help deal with or accept those unwanted behaviors that you submitted.

The Hands On Experts:

• Mom Expert: Jill of A Mom with a Lesson Plan
• Parenting Expert: Erin of The Intentional Parent
• Teaching Expert: Deborah of Teach Preschool
• Lifestyle Expert: Sarah of Füdoo Boards

Your Unwanted Behaviors:

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Raising Kids is Tough : Adult Differences

Every Monday through September, we'll be going through some Unwanted Behaviors. I'm very excited for this part in the series, because I often wonder what is expected of my child at his age, or how to cope with certain outbursts. And boy, the experts have some great answers to share!


These hands on experts have given their professional and personal answers to help deal with or accept those unwanted behaviors that you submitted.

The Hands On Experts:

• Mom Expert: Jill of A Mom with a Lesson Plan
• Parenting Expert: Erin of The Intentional Parent
• Teaching Expert: Deborah of Teach Preschool
• Lifestyle Expert: Sarah of Füdoo Boards

Your Unwanted Behaviors:

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Raising Kids is Tough : Eating Battles

For the Raising Kids is Tough series, August has been all about your Eating Battles. This is the final edition of Eating Battles.

This week are all the questions that came in throughout the month and I've posted on Facebook to have fans, as well as the experts, give you their answers!

The Hands On Experts:

• Mom Expert: Jill of A Mom with a Lesson Plan
• Parenting Expert: Erin of The Intentional Parent
• Teaching Expert: Deborah of Teach Preschool
• Lifestyle Expert: Sarah of Füdoo Boards

These hands on experts have given their professional and personal answers to help lessen your eating battles that you submitted.

Your Eating Battles:

• Dinner Table Battles
• Going Out to Eat
• Picky Eaters
• Healthy Snacks 
• More Eating Battles [The Experts' advice below] : 
• Eating Independence
• Slow Eating
• Constant Hunger
• Eating Manners

[Do you have a question that wasn't listed? Submit your Raising Kids is Tough questions!]

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Raising Kids is Tough : Healthy Snacks

We're discussing your Eating Battles. This week are some suggestions for healthy snacks that don't turn into a meal. I have gathered some suggestions on Facebook as well as from one of the experts [Sarah from Füdoo Boards]. The hands on experts have given their professional and personal answers to help lessen your eating battles that you have submitted.


The Hands On Experts:

• Mom Expert: Jill of A Mom with a Lesson Plan
• Parenting Expert: Erin of The Intentional Parent
• Teaching Expert: Deborah of Teach Preschool
• Lifestyle Expert: Sarah of Füdoo Boards

Your Eating Battles:

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Raising Kids is Tough : Picky Eaters

This month, every Monday for the Raising Kids is Tough series we're discussing your Eating Battles. We're in the third week of hearing the experts advice those pesky eating and dining troubles.


This week I have gathered the information from two of the experts [Erin from The Intentional Parent and Sarah from Füdoo Boards] on how to deal when your kids refuse to eat particular foods - also known as a Picky Eater! 


The hands on experts have given their professional and personal answers to help lessen your eating battles that you submitted.

The Hands On Experts:

• Mom Expert: Jill of A Mom with a Lesson Plan
• Parenting Expert: Erin of The Intentional Parent
• Teaching Expert: Deborah of Teach Preschool
• Lifestyle Expert: Sarah of Füdoo Boards

Your Eating Battles:

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Raising Kids is Tough : Dining Out

This month is dedicated to Eating Battles. This is the second week of your questions being answered [last week was food battles at the dinner table]. 


These hands on experts have given their professional and personal answers to help lessen your eating battles that you submitted.

The Hands On Experts:

• Mom Expert: Jill of A Mom with a Lesson Plan
• Parenting Expert: Erin of The Intentional Parent
• Teaching Expert: Deborah of Teach Preschool
• Lifestyle Expert: Sarah of Füdoo Boards

That's right. We added Sarah of Füdoo Boards on as a full-time expert, and sponsor, for the entire RKIT series! She doesn't just know food - she knows how to live a healthy lifestyle - their slogan: Eat! Drink! Move! Think! [more than just food].

I'm also super excited that this week in the series all four experts are sharing an answer. And it happens to be to MY eating question [they didn't know who asked the questions]! Yay! But also because it introduces the last expert, Erin of The Intentional Parent!

Your Eating Battles:

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Raising Kids is Tough : At the Dinner Table

I announced the Raising Kids is Tough [RKIT] series on the blog and asked for your toughest questions. 

Each Monday for the month of August, I'm going to focus on the battles of eating that every household has at one time or another. Very generously, the hands on experts have given their professional and personal answers to help lessen those battles.

The Hands On Experts:

• Mom Expert: Jill of A Mom with a Lesson Plan
• Parenting Expert: Erin of The Intentional Parent
• Teaching Expert: Deborah of Teach Preschool

And, we have a special guest expert, and a wonderful sponsor, Sarah of Fudoo Boards is here for this eating series to give her food expert input on your eating battles.

Your Eating Battles:

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Raising Kids is Tough : Ask the Experts

 

Raising a Kid is Tough.

Teaching your children to become responsible adults is a lot of pressure for teachers and parents. To lend a helping hand, experts are here to lend you an ear along with their advice.

The Raising Kids is Tough Series is a series of posts dedicated to help take the tough out of raising kids. Each month your questions on a specific topic will be answered by the Hands on Experts!

Who are the Hands on Experts?

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