Getting Your Kid to Sleep and Other Parenting Woes

When it comes to raising children, parents face a variety of challenges. Not surprisingly, challenges faced during a child’s teenage years are much different from the ones faced during a child’s infancy. Consider some of the typical hurdles faced by most parents at various stages in their children’s lives. It’s wise to be prepared for some of these situations before they happen.

Challenges Faced by Parents of Infants and Toddlers

Many parents have trouble getting their baby or toddler to go to sleep. Some babies are light sleepers and awaken at every little sound, while others can sleep in a noisy room. Soft music, a night light, and some time in a rocking chair can help parents get their babies to sleep. Most toddlers love to explore and play. This can make it difficult to get them calmed down and in bed for the night. A bedtime routine of bathing and reading can signal to a toddler that it’s time to start settling down after a long day.

Potty-training toddlers is another common challenge for parents. Some toddlers are excited about using the toilet by themselves. This can make the process go a lot faster. Alternatively, there are toddlers who don’t want to stop what they are doing to go to the bathroom. Parents who are potty-training toddlers must be consistent and offer praise whenever their child is successful.

Toddlers are famous for throwing tantrums when they don’t get their way. Most parents know what it’s like to be in a store or another public place with a toddler or preschooler who is throwing a tantrum. Luckily, most toddlers grow out of this behavior. Some toddlers might also hear curse words and repeat them. This behavior is embarrassing for parents. Most toddlers will stop this behavior if they don’t get any reaction from adults when they say these questionable words.

There are many young children who are picky eaters. They may stick with one or two foods, refusing to eat anything else. Parents of picky eaters have to get creative when introducing new, healthy foods to their kids. Some parents let their kids dip new foods in their favorite condiments, such as ketchup or mustard. This can be an incentive for a kid to try new tastes. Other parents disguise new foods so kids will at least give them a try.

Challenges Faced by Parents of Elementary-School Kids

Kids in elementary school are notorious for forgetting things. Homework assignments, backpacks, gloves, sports equipment, and lunch boxes are just a few examples. These parents spend a lot of time checking up on their kids to make sure they bring various items home from school. Helping children organize their school binders and giving them a notebook to write down what they need to take home are two useful ideas. Bullying is another issue that parents are confronted with. Children can be victimized by bullies at school, or on sports teams. Parents must intervene by talking with teachers and other school officials to make sure that the situation is addressed. Another challenge is that many parents of elementary-school kids have trouble getting their children to clean their rooms. Kids this age may try to stuff dirty clothes under their mattress or behind the dresser to try to make the room look clean. Sometimes, it’s necessary to create a list of cleaning tasks for children this age to help them stay organized.

Challenges of Parents Who Have Teenagers

The majority of teenagers spend a lot of time on their phones, tablets, and computers. It’s a challenge for parents to get teens to spend time with family and unplug from technology for a while. Some parents set limits for their teens on how long they can be on their phones or tablets during the day. Parents are also challenged with getting their teens to clean their rooms. They may threaten to take away the car, phone, or other privileges if the teen doesn’t keep their room clean. This can be an excellent incentive for teens to follow through with household responsibilities.

• Basics of Toilet-Training
• Solutions for Infant Sleeping Issues
• Tips for Handling Tantrums
• How to Cope With a Child’s Tantrums
• Ideas for Parents With Picky Eaters
• Simple Ways to Encourage a Picky Eater to Eat Healthy Foods (PDF)
• 17 Suggestions for Parents With Picky Eaters
• Making Cleaning Fun for Kids
• Getting Teenagers to Clean Their Room
• Reducing a Teenager’s Screen Time
• Ways to Deal With a Child’s Addiction to Technology
• What to Do With a Child Who Talks Back
• How to Stop a Kid From Using Swear Words
• Getting Children to Remember Their Homework
• Tips for Weaning a Child Away From a Pacifier
• Facts on Bullying and How to Address it
• How to Stop Your Child From Sucking Their Thumb
• Tips on How to Prevent Baby From Climbing Out of the Crib
• The Transition From Crib to Toddler Bed
• Teaching Kids to Stay in Their Own Bed at Night

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