Understanding Parenting Styles

Impact of parents on their child’s behavior have long been the interest of many developmental psychologists. However, finding the reason for the children changing behavior is very difficult as they tend to behave very different during their growth. Through intense research, intensive types of four parenting styles have been differentiated to identity the growth patterns of the children.

Group of children in a primary school in Paris

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Authoritarian parenting is one style where the children are expected to follow the strict rules and regulations made by their parents. If the children fail to follow the rules, then they would be severely punished. In this style, reasoning for rules are not clearly explained by parents and they want their children to follow their orders without any questions.

Authoritative parenting is another style, but much more similar to authoritarian style. Here, parents establish strict rules and guidelines for their children to follow. However, unlike authoritarian, these parents always tend to listen to their children questions. Also, if the children break the rules, these parents tend to be more of forgiving than punishing.

Permissive style or indulgent style parents have only few expectations from their children. These parents tend to control their children very rarely. This type of parents are very communicative and nurturing to their children.

Finally, uninvolved style parents also have very few demands and they are non-communicative and do not have any response over the children. Though these parents sometimes fulfill the needs of the children, they always tend to detach from their child’s life and never care much about them.

 

How to Discipline Teens without Disturbing the Relationship

Raising a teen is definitely a challenging task and parents have to face so many things to discipline their teenage children. Most teenage children show their anger by slamming the door, raging hormones, screaming, and arguing. Parents should follow a balance between love and authority while disciplining their children. Here are few tips to discipline the teen without disturbing the relationship.

Two adolescent couples at the 2009 Western Ida...

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Parents should be very consistent with their children, especially with the teenagers. Parents changing moods might develop frustration and stress among children. It is the job of the parents to provide more information of real world and provide them direction and security.

Listening is the most important characteristics for the parents. Teens always want their opinions and words to be respected and valued and this can be done only by listening. Even if the teenagers are arguing, parents should listen before talking anything.

Parents should know to control the anger because teenagers may argue to their parents until they lose their patience. At this situation, it is better for the parents to move away from that place. Consistent parenting helps to develop open communication and also reduces confusion in the relationship.

Being friend with the teens is good, but being a parent is very important. Only parents can provide securities and boundaries for their children. Parents while commenting on the wrongdoing of the teen should be very careful and they should comment only on the behavior not the teen. Parents should allow their teen to fail because certain things in life is well understood only through failures.

 

Dealing With the new Teen

Teens

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Every parent dreads the teenage years. This is the time where kids begin to change and grow and with this they start striving to be their own person and acting out. For the parent it is a time where they worry about just how far it will go. It is not a pleasant situation. Here are some tips to dealing with the rebellious teen.

It is always the best practice to give them space. This is not easy to do because as a parent you are accustomed to spending a lot of time with your family. Still, kids at that age are desperate for attention from their friends and forcing them to spend time with you won’t do you or them any good. Make designated family times but give them their space.

Allow them a healthy form of expression. As a parent you have to be smart about what they choose to use as their expression, but you have to pick and choose their battles. Designer clothing is a healthy form of self expression, but clothing which is associated with gangs of any kind should be monitored and fought against. You have to make sure they understand their own boundaries.

No matter what is happening you should not be afraid to talk to your child about how you are feeling. You love them and you must maintain a healthy dialog. Without communication you are looking at a very messy situation.

Dealing with a teen is no easy matter and as a parent you should know it is a work in progress. If you are committed to keep a relationship tight it will pay off down the road.

Reading Your Teenagers Body Language

Two adolescent couples at the 2009 Western Ida... 

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People of all ages can be hard to read. A person may say one thing, but his or her body language is saying something completely different. Teenagers are probably the most confusing of all. With their changing moods and drama filled lives it’s sometimes hard to keep up with what’s going on with them.

Being attentive to your teenager’s body language could help to build a stronger relationship. Here are some body language basics:

  • When you ask your teenager a question and they give you an answer of “no”, but they nod their head up and down as if answering yes. This incongruity may indicate that they are feeling the opposite of their verbal answer. By gently saying “I know you answered no but your head movement answered yes”, it may help them to open up if something is bothering them.
  • Happy and confident teenagers walk with their head eye and are not afraid to make eye contact and smile at others. If your teenager walks with his or her shoulders slumped and head down with eyes looking at the ground they may be having some confidence issues. Most teenagers tend to have this issue at one time or another. Letting them know this is normal may help them to normalize what they are feeling.

Although body language can be a useful indicator as to what your teenager is thinking or feeling, it is not a black and white way of understanding something. What you may take as odd may be a completely normal way to behave for your teenager. A slouchy teenager may just mean he or she is tired!

 

Unlimited Everything with Muve Music

mobile phone text message 

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If you have a teen, you know how quickly the cell phone bill can explode as your teen goes over on minutes, exceeds the number of allotted text messages, and watches videos online. It can get expensive to have cell phones, and yet your teen continues to promise not to exceed the limits the next month. Isn’t there something that you can do as a parent to prevent these problems?

Get an Unlimited Plan

You may think that unlimited plans are too expensive and if you can just get your teen under control, you won’t have to pay for it, but there’s an affordable, unlimited cell phone plan out there that covers all your bases: Cricket’s Muve Music Plan. By purchasing a Muve Music phone (such as the Samsung Suede) for your teen, you can get this plan for only $55/month. It gives you unlimited amounts of the following:

  • Nationwide calling
  • Text, picture, and video messages
  • Email
  • Video
  • Ringtones
  • Data backup
  • Mobile Web

Not only that but the plan allows for unlimited music downloads from the Muve Music store, which include 55 record labels including Warner, Sony, and Universal. What teen wouldn’t love to get music quickly and easily and for free?

Save Money

In the long run, you’ll be saving money by going with this plan and the best part is there isn’t a contract, so you can cancel at any time. Your teen will be happy and you’ll be happy.

Think of all the money you’ll save by giving your teen an unlimited plan. No more stress over ballooning cell phone costs.

The Link Between Sugar and Behavior

Macro photograph of a pile of sugar (saccharose) 

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For many years people have held the belief that sugar causes hyperactivity. However research has failed to show a consistent link between the two. What behavioral problems parents may think are caused by sugar may have deeper causes and should not be blamed on sugar.

Research Has the Facts

Some researchers believe that it is the context in which children receive larger sugar doses which are responsible for escalations in behavior. Many of the misperceptions around sugar having a negative effect on behavior are actually coming from parents themselves. A parent will be made aware that a child has had sugar and then automatically view his or her behavior ass being different, when in fact there has been no change at all.

A study conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University found that there was no difference in the behavior of children with both no and known behavioral problems after they were administered with sugar. Although there is yet to be any solid research evidence that sugar causes behavioral problems, there is evidence that sugar can be addictive.

As sugar is a carbohydrate the body will start to crave it if it has it too regularly. Parents may be confusing a child acting out, and expressing irritability and aggressiveness due to fluctuating blood-sugar levels and cravings for sugar as behavioral problems caused from the sugar itself.

Children express themselves in all different ways. They generally have fewer inhibitions than adults and as such are not adverse to yelling, screaming and hysterical behavior. Just because a child acts this way, it does not mean that they have a behavioral problem. They are just kids!

 

Developing a Healthy Relationship With Your Teenager

The teen years can be a confusing and challenging time for some teenagers. As a parent, your teenager’s journey through this phase of life can present you with both ups and downs. Rocawear shirts, designer jeans, tattoos and a special brand of sneakers may be on your teen’s list of needs and wants. While these are material needs and requests, they represent your teen’s inner longings. The teenage years are a time for exploration of the self and the social world. As your teen finds his or her way through it all, provide loving guidance and support.

Clothing as an Outer Expression of Inner Needs

Your teen dresses in Rocawear shirts, Nike sneakers and wears his hair in a style that didn’t exist when you were growing up. Now he wants a tattoo, which is something that you’re not accustomed to. What does all of this mean? Your teen clearly fits in with his own peers, but you’re wondering where your little boy went. Now he is out, partying with his friends and only coming to you when he needs something.

Boundaries, Support and Patience

The teenage years are critical for personal development. This is the time when your teen learns to stand on his own, learn from his mistakes and become a contributing member of society. In this phase, developing a healthy relationship with your teen requires patience, support, an open mind and setting boundaries when necessary. Your son or daughter may be doing things you never did or would do, but your loving guidance and support will help your teen to become a loving and responsible adult.

 

Loving Through Thick and Thin

Everyone knows how hard it can be to be a teenager.  There are countless books written, movies produced, songs recorded, and TV shows broadcast all about how hard it is to be a teenager.  One group that does not get nearly as much recognition for the difficulty they face is the parents of teenagers.  IF you are or have ever been the parent of a teenager, then you know how difficult teenagers can be.  While all teenagers are different (even if some of them attempt to be the exact same as everyone else) there are some similarities between almost all teenagers.  Unfortunately, many of these difficulties put a lot of stress on parents.  For example, most teenagers want to have very little to do with their parents.  Also, most teenagers are expensive.  Very expensive.  These can be very difficult for a parent to withstand, but there is one thing you need to remember: It will pass.  And, after it is all said and done, your children will thank you if you are a good parent.  So, through all the pain that a teenager can be, just remember that you need to love them, support them, and protect them (not over-protect them) because their teenage-ness will eventually pass.  All you need to do is stick with it and remember that they really will be grateful for everything you do for them once the smoke of teenage years settles and they can see how everything really happened.  Just never stop loving them and you should be fine.

Will the Kids be Happy for You?

The marriage failed the first time but now with the passage of time, you have met someone else and are ready to try again. Itis a very exciting time but can be a very trying one as well as you worry about the reaction of your children. They may never have gotten over their parents breaking up to begin with and now you are asking them to welcome someone new into their lives. Proceed with caution.

Even though your first divorce may have been years ago, do not be surprised if your children react negatively at first to the news that you are going to remarry. It is best to tell your children alone without your fiance presentso that the feelings of your soon-to-be spouse are nothurt if the kids react less then enthusiastically. Hopefully, you have been able to spend time as a couple with your children so that the idea of you getting married does not come as a complete surprise.

The best way to approach the subject with your children is to be very honest and very direct. Tell them that you do not want to spend the rest of your life alone and want one more shot at happiness. Do not ask for their permission to remarry but do ask them for their blessing for your union. You may even ask for their help in handling the arrangements, like finding a reception hall and picking out engagement rings.

Your children will probably be worried about telling your ex about this new marriage, so it is best if you tell them you will handle that. They should not have to be the bearer of that news so you have to be the one to tell them. This may be very difficult but you should inform your former spouse before you tell the children so that they are prepared for any questions when they come home.