Archive for November, 2008
November 24th, 2008 | 
Author: Over the last two decades, single parenting has sky rocketed. There has been an increasing number of children growing up in a single parent famiy. This has happened as a result of a change within our society in recent years.
The decisions that involve your family and affect them are determined by how you react to certain situations and how you cope with change. Studies of single parent homes prove both positive and negative effects.
There are positive and negatives to single parent homes. Single parenting has been shown, by some studies, to produce children with lower self-esteem, than children that have both parents.
Conversely, there have also been studies showing that shared or single parenting have no effect at all on the well-being or growth of a parent. The emotional well-being of both the child and the parent as well as the dynamics of a parent-child relationship is dependent on how the parent deals with a child.
Carefully managed, single parent relationships with their children will achieve the following positive outcomes within the family:
1) Gradual relief from tensions – Feelings of tension are always a part of the process of becoming the single parent.
It is quite a sad situation often parents do not understand the feelings of the
sibling. When an explanation of the situation is given to the child, it can create a sense of understanding why the separation occurred.
Communication with a child can help them understand the present situation, as well as help them to release stress they carry toward their parents as well as other people too.
2) Having more time causes tension which is felt over discussions regarding separation and divorse will lead up to children being neglected. Shouting matches and silent treatment are often perpetrated by both children and parent.
Therefore, being a single parent allows a lot more time to meet the needs of your children, creating open communication between both parties. Making plans for a vacation as well as bonding meetings with one another can be a result of this. Having more time would create a calmer family atmosphere.
Connecting with the community can help the relationship between a single parent and their child.
Friendly neighbors are an excellent source of help regarding childcare tips, baby-sitting or help with household chores. Everyone will have a positive feeling of involvement, including the child, parent and the neightborhood.
4) Out of the box experience to the child- Since the child now shuttles between two separate parents, the child can broaden his/her experiences pertaining to life. The child is able to see that the world does not cater to them and is more self aware.
5) Feeling of accomplishment – If a youngster is assigned small tasks, they will get a sense of accomplishment from it. A mood of honesty adds to the sense of achievement with the addition of new responsibilities. Only because a feat had already been done to help out in the household. The child is then assured of their value as an important member of the household.
If your looking for financial assistance then you may be interested in finding out more about grants for single parent.===
6)For single parents it is wiser to prioritize; this will help them to balance life and work Every now and then, different tasks are necessarry in order to look for new types of jobs to support your family
In order to have balance in you life you need to prioritize your schedules, school and financial obligations. There are many responsibilities to managing a family and it is difficult to get a good work/parenting balance.
7) Active decision making – Single parents foster decision making skills in their child through providing them an active role in family life choices. Parents who are single often need helpin making big life decisions.
Father’s day is all about dad and how much we appreciate him. What I didn’t know until recently is that this holiday isn’t universally celebrated on the same day. We all know (or should know) that in America Father’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd week in June. After doing quite a bit of research the origin of this holiday is not clear although some attribute it to Sonora Dodd who was raised by her father after her mother passed away. The important thing is on Father’s day dads across the nation get to take it easy.
Father’s Day is the time for kids to show Dad their appreciation. Why not teach your young kids to give their dads something handmade and more meaningful for Father’s Day. Kids can spend a bit of time making cards or coloring pages for Dad. Get out the crayons and print these pictures for the kids. Your kids will delight when they engage in these activities, and I bet you will, too. The best way to have children show their dads just how much they care is with homemade cards, handmade gifts, breakfast in bed and displaying their best behaviour for a WHOLE day.
In recent years, retailers have adapted to the holiday by promoting father’s day gifts such as electronics, tools and greeting cards. According to Hallmark, "Father’s Day is the fourth-largest card-sending occasion with nearly 100 million Father’s Day cards expected to be given this year [2008] in the United States. Most greeting cards for guys are humorous so fathers laugh when they open them. Traditionally, fathers prefer greeting cards that are not too sappy.
Because Father’s day falls in the summer months, going to the beach or pool can be a fun father’s day activity. In fact some local pools and neighborhoods make father’s day quite the event out of father’s day with special water events. Picnics can be tons of fun with outdoor BBQs. Pair up with your extended family for a real fun event. Or consider just going to a family movie if the day gets too hot.
Sometimes you want to get dad a bigger gift. In that case consider electronic gadgets. Guys love gadgets. If he golfs, a golf gps unit would make his day – and an iGolf Caddy II golf GPS unit probably improve his golf game. Of course if he doesn’t golf you could get him a gps unit for his car or even motorcycles. Whatever type you might invest in, be sure it’s easy to use. Whatever you seek for father’s day gift ideas, don’t forget to give Dad a big hug.
Father’s Day is a day of commemoration and celebration of Dad. Father’s Day is celebrated with enthusiasm and gifts galore, especially golf gifts, to reflect on the invaluable role and contribution of fathers in the family. To fathers around the world, we hope your Father’s Day is just the way you like it!
I am fortunate to have a delightful niece who is 15 years old. She’s a young woman actually and we love her dearly, but when it comes to Christmas gift ideas, she is becomes a bit of a challenge. I am also blessed with a daughter who will soon be 13. As I begin my Christmas list I like to add unique gift ideas for her. I find that it is difficult to come up with gift choices for a preteen. I know I once a teenager myself, but it was so long ago. And yes, some of the styles that were popular when I was a teen are now coming back in fashion. But that’s kind of frightening!
Teenage girls are no longer interested in dolls and dollhouses (at least that’s what they tell me). The toys they are now interested in are technological gadgets such as MP3 Players and cell phones. Buying my niece a cell phone is out of the question, as my budget and her parents would not allow it. But teen girls love accessories, even for their gadgets. So cell phone holders or other small purses to carry them in are a great choice. Also I’ve found that personalized tote bags with their initials or monogram are also highly popular.
When you get down to it, it’s all about high fashion for teens. For some teenage girls, high fashion is something akin to Miley Cyrus. But for others, they wouldn’t be caught dead in such gear. So, you have to be aware of her personal taste so you don’t offend. Jewelry is always welcome (remember, teen girls love accessories). The possibilities here are endless. There’s casual jewelry for the girl who hates to dress up, there’s elegant silver jewelry for the more particular teen, and everything in between and much of the jewelry personalized for her is quite nice. A simple locket or even a friendship bracelet can become treasured keepsakes. If you’re not comfortable giving her jewelry, consider a jewelry box or a quilted jewelry roll up.
Make-up is a new and exciting venture for young teens. Many girls love to collect eye shadows and lip glosses in every color of the rainbow and spend hours playing with it all. While giving a gift of make-up is a bit personal, consider giving her a cute cosmetic bag or two to keep it all organized and tidy. Cosmetic cases come in everything from a purse size to the size of suitcases.
While
at times it seems that pleasing your young lady is the ultimate challenge, finding her a meaningful gift doesn’t have to be difficult. Taking a moment to consider her new lifestyle and interests will lead you in the right direction.
