2009 January | Parenting Center

Parenting Styles

By: lee
Published January 27th 2009, in Parenting styles

From the moment your baby is born parents feel the weight of the huge responsibility of taking care of this little being. We know that how we raise them will play a role in their personality development, therefore a lot of thought goes into how to discipline and interact with the child. We often inadvertantly copy our parents in the way they raised us, even though as a teenager you often felt that you would never treat your children in the same manner.

We can differentiate between four different parenting styles:
1. Authoritarion parents: Rules are regarded as central in the interaction with their children. The parents are in control, and there is a lack of warmth and affection. Children do not get to make any choices, but have to obey their parents without questioning. When the child does not follow the rigid rules, he will be punished. These parents tend to focus on the negative and bad behaviour and do not recognize good behaviour, seeing that it is expected.

Children coming out of houses where parents acted authoritarion often have low self-esteem, are submissive and have difficulties in relating to their friends.

2. Authorative parents: This parent clearly indicates what is expected in the house, but allow a lot of freedom within reasonable limits. Even though they are in control, they remain warm, sensitive and patient. Children are encouraged to take part in the decision making processes in the family. This is a democratic approach where both parent and child’s rights are respected.

The outcome of this parenting style is the most positive of all the parenting styles. These children have a high self-esteem, are able to internalize moral standards, do well academically, whilst remaining independant, open to new challenges and exhibit a large degree of altruistic behaviour.

3. Permissive parents: These parents cultivate a climate where the child is responsible to regulate his own behaviour. Even though they provide well for the child, they do not exert any control over behaviour. Children therefore do as they please. It is not surprising that they are misbehaved and explosive when asked to do something that is in conflict with their wishes. They do not accept responsibility and do not do well at school. They remain immature in their interaction with peers.

4. Uninvolved parents: These parents do not expect anything from their children, but are uninterested and even rejecting towards the child. They only do the minimum of what is expected from them as caregivers to the child. They do well at satisfying the short term needs of the child (food and clothing), but fail in setting long term goals for the child.

Children coming from these houses exhibit disorders in their relationships with others and tend to be impulsive and even behave antisocially. They are not driven academically.

From the above it is quite obvious that parents should respect their childrens’ rights, give them the opportunity to make choices and most of all provide them with a warm and loving home environment. These children will grow into mature, moral and self assured adults.

How to explain the importance of sleep to your child

By: lee
Published January 26th 2009, in Importance

Many children feel that the call to go to bed is the final punishment for the day. As parents we think of sleep as a natural part of the day – just like having breakfast, lunch and dinner. Taking the time to explain to your toddler why it is important to sleep, might just give you as a parent a better quality of sleep as well.

Explain to your child that sleeping is important to help their brains to remember what they learn . Enough sleep improves concentration and attention span . Sleep helps with problem solving skills . The body needs sleep for the muscles, bones and skin to grow . Enough sleeps improves the body’s ability to fix injuries , stay healthy and fight any germs attacking the body.

If your child struggles to sleep, make sure the bedroom is cool, dark and quiet. Any light in the room for example at TV or computer might disturb your child’s sleep. A dim nightlight might provide enough comfort without preventing restful sleep. It is useful for your child’s body to become familiar with a bedtime routine. Going to bed at the same time every night and having a bedtime routine set (brushing teeth, using the toilet and listening to a story) will assist in the process of getting enough sleep. Make sure that your child does not have any caffeine drinks in the afternoon or at nighttime. A big meal just before bedtime might make your child feel uncomfortable and prevent them from falling asleep. Rather give a glass of hot milk and a small healthy snack if required. Enough exercise during the day will tire your child and make going to bed easier.

As parents it is our responsibility to ensure that our children get enough and uninterrupted sleep. Make sure that your child get the right amount of naps during the day at the right times. When you have your child’s sleep schedule set, both of you will reap the benefits.

A well-rested child has the ability to concentrate better and therefore will find classes easier and less stressful. Children who had a good night’s rest are more sociable and less grumpy than their counterparts who might appear hyperactive, irritated and tearful. Being able to better problem-solve will provide a sense of achievement, which in turns builds self-esteem and confidence. These children will be more immune to opportunistic germs and be able to more active during the day. Probably the biggest advantage from a parent’s point of view is that you will also be able to have higher quality and quantity of sleep!

Using Positive Reinforcement in Disciplining Your Children

By: lee
Published January 26th 2009, in Reinforcement

The behaviorists introduced the term of reinforment with Pavlov’s dog reacting in the desired way, drooling, when a bell was rang before receiving his meal. A stimulus was presented, the ringing of the bell when presenting his food, which led to the desired response of the dog drooling. Eventually the dog would start to drool as soon as he heard the bell. The stimulus presented with a reward led to the learnt response.

Stimulus + Reward → Response

This form of conditioning is referred to as classic conditioning. Operant conditioning is in a sense the opposite where the stimulus or situation would elicit a certain behavior which would receive a reward or punishment.

Stimulus → Response → Reward or Punishment.

Through the use of punishment and reward the desired behaviour is learnt and eventually internalized. This is true of what we as parents refer to as disciplining our children. We use the principles of reinforcement to teach our children what is expected behavior. The principles of reinforcement is as follows:

If the child’s behavior leads to a reward there would be an increase in the behavior.
If the child’s behavior leads to punishment there would be a decrease in the specific behavior.
If the child’s behavior does not lead to either punishment or reward, the behavior would be extinguished.

When children notices the consequences of a certain behavior, whether good or bad, a mental link is formed which would either increase or prevent certain behavior. Unfortunately parents are negatively biased and tend to only notice the undesired or naughty behavior of our children. As a result of this negative bias we have become a punitive society.

You would experience an increase in positive behavior and communication with your child when you start also reinforcing correct behavior. Good behavior can be reinforced through simple measures like a hug, a pat on the back, praise, the opportunity to decide on tonight’s dinner or which television program will be watched by the family.

Simple charts with the child’s name on, put in a visible spot can be used effectively for reinforcing good behavior. By putting a simple gold star next to the good behavior, your child will experience pride and a sense of success. This works especially well with younger children. Older children can also benefit through the use of charts, but a point system should be implemented, where after achieving a certain goal a reward is received. It is beneficial to involve your child in the making of the chart using his favorite colors or themes. Older children should be able to join in on the decision of which rewards they will receive. It is important that it is reasonable rewards that can be given as quickly and often as possible. Charts should not be used to punish children for bad behavior, rather institute other forms of punishment.

Central to positive reinforcement is the positive feedback that is given to the child. Praising a child for a certain action improves his sense of self worth and promotes self-confidence, especially if it is done consistently. Consistency is extremely important to internalize behavior and to prevent confusion. When punishing be certain to focus on the action that was done and not the person, for example:"I do not approve of you not picking up your laundry." Rather than "You are such a lazy slob!"

The process of reinforcement can be summarized by saying a certain situation would elicit an action that would either lead to reward or punishment when a behaviour is ignored it will disappear.

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The Evolution of Discipline Strategies

By: lee
Published January 26th 2009, in Discipline

The methods of disciplining children have changed considerably over the decades. Severe beatings used to be the norm in Ancient Greece, and became common during the nineteenth century in Europe, America and South Africa. In order to control the children more effectively, they were scared through ghost stories and other scary figures, for example the Boogie man.

As the methods of education changed, parents started taking into consideration the child’s level of insight and ability to control his own behaviour. With this change in perception, behaviours that was previously seen as dangerous, for instance thumb sucking and interest in sexual activities, are now seen as part of the child’s normal development. Rigid programmes for feeding, toilet training and play were exchanged for an approach in which the child’s personality and chosen form of self expression were taken into account. The trend is now to rather relax and enjoy the development of your child. (Out of Menslike Ontwikkeling, DA Louw)

Disadvantages of Breastfeeding

By: lee
Published January 26th 2009, in Breastfeeding

Everyone is always talking about the large amount of benefits that it holds to a baby to be breastfed, not taking into consideration that there are also some real disadvantages of breastfeeding to the mother of the child. An unhappy mother to a child who is reaping all the benefits of being fed in this way, may be doing more emotional harm to their relationship than the tallied benefits to her child. A mother who resents the time that she spends feeding her child, can become distant and unresponsive to the emotional needs of her child and a real risk of postpartum depression arises.

Some of the reasons why mothers may feel that breastfeeding is not the choice for them includes:

Breastfeeding in the first couple of weeks after birth can be very painful
The mother’s nipples can become sore or cracked
Engorgement between feeding can be uncomfortable and painful.
Clogged milk ducts can develop and lead to a painful breast infection called mastitis. Mastitis requires immediate medical intervention.
Breastfeeding might not fit in with the mother’s lifestyle. Some mothers can adjust easily to feeling tethered to their baby where as other’s cannot handle not being able to be independent.
Breastfeeding requires the mother to follow a balanced diet, avoiding smoking and alcohol.
Some women do not like the fact that their privacy are being compromised by breastfeeding.

Common Childhood Eating Problems

By: lee
Published January 26th 2009, in Common Problems

Parents become extremely worried when their children to not eat enough or on the other hand eat too much. As a society we are preoccupied with food and the results of eating too little, too much or not healthy enough. Parents communicate this to their children and as a result children internalize irrational beliefs about food.

There are various problems found in children’s eating behavior:

Sensory Integration Disorder: These children are either hypersensitive to the taste, texture, temperature or smell of food, or there is a lack of sensitivity which prevents them from eating.
Motor Difficulties: Children with motor difficulties experience problems with chewing or swallowing of food.
Attention Deficit Disorder: Children with ADD are too easily distracted at mealtimes to remain at the table and finish a meal.
Overeating: Overeating in children can be due to growth spurts, a fast metabolism, hormonal problems or sometimes as a reaction to a stressor in their lives. This becomes a big concern if the overeating develops into a permanent behaviour pattern, seeing that it would lead to childhood obesity.

Some parents are worried that their children are not getting enough food into their systems. When all medical problems are eliminated, they realize that they have a "picky eater" . Most children will at some stage go through a phase of being picky regarding what they want to eat. Parents should only worry about the amount children eat when they are losing weight or have not gained any weight in six months, have other symptoms of an illness, gags on food or vomits, have thinning hair or develop fine, baby like hair on their bodies.

The battle of "I am not hungry" can become a struggle for control between parents and their child. At mealtime the child claims not to be hungry, but whines in between meals for snacks. Because the parent is worried that their slender child will not get enough nourishment, they resort to threats, bribes and catering to the will of the child. It takes patience to resolve this conflict. Experts give the following tips to help in handling a "picky eater":

Adjust your expectations of the portion size you want your child to eat.
Offer small portions – a full plate can be daunting.
Snacks are allowed if they are small.
Limit the amount of juice and cold drinks as they are filling.
Consider giving your child meals more often per day, but make it mini-meals.
Plan ahead in order to make the running of mealtime smoother, a hungry child can get distracted if they have to wait too long for their food and then lose interest.
Involve your child in making decisions of what is for dinner or allow him to help with the preparation of the food.
Your child should feed himself.
Refrain from forcing your child to eat. Force will lead to negative associations with food.
Try to keep mealtimes as pleasant as possible.
Never nag or praise your child when it concerns food. You do not want to connect an emotional association with food.
Do not cook on demand. Your child should eat what is offered to him, but make sure that there is at least one thing that your child enjoys.
Eliminate "gag" foods. If your child had a bout of vomiting after a certain type of food was eaten they may associate the food with feeling ill and feel sick at the prospect of having to eat it.
Do not eliminate dessert, but keep it nutritious. If dessert is the only thing your child eats, at least you know it is not empty calories.
Ease your own mind by giving vitamin supplements.
Be sure to avoid distractions during mealtimes. Switch the TV off and remove all toys from the eating area.
Take your child on a field trip to the supermarket. Let him push the trolley and make some purchasing decisions.
Let your child play with plastic dinnerware and toy food. This will create familiarity and comfort with food.

Joan Price believes that both the parent and child share responsibility when it comes to eating behaviour. The parent is responsible for the what, when and where and the child is responsible for the how much or whether. She stresses that if children are allowed to follow their own internal cues of hunger and fullness, obesity can be prevented.

Many picky eaters have a limited range of acceptable foods. Familiarity is the key to acceptance, therefore keep on exposing your child to new foods even if they do not want to eat it. Eventually they might be willing to give it a try. It is important though to reassure him that he is allowed to take it out of his mouth if he does not like it.

Help your child to develop a healthy relationship with food – seeing food for what it is and not what emotional need is fulfilled through it.

When to take your child to the doctor

By: admin
Published January 26th 2009, in When to visit the doctor

Is your child sick enough to take him to the doctor? That is a question many of us ask ourselves, especially if you are sitting with your first babe in arms. Years of visiting emergency rooms, pediatricians and house doctors have given me some confidence in judging when to and when not to. Please see this as a general guideline and rather trust your gut feeling then to strictly adhere to a list of indicators.

Fever : Most mommies become really concerned at the onset of fever. A fever shows us that the body is fighting an ailment. If the fever is more than 100.4 F in your newborn, more than 101F in your 3-6 month old or for older children more than 104F, I would definitely go and seek medical advice. A low-grade fever lasting more than 3 days indicates that it might be more than a viral infection that would clear up on it’s own. Any dramatic rise in temperature (5 degrees in an hour) merits a doctor’s visit. I do not refer to a fever that rises four degrees over a period of 6 hours.
Rash: Rashes are the one thing in my experience that cause most predicaments. We all know that the presence of a rash might signal a childhood illness like measles, chickenpox, rubella or worst of all meningitis. Luckily most rashes are benign and only indicate an allergy. When a rash is painful, raised, warm to the touch, bright red/purple or spreads quickly over the whole body, it is time to visit your doctor.
Coughs : A persistent cough that does not clear up within two weeks needs a doctor’s inspection. Any cough or congestion that inhibits breathing is not something to wait out.
Colds and Flu: Cold and flu symptoms that do not respond to over-the-counter medications within 10 days, should be addressed by a doctor.
Focal Symptoms : When your child complains about something specific like earache, a soar throat or tight chest, I would recommend to go and visit the doctor as it might need some antibiotics. Any discharge from your child’s ear or eye should be looked at.
Vomiting and Diarrhea : A child who vomits and has diarrhea for more than 12 hours stands a chance to dehydrate. In a newborn dehydration can happen in less than an hour. If our child is not able to hold any fluids in it is necessary to seek medical advice. Vomiting blood is a danger sign and warrants immediate medical attention.

Other symptoms to look at include:

Loss of consciousness
Seizures
Terrible headaches
Extreme drowsiness
Loss of control of any body part
Stiff neck
Inability to walk normally
Blurred vision
Severe stomach pain
Blood or mucous in stool
Pus from a cut or scrape.

So what can be treated at home? I feel that minor cut and scrapes and insect bites can be treated at home. Mommies are more than capable to treat flu and colds at home. Low fevers can be dealt with at home with Tylenol.

You know your child better than any doctor. Do not feel bad for going to the doctor when you feel it is necessary and it is dismissed as nothing serious. From personal experience I do know that in the end Mommies know best. It might take a couple of visits to the doctor or a hospital stay to prove the point.

Teaching your child all he needs to know about money

By: admin
Published January 26th 2009, in Need to Know

Children seem to develop a fascination with money early on. Think back to when you reprimanded your baby for putting coins into her mouth and how you had to tell your toddler repeatedly that money is not a toy. Unfortunately shortly after that you enter the phase where your child becomes the ultimate consumer – wanting everything without understanding the value of money. Most toddlers see parents paying with credit cards, thinking that it is a magical card that can pay for anything and that there is no limit to the amount of things that can be purchased.

Children need to learn about money from an early age. Owning money gives a person a decision-making ability. The way children learn to spend money and how they perceive their parents’ spending abilities will influence their own future financial decisions.

I found that there are five core concepts that a child should learn with regards to money:
1.   Earning: Earning money gives your child the freedom to purchase that desired toy. They feel recognized for their efforts and their self-esteem gets a boost. They learn that if their work is not up to scratch and they do not perform it regularly they will not be compensated. They realize that they have a choice in how they would like to earn money. They learn to evaluate the time, skills and energy that certain jobs require and if they are up to it.
2.   Spending: Children learn that they have to decide whether to spend money on the items they need or just really want. Children realize that there is a limited amount of money that can be spent. They have to start comparing items and make decisions. Children learn to take responsibility for their spending behavior. A very important thing to teach your child is to keep accurate records of their purchases.
3.   Borrowing: Grown-ups often fall into a debt trap through borrowing more than they can realistically pay back on a monthly basis. It is important that your child learns early on about the cost of borrowing. All that is borrowed have to be paid back, often with interest. Children need to learn when borrowing is appropriate and deal with the consequences.
4.   Sharing : Sharing gives your child the opportunity to experience the good feeling of giving and see the response of the receiver. It is good to instill an attitude of helping others even if you do not receive recognition.
5.   Saving: Probably the most important and difficult concept for young ones to understand. Saving enables children to get what they need or desire at a future dated time, when they do not currently have enough money available to purchase it. In other words it teaches children how to deal with delayed gratification. Children should also learn the difference between planned savings (to buy that certain toy) and regular saving (for a rainy day).

The abilities children need in order to have an understanding of money is basic mathematical knowledge and the ability to see things from someone else’s point of view.

Some helpful tips:

Introduce your child to the concept of money as soon as they can count.
It is important that children attach value to money – a never-ending supply of money is a myth.
A child needs to be able to differentiate between needs, wants and wishes.
Teach children the value of saving versus immediate spending.
Parents have to teach their children to set realistic goals for themselves.
Pocket money should be given in denominations that encourage saving. If he receives $5 per week, give 5 $1 bills.
If possible take your child to a bank to open a banking account. Another option is to have your own KIDS BANK. The parent keeps a written record of all withdrawals and deposits.
Also encourage your child to keep his own record of his savings, spending, donations and investments.
Use shopping trips as opportunities to teach children the value of money. Compare similar items according to pricing and value.
Allow your child to make his own spending decisions. Sometimes wrong decisions teach important lessons.
Teach your child how to look at advertisements and how to evaluate their worth.
It is very important that children learn from early on the dangers of borrowing money.
Many children do not understand the abstract concept of a credit card. Teach them how a credit card should be used responsibly.
Most important of all is to teach your child by setting an example.

Potty Training your Child

By: admin
Published January 26th 2009, in Potty Training

Potty training a child is a major milestone for parents and child alike. Everyone knows that society expects competent members to be able to use a toilet – the getting there with your young child is the major headache. There are as many theories out there as the amount of different colored potties.

The debate hinges around issues like when the right time it to potty train your child and how long the process should be. Some theorists believe leave your child naked and a victim of his own wee and poop, whilst others believe that the child should set the pace. All this confusion and frustration building up between the will of the parent and the natural response of the child, led to the point where potty training problems currently are the 2nd most common provocation for fatal child abuse in the US.

Just to add to the debate, I decided to share my take on potty training. The following are the abilities your child will need to be able to start potty training from a physical perspective:

He must be able to sit
He must be able to walk
He must be able to stand independently
He must have the ability to follow simple instructions
He has to have the physical dexterity to pull down his pants.

From a more emotional aspect it is necessary for a child to show an interest in potty training and the toilet, as well as being cooperative.

Indicators that your child is ready to be toilet trained in addition to the above is:

When there seems to be some bladder control. This is when you find that the diapers stay dry for periods of 2 – 3 hours at a time.
When his bowel movements come at predictable times.
When your child asks to be changed or indicates that he feels uncomfortable in the dirty diaper.
When expresses interest in underwear and how toilets work.

My suggestions as to the HOW is:

Buy a potty. Involve your child in the purchase. If he shows more of an interest in the toilet than a potty, let him choose the inner seat of the toilet and a bench to reach it easily. Make it clear to your child it is his – give him a sense of ownership.
Change your child’s diapers often in order for him to get used to the feeling of being dry. It might be advisable to switch to cheaper diapers at this point to emphasize the feeling of being wet or soiled. New expensive diapers draw fluid away from the skin and lock it underneath a protecting layer.
Start a routine of sitting on the potty. Your child has to be comfortable with the potty. Start off sitting on the potty fully clothed, moving to sitting on it with a diaper and then bare-bottomed. Do not ever force your child to sit on the potty.
Model toilet behavior to your child. Let your child accompany you to the loo. Show them how to wipe, flush and put the toilet seat down. Answer all questions honestly.
Teach him toilet words. There are many different ways to refer to urinating and bowel movements, choose the ones that you feel comfortable with.
Start putting your child on the potty at times when you suspect that he would need it. After nap time and about 20 minutes after meals are usually good times to start with.
I took both my children to the potty once every 30 to 40 minutes. I allowed them to sit for as long or short as they wished for. Never prevent a child from getting up from the potty.
Keep an encouraging attitude despite accidents. More important: Expect accidents!
Once some control is established, remind them to go to the potty at certain times.
Reward your child with brand new underwear after the first successful attempt. I found that Barbie and Spiderman works extremely well!
Keep your child on a high fiber diet and increase his fluid intake. This will make urinating and bowel movements easier, increasing the chances of successful attempts. Every successful attempt will give your child a sense of achievement, leading to him being more confident about his abilities.
Do not punish your child for accidents and do not reward with anything else than things naturally associated with toilet behavior.

Training your child at night might be a different matter. I would suggest keeping diapers on at the beginning, until you find that your child stays dry. During naptimes I would however let them sleep without a diaper.

When major events happen in a child’s life, they often do regress and bladder control is often one of the developmental areas in which the do go back a few paces. Stay encouraging and soon, despite many accidents he will be up and going again!

Oh no – not another temper tantrum!

By: admin
Published January 26th 2009, in Temper Tantrums and Rebellion

We all dread going to the shops with a toddler, because you just never know when she is going to explode into a screaming, kicking and whining little monster! (Said in the most loving way I can…)

I once heard of this lady walking down the aisles in the grocery store, I think she was in the cereal aisle when her daughter started whining for a specific brand of cereal, which was not on the shopping list. She stated her case to her 3 year old and kept on walking. The little girl threw a magnificent tantrum in response. The mom kept on walking saying in an utterly calm voice: "Stay calm Ellen, stay calm." She kept on repeating this phrase walking with her daughter in the trolley, whilst her daughter kept on screaming. An elderly gentleman walked up to her and complimented her on the way she was speaking to her daughter, coaxing her to calm down. The mother turned around to him and said: "Actually I am Ellen."

No parent is lucky enough to escape the curse of toddler temper tantrums. Tantrums are a normal part of growing up and should be expected. We should view tantrums as a developmental milestone and an opportunity to learn about acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

Why? Toddles throw tantrums when they experience frustration with their inability to master their world. It often occurs when your child’s limited language abilities prevents him to communicate his needs accurately. It is helpful to keep in mind that toddlers understand much more than they are able to effectively communicate to us. In addition to the language barrier, is the toddler’s need for autonomy. The child is trying his utmost to control his environment.

There are certain known triggers that often set off a tantrum:

Being tired
Being hungry
Being uncomfortable (for example a dirty nappy)
When your child wants to do something that you will not allow
When you expect your child to do something he does not want to do
Wanting attention – remember negative attention is still better than no attention at all!
When he experiences frustration with his inability to master certain tasks that he set out for himself.

It is wise to try and avoid tantrums as far as possible – seeing that it is a negative experience for all parties involved. Here are some tips on how to avoid tantrums:

Many tantrums are thrown when your child is looking for attention. Even an occasional reassuring gesture will avoid your child for seeking negative attention.
Try to give your child a sense of control. Rather than just uttering your will give him limited choices.
Keep the objects you know will lead to tantrums out of sight and out of reach.
Toddlers have a short attention span, try to use it to your advantage by distracting your child through either changing the environment or offering new activities.
Age-appropriate tasks limit your child’s frustration for not being able to master tasks set out for him.
As a parent you have to choose your battles. Ask yourself if your child’s request is really unreasonable.
Give fewer instructions at a time.

If the inevitable still occurs, these tactics might be helpful:

Keep your cool!
Do not hit or spank your child for throwing a tantrum – it is a reward for seeking attention.
Try and understand the cause for the tantrum. If you understand why your child is frustrated, it is easier to find a reasonable solution.
Ignore a tantrum, but keep your child within your sight to prevent him from hurting himself.
If you are in a public place, try to remove your child to a calm and quiet area. Usually your car would be a good place where you can strap him into his car seat and allow him to become calm. Unfortunately this is not always possible.
Do not ever reward your child by giving in to his demands. This sets a president that tantrums actually work.
Try to give loving reassurance once he has calmed down.
Try to cut down on the amount of times you say no per day.
Try to be reasonable without trying to reason with him.
Time-outs give your child the opportunity to calm down. It is important that your child is able afterwards to explain why he was put into time-out.
It is wise to warn your child of changes that are going to happen. Give warnings like: "five minutes to bath time, that means only five minutes of playing left."
Routine makes life predictable for a child and is often the best way to guard against unwanted tantrums.

We often do not realize that the manner in which we deal with daily frustrations might be what our child mimics when things do not go the way he wants it to play out. Try to be a good model for your child. In other words behave in the way you want your child to behave.

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Parenting Center

January 2009