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Strategies for Encouraging Children to Care for Their Pets

Strategies for Encouraging Children to Care for Their Pets

Pets bring a host of benefits to children’s lives. One 2023 study of over 65,000 infants found, for instance, that children who are exposed to pet cats or dogs during fetal development or early infancy have fewer allergies compared to other children. Pets also help lower children’s stress levels, motivate them with surprising tasks like reading, and teach them vital life skills—including care for others and responsibility. Children can start helping their parents out with pet care from a very early age. If your child is mature enough to start taking on a few vital tasks, and you are keen to give them more responsibilities, then read on for a few strategies that will make the process smooth and easy. Safety Comes First The...

Exercise: A Helpful Tool for Family Mental Health and Managing Emotions

We all know that exercise is good for physical health. But did you know that it can help improve low moods and depression?  Exercise can boost bad moods and help people manage emotions in healthy ways!  Sometimes exercise can feel like just another task to add to an already busy day, but experts say that exercise matters. As little as one hour of exercise a week can help prevent low moods within all age groups. And that mood boost can happen no matter how intense the exercise is.  Yes, your family is busy, but participating in some kind of activity is important, not only for you but for your children as well.  Finding time for small amounts of exercise throughout the week (or more!) can affect you and your children's...

Supporting Your Child’s Mental Health After a Divorce

Experts say that children and adolescents often show symptoms of anxiety and depression after their parents' divorce. When children show many symptoms, their doctors may refer them to a mental health provider. That provider might diagnose them with depression or an anxiety disorder. It can be scary if your child is diagnosed with a mental illness. You may worry about what the future holds for you and your child, and you might wonder what you can do to support them.  After reading this article, you should be able to: - explain what anxiety and depression symptoms may look like in a child. - describe the steps parents usually follow to get a mental health diagnosis and treatment. - list several ways to support a family when a...

Succeeding in Sobriety and Side Ventures: A Guide for Parents on the Rise

In the journey of addiction recovery, maintaining balance in life becomes paramount. For parents, this balance includes managing family responsibilities, personal recovery, and work. With a flexible side gig, it's possible to maintain this balance while earning extra income, but it takes perseverance.   This article, courtesy of OnlineParentingPrograms.com, explores different side gigs that are suitable for parents in addiction recovery and provides tips on how to manage them effectively. Why a Side Hustle is Worth It Starting the journey to sobriety is a significant step toward reclaiming your life and well-being. As you embrace this transformative path, exploring a side gig can offer more than just financial support....

Empowering Your Children With Self-Care: Simple and Fun Activities to Renew, Recharge, and Tackle Each Day with Positivity

In today's fast-paced world, children are often overwhelmed by the demands of school, extracurricular activities, and social interactions. As a parent or caregiver, it is important to prioritize your child's physical and emotional well-being by encouraging self-care practices. In this article, we will discuss various activities that can help children reset, refresh, and prepare for the days ahead. Create a Regular Sleep Schedule One of the most important self-care practices for children is getting enough restful sleep. To help your child establish a healthy sleep routine, set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time. Encourage them to avoid screens and stimulating activities at least an hour before bed and to engage in calming...

Financial Matters And Challenges: A Guide To Explain It All To Your Kids

Parents think that their children have no idea about their family's financial situation. However, by the age of 10, most kids are smart enough to know about their family's financial standing and are likely aware of any money problems that their parents are facing at the moment. According to research, financial strain can be hard on kids because they see the effects of it on their parents. This is why it's important to give kids the support that they need when times are tough. Educating them on money matters will also help so that everyone's on the same page while you're trying to improve your financial situation. Here's how to explain financial matters and challenges to your kids to help ease their worries. Let them Know About the...

Co-Parenting Tips for a Successful Back-to-School Season

After a relaxed summer life, it's hard for kids to get used to school routines. Suddenly they must get up in the morning and remember homework afterward. How can you help your child get emotionally involved in the new school year when you are co-parents? Let's figure out what will make it easier for your daughter or son to adapt to everyday school life with these 4 tips. Ask 10 magic questions Children are just developing the skill of consciously summarizing their experiences. Unlike adults, they don't set out to sit down and thoughtfully analyze their past lives. Eventually, they struggle to formulate a question, which becomes a co-parent's job. Co-parents should help their child recapture memories of the best things he or she...

A Fourth Phase of Co-Parenting Programming: Multidimensional Family Systems

In Brief Three Phases in the development of Co-Parenting Programs can be identified.  The current Fourth Phase must consider the individuality and special circumstances of each family in programming to be effective.  The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the necessity of this Fourth Phase and the need for continued research and development of multidimensional topics.   According the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of children living with two parents has declined from 85% in 1968 to 70% in 2020. As of 2008, 46 states had mandated the attendance of co-parenting programs for parents who were separating/divorcing (Pollet & Lombreglia, 2008). The increase of children living in single parent homes is alarming for many...

7 Amazing After-School Activities for Your Children

Most teens spend most of their waking hours during the week at school. And while homework and extracurricular activities are important, sometimes it’s nice for teens to have a break after a long day of learning. If you’re looking for some alternative after-school activities for your children, look no further! From teen entrepreneurship to learning an instrument, there are many fun and educational opportunities out there. Here are some ideas to get you started. 1. Teen Entrepreneurship Encouraging your child to start their own business is a great way to teach them about financial responsibility, marketing, and customer service. Take time to research the wealth of business ideas that might be a good fit for your child. Maybe they...

A Parent Goes to Jail: How to Help Your Kids Navigate this Difficult Situation

No one ever thinks that their spouse will end up in prison. But it can happen. So, when a loved one goes to jail, the first thing to remember is that you're not alone. There are resources that other single parents have utilized to deal with it, such as this blog post. Here, we'll share with you some strategies to help you support your kids and equip them to navigate this difficult situation. Enabling children to deal with parental incarceration These are some of the tips to help you support your youngsters during this challenging time. 1. Communicate with your kids effectively.  As parents, it's crucial to have open conversations with our children about the realities of life—especially the harsher ones. This isn't to...

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