Some Advice on How to Raise Happy Children

Some Advice on How to Raise Happy Children

Effective Parenting Leads To Happy Children

When it comes to raising happy children, some parenting approaches are more effective than others. Well adjusted and happy adults tend to be raised by parents who were caring and engaged, but also set and enforce high expectations for behavior.

A research study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology by Mai Stafford and her colleagues assessed the relationship between parental behaviors and youth well-being beginning when the kids were teens and conducted follow-up assessments when the youth were 36 and 43 years of age.

It’s difficult to conduct research over 30 years, but these scientists discovered a clear relationship between what parents did when their kids were young, and how they turned out as adults. Effective parents had two characteristics.

First, they were attentive and engaged in their children’s lives. They praised their children, were affectionate, and showed a genuine interest in their activities.

There was an open expression of feelings in these families and mutual communication. This isn’t a surprising result. Love matters.

Second, effective parents had a somewhat authoritative parenting style.

Parents Ineffective Style Can Be Damaging To Raising Children

Expectations were clearly expressed, and limits were enforced. The rules … Read More... “Some Advice on How to Raise Happy Children”

Parenting with Dr. Ramey: 2017’s Best Quotes Say a Lot About Us

parenting quotes 2017

parenting quotes 2017

Here’s my annual list of the most noteworthy quotes from 2017.

  • “I believe I was made the way I am, all parts of me, by my heavenly parents. They did not mess up when they gave me brown eyes … or when they made me gay. God loves me just this way, because he loves all his creations“ affirmed 12-year-old Savannah to her Mormon congregation. It’s about time that we judge people on how they act, not on who they love. This youngster should be praised for her courage, not criticized for her feelings.
  • “Give extra, get extra. Sometimes the little things last the longest” This ad for gum is also a wonderful philosophy for life. Small things can have a big impact. Never underestimate the power of a kind word, a warm embrace, a genuine smile, or your mere presence. Every day is a new opportunity to put aside yesterday’s troubles and hurts, and show others the best part of who you are.
  • “We have witnessed first-hand the stress that overdue fines can cause for students,” said by Steven Beardsley, in explaining why Harvard students will no longer have to pay fines for late books. There may
… Read More... “Parenting with Dr. Ramey: 2017’s Best Quotes Say a Lot About Us”

Parenting with Dr. Ramey: 6 of the Best, Most Inspiring Quotes

family celebrating Christmas

parenting inspiration quotesIn addition to collecting baseball cards, I started writing down favorite quotes when I was in elementary school. My mom “cleaned out” (i.e., threw away) my cards when I went to college, but I’ve continued to collect the inspirational perspectives from others.

My collection has changed over the years. I’ve deleted “feel good” quotes that didn’t make any sense. Peter Pan’s admonition that “Anything is possible if you wish hard enough” falls into that category. Here are some of my favorites.

  • “The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” (William Ward) Our happiness is less dependent upon what happens to us, and more related to how we adjust to minor frustrations and serious traumas. Therapy is about learning how to “adjust the sails” to deal with life.
  • “Sometimes you never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” (Dr. Seuss) Many parents feel overwhelmed by the challenges of getting through the day, and fail to appreciate the fleeting joys of family life. I encourage families, both parents and children, to take a few moments to reflect upon the many good things they experience every day.
  • “If you’ve done
… Read More... “Parenting with Dr. Ramey: 6 of the Best, Most Inspiring Quotes”

Parents – Are You Worried About Your Kids Online Safety?

Bark, your family's watchdog for internet safety

parents bark appCellphones and laptops are becoming more and more of a commonality among younger people; and with the popularity of such devices, there comes an immense amount of potential danger attached to them. Some parents may not comprehend the risks before giving their children the privilege of having a cellphone and/or a laptop, but there is a dangerous dark side to a smartphone/laptop while in the hands of a young person.

To try and combat the dangers of cellphone/internet usage by children and teenagers, Bark was created to monitor text conversations of minors. The app works by having parents create an account through the website bark.us, and by starting off with a 30-day free trial, the app is granted access to all of your child’s text messages, email, and even social media accounts.  The app monitors your child 24/7 and will send alerts to you if issues are detected by the app’s “watchdog engine” while also supplying “recommended actions and ways to talk about issues as a family”.

Parents Can Use App Monitoring Software Bark To Combat Dangers Of Internet Use

Bark’s “watchdog engine” is engineered through “data science and machine learning” to flag interactions such as cyber bulling, sexting, and … Read More... “Parents – Are You Worried About Your Kids Online Safety?”

Abbreviations Kids Use on Cellphones That Parents Should Know!

teen lingo 101 emojis

Texting Lingo That A Teenager Might Use On Their Cellphones, A Parents Guide To Emojis!

teenager emojisWhen you think about the stereotypical teenager, what comes to mind?  A pimply twig that enjoys blaring bubble gum pop music while their face is stuck in a cellphone screen? Or perhaps you thought of a certain smell attached to the essence of a teenager such as molding pizza. Whatever your stereotypical teenager looks like (or smells like) in your mind, they probably had a cellphone in their hand.

Cellphones have been around for a while now, journeying from a car phone to a screen the weight of a brick. Most adults know what a flip phone is, and how sending text messages were a time consuming process. To combat the time consuming process of sending a friend a quick message, cell phones acquired their own texting lingo made up by young people to communicate faster.

However as time progressed, it seems that the only ones using texting lingo/abbreviations are the same ones who created it back in the day. After coming across many articles of “This is the Text Slang All Parents Should Know”, it has become apparent that the ones making up … Read More... “Abbreviations Kids Use on Cellphones That Parents Should Know!”

In Ohio, Might You Be Liable for the Actions of Your Children? You Might be Surprised!

Parents Could Be Held Liable For Their Child’s Wrongdoing. A Look At 5 Areas Parental Responsibility Laws Regulate In Ohio

Parents Take Note – You Could Be Liable For The Actions of Your Children!

parents liable responsibility law

The answer to that question is “It depends on the facts”.  There are five (5) general areas that parental responsibility laws in Ohio regulate.

  1. PERSONAL INJURY BY ASSAULT: In Ohio, a parent can be sued civilly and held liable for the willful assault of their minor child if the force is likely to produce great bodily harm. This liability does not extend to accidental injuries. The parents liability is limited to $10,000, plus court costs. See O.R.C. Section 3109.09.
  2. PROPERTY DAMAGE & THEFT : A parent (or legal guardian) can be liable, just as in number 1 above, for up to $10,000, plus reimbursement of the claimant’s cost of taking the matter to court, if a minor in the parent’s custody willfully damages property belonging to another. This law focuses on property damage as well as theft. If the judgment arises out of a school incident, the court may by agreement order the parent to perform community service in lieu of making full payment on
… Read More... “In Ohio, Might You Be Liable for the Actions of Your Children? You Might be Surprised!”

Should You Divorce Your Own Children?

parent child divorceFor most parents, raising children is one of the most important and meaningful parts of their lives. In response to our unconditional love and total commitment, we get hugs, laughter, challenges and a sense of purpose and passion.

However, for a very small number of parents, children are a burden to be tolerated rather than a blessing to be experienced. These youngsters typically have a variety of severe emotional and behavior problems, usually beginning in preschool. Parents have usually sought help from a myriad of professionals over many years, with little success. They eventually discover the uncomfortable truth that despite our best efforts, there are some children that professionals don’t know how to help.

In a moment of terrifying honesty, these parents tell me they feel more loathing than love for their child.

Early in my career, I dismissed such feelings as reflective of ineffective parents. All would be fine if only parents would set clear rules, be consistent in their discipline, and adjust their style to meet the special needs of their children.

I was wrong. I’ve learned over the years that good parents can raise bad kids.

I’ve now changed my approach in working with these families. While … Read More... “Should You Divorce Your Own Children?”

Page 2 of 10
1 2 3 4 … 10