Category Archives: Kids

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Getting Your Child to Listen to You

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Do you ever just get frustrated by the way you are ignored every time you have something important to say to your child? I feel like I’m talking to the wall at times. I think at one point, I actually did without realising the child had got bored listening to me and went to another room. There are so many reasons for this type of behavior from your child followed by as many solutions, too.

For starters, you need to make sure you use the right tone of voice – be positive and confident about what you are saying. Try to calm yourself down a little before venturing into an argument. Go over the words you want to use once, to make sure your words are kept simple yet firm. You also need to focus on building trust and speaking the truth. Don’t exaggerate outcomes for their behavior – children are not as dumb as we think and you will just end up teaching them how to lie and not trust you. Let’s face it, they know their teeth are not going to fall out overnight by having that extra sweet for e.g.

not listening

Making continuous eye contact with your child will also keep Continue reading →

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Escape Electronic Land

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For the Generation Z Children

Mother suffers regret,

The day she bought the tablet.

She thought her son,

Would think it be fun,

But that was to be seen yet.

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Mother was sad that day,

Of her son not wanting to play,

On a nice sunny day.

 

The noise of the device, Continue reading →

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Encouraging Confidence in Children

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As parents, it can be hard to watch your child in a situation where they are not feeling too good about themselves.  Children tend to put themselves down a lot; they want to be able to do something exactly like others or they can sometimes get upset if someone is great in a certain discipline and they are not.  Children can get frustrated easily, if they can’t get the hang of things straight away. They tend to think of the now moment and have no concept to look into the future.  

What can we do as parents to help our children feel happy and confident with themselves and guide them that it’s not about being perfect at everything?

vulnerable-445382_1280This is an important thing to have, as even adults tend to put themselves down with lack of self-confidence, thinking that they are not good enough and there’s no point in even attempting something. There are a few simple ways we can guide them, for example:

 

  1. Questions – Let them make decisions – like what we should have for dinner or what will we do today? Or get involved with a game they are playing and ask them to show you how to play.
  1. Communicating – When you are shopping or having a bite to eat, let them go to the counter and buy something or let them order their own food. Ask them to get you more napkins cutlery etc. Talk to more people when you are out and be friendly. Let them know its ok to talk to people, as long as a trusted adult is with them and obviously they know the rights and wrongs and the safety of talking to strangers.

Continue reading →

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Parenting Stress Management

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Since becoming a parent I had never known what stress really was and how it can affect me. Parenting is such a roller-coaster of emotions and questions.  There are days when I feel so high that I can take on the world and loads more kids but on the bad days when the kids are really loud or just acting bold, I find myself physically shaking, exhausted and feeling like crap and questioning myself as a parent. It always comes back to the same answer, This is my life now and I love my children and I want to be the best I can be for them. 

It is important to take time for ourselves though and recharge. We are only human after all, and we do get bad days. Stress and anxiety, if not dealt with can lead to much bigger problems with illnesses and depression.  Here are some ways you can manage, Continue reading →

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Sibling Rivalry

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So I’m having another one of those days where I’m reflecting on one of my many parent roles,  a referee between my two kids. ‘Have kids near the same age’ I hear. ‘They’ll be great pals’ I hear, but no one warned about the constant battles between young kids and how stressful it can be for a parent. Sometimes I picture what it could feel like to be in a war zone! Most times they do get on which can be great but when they fight it’s horrible!

Being a referee during sibling fightsbox-1013994_1280 (1) is a fatigue I’m sure most parents have to endure. Although sibling rivalry is considered a normal phenomenon in most of the families, it transforms into a bigger problem when one child dominates or bullies the other. Symptoms of sibling Continue reading →

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Nights out after becoming a parent

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So after weeks of meticulously planning a night out after a couple of years of having  two children and writing 101 lists for the baby sitter because of  course, she doesn’t know my kids the way I do, and more than likely she’ll ignore it all and give them the chocolates she’d been hiding in her pocket and let them stay up late to watch a movie, here’s the eye opening pros and cons of my night out.Fear

 

 

 

Arriving

Pro – We get to the pub and enjoy the weird experience of being able to talk at normal level voice and not listen out for any footsteps or movement.

Con – My nerves are gone as all I’m thinking of is the kids and hope they are not calling out for me.

Socialising

Pro – Nice to talk to new people and socialise

Con – Why does this person keep talking to me, I didn’t invite them into my company. How can I make them go away?

New people

Con – This person beside is dribbling and I don’t know how to stop it.

Pro – My child is doing that because he is growing teeth and that’s cool.

Art of conversation

Con – Why is this person slurring and I can’t understand the words from their mouth.

Pro – My child is learning to talk and I can teach them new words

Toilets

Con – The toilets have piss on the floor.

Pro – My child is in toilet training so that’s acceptable to be on the floor

Opposite sex

Con – Men grab your breast just random in a crowded place and think that’s OK.

Pro – Child grabs it because they are hungry.

Bouncers

Con – Bouncer won’t let me in to nightclub as not right sort and I look to old and not trendy enough.

Pro – Mammy, mammy, look at me jumping up and down on this bouncer you bought.

Fast food

Con – Why are the people in the chipper not swallowing food properly and spitting. Should I get them a bib in their size?

Pro – My child is learning to eat by themselves and it’s cute and bibs fit them.

Getting Home

Pro – I don’t have to drive and I can get a taxi.

Con – Have to listen to taxi man tell you that he knows everything and what I should do with my life!

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So that was my observation of my night out. How things have changed so much when before I was all about ‘what are we doing this weekend -‘what will I wear’, ‘who’s coming out,’ ‘will I meet someone?’  Why has my attitude changed to nights out,  Is it because I’m a parent or have I grown up or both ?

Does not going out on the town  mean you don’t have a social life?  My opinion is no.. I just have a different form of a social life..

So tonight I have my friends over to have a  good chat, few drinks and no one has to  stand in the cold waiting on a very informative taxi man to bring us home and also  I just couldn’t be arsed going out :-).

Children’s Books by Denise McCabe are available by clicking  here 

Email: denisekidsstories@gmail.com

 

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Mother’s Going Back To Work

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While going back to work after having children can be not only an emotional experience , it can also be a quite daunting experience when juggling things around. Here’s below just some of the things we can do to make it just a little bit easier at times.

 

  1. Always cook twice the amount for dinner and freeze it up. Let in thaw out in fridge the night before and it’s then ready to microwave in 4 minutes.
  1. Wash all clothes at weekend and plan everything out from uniforms to changing clothes.

Continue reading →