Three Parenting Pitfalls That Can Impact Mental Health

Creating an open, healthy relationship between children and caregivers is vital, and there are some things that may get in the way of well intentioned parents.  No parent can claim to have cracked the code on how to raise children. We are all trying to do what is best for our young ones. Yet, mental and behavioral health challenges are at an all time high in America. Understanding a few of the pitfalls parents may fall into can help you guide your children while maintaining a positive relationship. Watch Your Parenting Style You can sometimes differentiate between democratic and dictatorial home settings by observing how the kids behave around the parents. Unfortunately, most caregivers don’t know the difference between authoritative parents and authoritarian parents. They want to be authoritative, but they end up being authoritarian. The latter method can lead to relationship challenges. Experts say that authoritarian parents leave no room

Ensure the physical and mental well-being of  your children on Halloween by keeping these things in mind.Erntedankfest – not HalloweenAll Hallow’s Eve has become a tradition for many American families, where children have the chance to express creativity and imagination through costumes, as well as enjoy the process of collecting free candy. While it may seem like a light-hearted evening of sweets for the young ones, parents need to have a broader view of the evening. Here are some things to keep in mind for a safe, fun, and inclusive holiday. 1. Costume Safety While it’s important for children to be happy with their costume, their well being and comfort throughout the night should be top priority. Ensuring a proper fit is crucial, as costumes that are too long or have flowing components, such as capes, can cause a tripping hazard. Masks can restrict vision, so consider an alternative such as

Society’s portrayal of adoption often does not match the reality.   Adoption is a lifelong process that creates families with unique stories. Yet, there is a lot of misinformation about this process and the impact it has on those involved. Here are three myths about adoption often harbored both by adoptive parents and the people around them.Adoptees are LuckyAdoption stories are often written by the adoptive parents and they are focused on the process of finding and bringing a longed-for child home. These stories have a happy ending.Yet by calling adopted kids “lucky,” we dismiss challenges they keep facing after the adoption. We miss the chance to acknowledge the trauma these children experience. Changing homes and guardians is difficult, especially for young children who do not fully understand why all this is happening.While adoption can be a very positive thing for many kids, it’s still complicated. Some adoptees might feel

Working toward positive eating habits as a family can set children up for a healthier future.  Children between the ages of 2 and 18 years should consume less than six teaspoons of added sugar per day, according to the American Heart Association. That’s about 25 grams. Yet children in the US consume roughly 16% of their daily caloric intake from added sugars alone, while missing out on the vitamin-packed foods they need in order to support their growing bodies. The abundance of added sugar coupled with foods that are low in nutrition and additional complications with less-than-ideal eating habits can make for a real challenge. It can be difficult to guide your child to healthy habits to begin with, and even more so if you’re welcoming into your family an older child, who may already have developed certain food preferences or dislikes. Thankfully, with some know-how, enthusiasm, and patience, you can help

Encouraging your children to connect with nature has many benefits for children’s health and development.Connecting kids to nature is a great way to disconnect them from their cell phones, TVs, and other electronic devices. Most kids love to get down and dirty in the great outdoors. If you’re a parent to a foster or adopted child, exploring nature can help you bond and provide a smoother transition for both of you.Physical and Mental HealthInstead of raising a couch potato, take your kids out to plant potatoes. It’s the best way to keep them healthy, both physically and mentally. Being outdoors helps them build a stronger immune system and relieves stress. The sun provides vitamin D, a necessity for keeping your mind and spirit at its best. You’ll notice a child who is cooped up indoors will often seem listless and grumpy. They may simply lack vitamin D and sunshine.Nature also

Adoptive parents can take steps to help their children adjust to a new familyThere’s no better feeling than welcoming a new member to the family. Weddings, births, adoptions: it doesn’t matter. Having a new child enter your life is a special kind of joy. Sweet, right? That doesn’t mean these joyous changes are going to come without their fair share of challenges. If you’ve just adopted a child, you’re probably starting to figure that out. It’s a brave new world, and you want to make sure everything is perfect for the new little miracle in your life.  Here are a few tips to help your child adapt to your home.Chef it Up Meals are one of the best ways to build community in a household. They are a time for everyone to come together and just be around each other (and complain about their days). Making your child healthy meals

Children are precious stewards of our future; caring for them and raising them to be healthy, well-adjusted adults should be our ultimate priority. In a world increasingly fraught with danger, tragedy, and uncertainty, it is more vital now than ever to equip our children with the social and emotional skills that they will need to navigate their world that is sure to be vastly different than ours.Whether you are a parent, a friend, an aunt, uncle, or grandparent, the responsibility lies with you to ensure that each child you come in contact with has the tools that they need to become successful, fully functioning adults. How can you take your precious time with these precious ones and use it in ways that enrich everyone involved? Here are some simple ways that you can foster their natural curiosity, innovation, and intelligence in ways that boost their self-esteem and increase their confidence

So, you are considering adopting. You have probably already filed your adoption request, and you are waiting to be matched with a child. Perhaps your little one has arrived home, and you are trying to figure things out. Whichever stage you are in the adoption process, it is essential to learn everything you can. Luckily, there are plenty of reading materials regarding adoption that you can use to gather as much knowledge as you can. Here are some fantastic suggestions.Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee CurtisThis book remains a classic favorite of adoptive books of all times. Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born is an exciting story about a loving family and small child coming together to discuss the night she was born. The tone of this children’s book is fun and educational and is a great story to read with

The Lost DaughtersLost Daughters is written by a wide variety of adopted women who are 20-60 years old and share their unique adoption experiences and upbringings. Since Amanda started the project in 2011, Lost Daughters has become a safe space for adoptees to contribute their stories and find a strong community of women to relate to.The Adopted LifeAngela Tucker started The Adopted Life as a personal blog in 2009. In 2013, her adoption story was featured in Closure, a documentary spanning two years of her life while she searched for her biological parents and family. Today, Angela works at Amara where she is the Director of Post-Adoption Services, is creating an adoptee mentorship program, and writes for Lost Daughters. She is an advocate for adoptee rights and leader of transracial adoption.I Am AdoptedJessenia Arias created I Am Adopted as an outlet for adoptees to share their adoption stories. It has

Parenting By The Infinite NumbersThere are 250 babies born every minute. That means each year there are at least 150 million new parents trying to decipher how to best raise theirs. Move in close to any group of new moms and dads, and you are sure to hear lots of advice being shared and criticism of “other parents”. It’s true that new parents tend to rigorously study trends and research on how best to raise kids, and that’s a good thing. But it’s also important to acknowledge that, although you believe in your approach to proper parenting, it doesn’t mean the way someone else handles their kids is necessarily wrong. A parenting expert on every cornerThere are so many experts categorizing parenting styles and giving advice on how to raise kids, it can be dizzying. And they are often contradictory. The authoritarian parent, one of the four types of parents as defined by