When I was in college, I took an Adolescent Psychology class. Most of us were in our early to mid-twenties, but there was one “non-traditional” student who was particularly annoying. She was the mother of three teenagers and readily admitted on the first day that she took this class with the hope that it might help her improve her parenting skills. She always had something to say, usually completely off-topic. One day, about half-way through the semester, she had an emotional breakdown in class. As she was crying, she told us of some of her struggles with her kids.
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One of the most anxiety- producing topics of discussion among parents is that of sex education. The most frequently asked question I hear is “When is the right age to have “the talk?”” My answer: This conversation begins when your children are very young. Sex education begins with teaching your little ones the appropriate names for all of their body parts. Yes, it seems very clinical, but it sure eliminates a lot of confusion and awkward conversations later on. It is only embarrassing if we make it embarrassing. We also need to be helping our little ones develop good hygiene
I have always tried to teach my children to take good care of their possessions. Because reading was such a priority in our home, I really emphasized that books should receive special treatment. Pages should be turned with care and books should be returned to the appropriate shelf upon completion. But there is one book that deserves super-special treatment- the Bible. Our kids have always had a Bible to use. They started out with a little toddler version, and then moved through a variety of age-appropriate versions as they grew. Even as little girls, they could look at their Bibles
It doesn’t take children very long to catch on to the concept of exchanging money for goods and services. The value of money, however, is another one of those on-going conversations. There are a lot of resources available to help teach children about financial matters. It is definitely worth the time and effort to explore some different approaches so you can find the one that most closely fits your family’s values and philosophy. Some things to consider: Will you pay your kids an allowance? Or will they get paid for completing certain chores? Under what conditions might they lose these
I have the opportunity to interact with many children of varying ages in my work as a guest teacher. One of the things I have noticed over the last several years is the lack of good manners that these kids display. I rarely hear them say things like “please” and “thank you.” Many kids make demanding statements like “give me that” or “you need to help me,” rather than asking for assistance. They often speak to those in authority with a very disrespectful tone. There are a few kids who are polite; otherwise, the whole situation is a bit disappointing.