Author: Rachel Harding Bringing up your children has to be the hardest, most demanding job in the world. It is a wonderful and challenging life experience. But it is so much harder than it looks, as I found out through experience, but with lots of patience and a fair degree of hope, children can grow into very emotionally-secure adults. Bringing children up is obviously one of the more difficult things in life to do,but raising children is one of the most rewarding and challenging undertakings anyone can take on. As a parent myself I can honestly say that parenting is certainly in no way easy. I believe that parents are best placed to decide what is right for their children and family, based on their own values, circumstances and lifestyle. Parents need to build a bond between themselves and their children. They are the single most important influence in their children's lives, and need to recognize and deal with their children's most challenging traits in a positive manner.

Author: Rachel Harding Bringing up your children has to be the hardest, most demanding job in the world. It is a wonderful and challenging life experience. But it is so much harder than it looks, as I found out through experience, but with lots of patience and a fair degree of hope, children can grow into very emotionally-secure adults. Bringing children up is obviously one of the more difficult things in life to do,but raising children is one of the most rewarding and challenging undertakings anyone can take on. As a parent myself I can honestly say that parenting is certainly in no way easy. I believe that parents are best placed to decide what is right for their children and family, based on their own values, circumstances and lifestyle. Parents need to build a bond between themselves and their children. They are the single most important influence in their children's lives, and need to recognize and deal with their children's most challenging traits in a positive manner.

Author: Ann Marier Do you and your child enjoy each other's company? If you are one of those parents who get along well with their children, then you are on the right track. According to experts, playful parenting is one of the best ways to keep a good open relationship with your children. When both you and your children are able to relax and have fun together, there are lesser chances of friction and stress in the home. Studies show that playful parenting gives a relaxed and carefree atmosphere in the home. Such an atmosphere is very important in shaping the character of the child. Where the child is carefree, he or she becomes more confident and even-tempered. Children coming from happy homes are usually more sociable and can relate to their peers easily. Playful parenting takes out the stress in the home. Since the child is less exposed to stress, he or she is less likely to develop illnesses that are commonly associated with stress. On the other hand, because the parents als

Author: Brendan McKeogh Teaching good behavior should be a natural part of the way parents nurture their children. I believe that children need to be taught to respect the authority of their parents and that this should be done using only gentle measures. Children who learn obedience in this way are far more likely to maintain a close, loving relationship with their parents as they grow into adulthood themselves. It is essential to establish authority, such that a child understands that when a parent issues an instruction, the matter is settled. The parent must accept the responsibility of their role and not miminize this in the hope of befriending, rather than parenting their child. Some parents feel that the modern way of bringing up children requires reasoning and debate with their child in all matters. I would say that for the important decisions, the parents must make the decision and simply tell the child the outcome. This is because if children find that by

Author: Brendan McKeogh Simple things matter. Young children want their parent's attention. This is why good behavior, appropriately praised, tends to be repeated - the child knows that the parent will take the time to tell the child that they are pleased. Sometimes, children go to extremes of bad behavior (for example, shouting or tantrums) in an attempt to get their parents to pay attention. Your child needs your undivided attention every day. This might be for as brief a period as five minutes - but it has to be time totally devoted to them. Reading the newspaper and half-heartedly listening to your child doesn't count! Show that all of your concentration is just on them. Answer their questions or become completely absorbed by what they are doing or telling you. You just have to be fully engaging with them. One obvious opportunity is at the end of the school day, when you ask how they got on - and really try to understand the importance of what they have to say.