D
amp couches. Sibling throwdowns. Flying
spaghetti. Hunger strikes (except Goldfish,
please). Maniacal math teachers. There’s
no end to the impending perils that threaten your
cozy little family (not to mention your marbles).
But never fear! Kidsguide is here! From Tuesday
night tricks to big-picture wisdom, we’re celebrating 30 years of Kidsguide by sharing 30 Game
Changing Parenting Tips that will make that supertough job of yours better, easier, (gasp) fun!
Some tips you can practice today, others you
can tuck away in your heart. Either way, you’ll want
to tuck away this copy in your superhero toolbox.
Parents, unite!
1. Ignore the Critics
“Everybody knows how to raise children, except
the people who have them.” — P. J. O’Rourke
2. They'll Eat When They're
Hungry
“All kids need to learn to eat pork chops with
chunky red rice and canned green beans once in
a while,” says blogger Kimberly Valzania. “It builds
character.” Registered dietitian Ellyn Satter agrees.
“It’s a child’s job to learn to eat what the parents
eat,” she says. Dish up a variety of food, and then
don’t stress. It’s more about what your kiddo eats
over the week than right now.
3. Sneak Your Sweets
“Being a parent means knowing how to unwrap a
Snickers without making any noise.” — Anonymous
4. Damp and DIrty
Floating Cheerios. Puppy pads. Skittles. Everyone has tips for potty training. Just remember
one: you’re not going to send your kid to college
in diapers.
5. Don't Wish Your Babies Away
“When you have little kids it can be tough. You
may wish they were older already. You may wish
them out of that ‘phase’ they are in. You may wish
that they wouldn’t come into your bed every night.
Stop. Don’t get caught up in the illusion that joy
and happiness are in the future. They are right here
now. That little hand in yours. That
is love. Don’t wish that away.”
— Rebecca Eanes
6. Haz-Mat
Use an empty baby wipes box as a transport
system for dirty undies or other interesting messes. — Asha Dornfest, parenthacks.org
featurearticle
7. Founding Father
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember.
Involve me and I learn.” — Benjamin Franklin.
12. Keep Your Sense of Humor
“Most children threaten at times to run away
from home. This is the only thing that keeps some
parents going.” — Phyllis Diller
8. Move and Groove
Has your kiddo gone boneless? Make a playlist
to move you through your morning. Eat breakfast
with Beyoncé, brush your teeth with Ariana Grande,
get dressed with Demi Lovato, out the door with
Fall Out Boy …
9. Use Up the Fits
Still belligerent? “Some of the worst-behaved
kids—and adults—grow up in homes where their
parents bend over backwards to make sure that
they are never inconvenienced, bored, disappointed or upset in any way,” says Dr. Charles Fay,
president of the 35-year-old Love and Logic Institute (loveandlogic.com).
“We believe that all children are born with a set
allotment of fits. When fits aren’t used up during
childhood, they get postponed for later. (So) the
next time your child has a fit, you might say to
yourself, ‘Yes! That’s one more fit he won’t have to
throw when he’s bigger than me!’”
10. Bring in Back-up
“Don’t cringe when your mother-in-law tries
to impart good manners to your kids. Personally, I need all the help I can get, and it’s nice to
have someone else remind my kids to do the right
thing.” — blogger Bright.
By Audrey Eftychiou
13. Hug it Out
“Hugs can do great amounts of good—especially for children.” — Princess Diana. (Slip a bathrobe over your new silk blouse before approaching
anyone with sticky fingers.)
14. Bath Time
Put glow sticks in the tub to entice grimy kids
to take a bath.
15. Teach Courage
“Several kids are in line behind the high dive
ladder, all hopping from foot to foot to minimize the
burn from the hot cement. At the top of the ladder
is a 6-year-old kid biting his nails on one hand and
clutching the handrail with the other.
The lifeguards in the water and his parents in
the bleachers all shout up to the child, ‘Don’t be
afraid!’”
Why do we say that? Instead of dismissing your
child’s feelings, say, ‘It’s okay to be afraid, but don’t
let it stop you!’” — Kidsguide reader Bernadine,
AKA Montebello Mom.
16. But Just in Case…
Freeze jumbo marshmallows in a sandwich bag
to make a puffy ice pack for boo-boos.
11. Poker Face
Time out in order? “Say nothing and ignore
everything that is not dangerous to your child,
yourself and the furniture,” advises Boys Town
(boystown.org). “Most of your child’s behavior in
the chair is an attempt to get you to react and say
something, anything. They may spit up, wet, blow
their nose on their clothes, strip, throw things,
make unkind comments about your parenting
skills, or simply say they do not love you anymore.
Do not worry. They will love you again when their
time is up, believe me.”
PArEnT POWEr!
30 GAME CHAnGInG PArEnTInG TIPS
fall/winter 2016/17 • 3