If a child fears the dark, the fear will be compounded if a child at school dies, and he or she has to attend the funeral with the rest of the classmates. The child may also not understand why the classmate should die at such a young age and may fear that he is next and be angry with God. Perhaps your child is even fearful that you might meet someone else and forget about him. How to recognize fear in a child If a child complains of a stomach ache constantly, it may be something worrying him or her. If a parent is newly separated, the child may fear that he or she will have no one to … [Read more...]

They also suffer from guilt because one parent wants joint custody and the other parent wants full custody and the battle rages on, worse than it had during the actual marriage. You have sought legal advice, and the recommendation, for the sake of the children, was a good co-parenting plan signed by both parents. Ways to an amicable agreement that suits both parents First to be decided are who the children are going to be with. Once that is established, discuss week-end arrangements, which day or days on the weekend, how long the children can be with the non-custodial parent during … [Read more...]

Being a single parent can be a very hard thing to do sometimes. But at the same time, it can also be the most wonderful and joyous thing in the world. You make all the decisions Sure, you are stuck with all of the thinking, but it also means that you have final say on all of the decisions. Not sure which school little one should go to? Put some names in a hat and pick one – if you’re happy with it, then that’s the one. No more worrying about what your partner will think or want, no more late night discussions and tensions over silly choices. Your word is law No more snacks after … [Read more...]

There is lots of advice, most of it freely given on the internet or by friends and family, on how to be the perfect parent, the perfect mother or father. And single parents often hear the most advice, as they struggle to keep themselves and their kids happy and often turn to friends and family for help. But not all of this advice is necessarily good. Many parents will expect you to put your kids first, and even if they don’t do this themselves, they’re very quick to point out the fault in the statement, “put yourself first, then your kids”. It just isn’t done! And if you're a … [Read more...]

It seems like the days of parents packing lunches for their kids to take to school are nearly over – the Little Village Academy in Chicago has stepped forward and decided to ban all lunches and snacks provided by parents. The idea behind this is that they feel that parents are not packing healthy lunches, and that the children would benefit more from the schools’ provided lunches. Maybe what is needed here is some education for parents on how to pack the right lunches. If schools insist on healthy, balanced meals for the kids (which is what should be provided regardless), then offering … [Read more...]