Parenting success relies on understanding developmental benchmarks, managing maternal health during and after pregnancy, and implementing effective behavioral strategies for toddlers and teenagers.
Children inherit their parents' physical attributes, but scientists know less about whether they also inherit the personalities of their mother and father. Some personality traits appear to have a genetic basis, but several genes, not just one, contribute to personality.
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Humans interact with their children in a variety of ways. Authoritarian parents tend to lay down the law and mete out harsh punishments, while permissive parents set few or no limits. The authoritative parenting style, in which parents are warm, loving and still set definite limits, seems to be the most effective.
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Children have so many ways in which they need to develop: language skills, cognitive skills, social skills and physical skills.
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While antibiotics can be a lifesaver when your toddler is sick, cranky and lethargic, they can be just as dangerous as they are helpful.
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For most teens, homework is part of high-school life, who spend an average of four hours each week doing homework -- on top of a 32 1/2-hour school week, according to researchers at the University of Michigan.
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Advances in technology allow children to have Internet access through computers and cell phones. Even if a parent is diligent in limiting a child's time on those devices, TV, iPods, MP3s, DVD players and video games are waiting in the wings, vying for your child’s attention.
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It's the ubiquitous tool found in nurseries, hospitals and homes across the country: the nasal aspirator. Known commonly as a bulb syringe or nose sucker, it's used to relieve mucous in babies who don't yet know the art of blowing their noses.
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Any activity that requires excessive force can result in injuries to a baby. Throwing a baby up high in the air poses several risks -- from whipping his head to an unintentional fall. If you still want to play with your baby in this manner, it's much safer to gently toss him than throw him high into the air.
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Some food choices can pose serious safety issues for young children and are best if you wait to offer them. If you are contemplating whether you should share your next bowl of hot buttered popcorn with your child, consider a few important factors first.
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Telling the truth is an important moral and ethical virtue that kids need to learn as early as possible. It is a value that will have a huge impact on their character development as they grow. Engage your child in activities to teach and reinforce the concept of honesty and emphasize why lying is wrong.
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Children tend to put anything they can find into their mouths. It's not limited to babies or toddlers, either. Many preschool and early elementary age children also like to put objects into their mouths -- sometimes that object is a rock.
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Even with the rise in single-parent families, most children still live in two-parent households. Depending on the state, anywhere from 53 to 79 percent lived with two parents in 2011, according to the national KIDS COUNT program.
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Most babies begin to teethe when they are between 6 and 8 months old, but the process can begin as early as 3 months, according to the National Institutes of Health's website, MedlinePlus. Teething can be an uncomfortable time for your baby and result in mild to moderate irritability and screaming.
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Teen girls don't always have regular periods, particularly when they first start menstruating. Over time, however, most girls experience regular periods that occur, on average, every 21 to 45 days.
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Parents tend to underestimate the influence that they have on their children, according to a 2007 study that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation conducted. In 2011, the UK’s Department for Education found that children who are exposed to bad parenting are two times more likely to misbehave.
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Baby safety gates can be placed around your home to keep your little one safe from falling down the stairs and from getting into places he shouldn’t. Unfortunately, at a certain point, the gates will not keep your child contained and should be removed.
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Parental expectations help nurture your child's sense of self-esteem and encourage healthy development. When expectations are set unrealistically high -- or, on the other hand, ridiculously low -- children's personalities and sense of self-worth are negatively affected.
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Even your older preteen can dread shots just as much as a toddler or preschooler. No matter how old your child gets, shots still hurt. If your preteen has an upcoming appointment to receive immunizations or another type of shot, you can help ease his fears as well as lessen the pain associated with the needle prick.
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During elementary school, kids are often encouraged to dress up as 100-year-olds for the 100th day of school. Other times, they may just want to be senior citizens for Halloween. This costume is simple as long as you have a few key items, which can often be picked up at thrift stores or from friends and relatives.
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You were a teen once, which is why you know firsthand that it may not be fun for your teenage son to do his homework, but as soon as he’s done he’ll have all weekend to focus on the fun stuff. You are intelligent enough to see it that way now, but your teenage son may not see it that way just yet.
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