Tips and Advice

Bullying is a problem most children face at some point or another and in some instances can be a serious threat to their well being. Bullying does not only occur at school and with young people, however, it is this kind of bullying which concerns parents:

Bullying is the intentional tormenting of others through verbal harassment, physical assault, or other more subtle methods of coercion such as manipulation. There is currently no legal definition of bullying.

In colloquial speech, bullying often describes a form of harassment perpetrated by an abuser who possesses more physical and/or social power and dominance than the victim. The victim of bullying is sometimes referred to as a target. The harassment can be verbal, physical and/or emotional.

Bullying can occur in any setting where human beings interact with each other. This includes school, the workplace, home and neighborhoods. Bullying can exist between social groups, social classes and even between countries.

The difficulty is coming up with the best way to react to bullying and then teaching your children how to deal with it. One suggested solution is Bully Blocking. It may sound strange but the principles are sound:

Bully Blocking puts the victim back into control of the situation. Don’t react to bullies, they thrive on the reaction. Don’t be afraid to tell someone, a parent a teacher or a manager. You don’t deserve this treatment, respect yourself and don’t be pressured into uncomfortable situations.

Bully Blocking loosts at ways to deal with bullying and how parents can help children.

Visit Femail for more information on bullying and other parenting issues.

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD then you are sure to be worried about the ADHD treatments which have been proposed by your doctor. You are probably wondering if this is something which your child really needs. Are there other alternatives? With so many misdiagnoses of ADHD you might be wondering if your child even really has this condition.

The first step in determining the true situation with your child’s health is to do your own research. You know your child better than anyone. While it’s important to listen to your doctor’s advice, sometimes it’s nice to reinforce this advice by doing research and finding out for yourself. You can later discuss what you have found with your doctor to get his opinion.

Children with ADHD are often misunderstood so it is crucial to listen to your child as well as your instincts. If you are not sure then get a second opinion or even a third. It is essential to get the correct diagnosis. The process of diagnosing you child will involve numerous tests and many discussions. Be patient and try to understand as much as you can. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Once the diagnosis has been made and your research and observations believe the diagnosis to be correct you can then consider ADHD treatment options. Again, listen to your doctor, research what he says, then talk to him again. Keep returning to you doctor (or a different doctor) until you agree on the best treatment for your child. Don’t rush your decision. You and your child have the time to make the right decision.

Wetting the bed can be very upsetting and embarrassing for your child. You might feel the same way if your child has this problem but it’s important to remember that it’s a very common problem and nothing to be ashamed of. Around half of 3 year old children wet their bed so it is likely that your child will. The good news is that most children grow out of this minor problem. However, this will remain a problem for some children, typically boys, which can last for several years.

The problem is mainly a physical one which is due to their small bladder. As this grows they tend to grow out of the problem. If your child is over six years of age and are still experiencing night time bed wetting or if they have previously experienced dry nights and then started wetting the bed again, then the problem is most likely an emotional one rather than a physical problem. In a small number of cases bed wetting can be caused by a medical condition so it is important to seek medical attention if the problem persists.

The short term solution to bed wetting is for your child to wear a nappy during the night. If you child is a bit past wearing nappies they can try pull up nappies which are more like underwear. Your child can probably try going without a nappy at night if they show the following signs:

• No or few night time wettings
• Your child wakes up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet
• Your child stays dry during the day for up to 4 hours
• Your child doesn’t need changing after naps

Once you see these signs your child can probably sleep through the night without a nappy and have a dry night.

Home schooling their child is a choice some parents make when they feel their child isn’t getting the best education in the public or private school system. Home schooling allows you to teach your child a specific curriculum designed to exactly suit your child’s needs. This kind of teaching is rarely available in a school, especially if class sizes are large. One of the benefits of teaching your child at home is the flexibility it affords. However, this is also one of the most difficult aspects of home schooling.

Successful home schooling requires a lot of discipline by the child but more importantly by the parent. Anyone who works from home knows how difficult it is to remain focused and teaching your child from home is no different. One of the key tips for success is to create a distinct learning area away from the rest of the house. This way your child will know she is ‘at school’ and that she must stay there during certain set times. This area should be physically distinct from the rest of the house so there are less potential distractions.

One of the mistakes many people make when home schooling their child is to give them a task or assignment and then leave the room and do other things. A teacher in a school would never leave the students alone in the class and neither should you. You need to be in the room with your child at all times to assist with any problems or questions. Even if your child is quite capable of going on with work alone, you should still stay in the room to show you take their education seriously and that you are in control of their education. Staying in the room shows that your child’s education is your highest priority.

Having a set area and sticking to a set schedule as well as always being present for your child is the minimum required to successfully teach your child from home.