Parenting advice is available everywhere! Everybody from your parents, your co-workers, to the cashier at the grocery store – give you suggestions on how to parent. With so much advice, well intended suggestions may cause further confusion. How can you sort through all of the information? Read the following tips for some practical advice others have found helpful!

In order to be a good parent, you must not watch every single thing that your child does. This will smother them and only push them further away. If you give them some freedom, they will in turn put more truth into how they are feeling and how they are living their life. This way, the children are less likely to rebel.

As unfortunate an event it may be, divorces happen all of the time. In order for you, a divorced parent, to hold a good relationship with your college aged and older children you must never get them in the middle of your divorce. This will push them away for you and your ex-spouse.

If you need to use the restroom, and your baby is upset at being placed in their carrier, turn on the bathroom fan and sink. Both of these noises mimic the sound of your heartbeat, which your baby was consistently soothed by in the womb. This technique should give you a few quiet minutes to take care of yourself.

Talk to your insurance agent about safe driving programs and suggestions, before your teen gets their driver’s license. Most insurance companies offer free or low-cost programs designed to improve driver safety for new drivers and knowing that your child is aware of basic safety guidelines helps your peace of mind, especially behind the wheel!

Read to your child often. Reading benefits your child in countless ways. Aside from the obvious entertainment value a child receives from hearing a wonderful story, studies show that from a very early age, a child’s vocabulary is boosted by leaps and bounds simply from hearing words being read to him. This helps to increase his success in school and in communication with others throughout his lifetime.

Ask your child to do chores. Children need to learn how to do things like washing the dishes or making their bed; it is important to helping them learn independence, which ultimately leads to higher self-esteem. Chores also make children feel like they hold a valuable role in the family.

Always praise your children for the things they do correctly. Punishment won’t work if you don’t also reward your kids. They have to have the balance of both to remember that doing good is worth it. Even if it’s just a kind word, reward your children for their good behavior.

Do not tolerate bullying. Do not allow anyone to tell you bullying is a natural part of growing up. If your child is the one being bullied or the bully, remember bullying is counterproductive to healthy psychological development and academic progress. You can intercede to make a positive difference not just for your child but for their classmates as well.

When you have a newborn in the house, try to sleep when your baby sleeps. Newborn babies have crazy sleep schedules. They will be up every two to three hours at night. When they’re up, you’re up. If you don’t get some sleep when they do you will never be able to function throughout the day. Let the dishes wait and catch a few z’s when your baby does.

Building your child’s self-esteem will create a foundation they will blossom from. You have to accept their shortcomings and help them grow past them. You also need to remind them that humans aren’t perfect, and neither are they, but that’s just fine! Everyone makes mistakes, but those who learn from them will go further in life.

Limit your young child’s TV time to no more than a few hours a week, if any. Studies have shown that a child’s mind is really not active when they are watching TV, because TV watching is a passive activity. TV watching does not exercise the brain. Instead, engage them in constructive activities which requires them to interact.

Live what you say, don’t just say it. Children will learn by your actions as much as your words. Show them how you would like them to behave. If you don’t want them to smoke, you have to not smoke yourself. If you’d like them to eat healthy, make the same healthy choices with them. Even kids can see right through hypocrisy!

The above article, no doubt, provided you some practical advice! Apply what fits your circumstances. Every child is different, as is every parent. With so much advice available, you may have felt a bit confused. Just remember, your parents, your co-workers, and even the cashiers at the grocery store all have good intensions!

Tips And Tricks Every Parent Needs To Know was originally published on Spring