Have you always longed for an open, honest relationship with your child? Have you wanted to be the kind of parent that your child feels comfortable sharing things with? Have you found discipline a challenging thing for you to enforce? If your answer to any of the above questions were yes, the parenting tips below are for you!

The most important thing to remember while disciplining your children is consistency. Parenting during the terrible-two’s can be challenging, for both little one and adult. At this stage children like to push the limits of what is and is not allowed. Make sure that you set clear boundaries and are consistent with your time-outs so children know what is expected of them.

Are you frustrated by a messy playroom day after day? Make cleaning up a game and ask your children to join in. Sing a song or dance around as you clean. Challenge everyone to pick up at least five toys. Doing this will motivate your children to help and make cleaning up a little more fun for all.

Make time to play with your children every single day. Playtime helps get you and your children moving, which benefits your health. Playing also encourages creativity, social interaction, imagination, and good self-esteem. Active play is better than passive, so take your kids to the park or even just the yard and let loose your inner child.

Hold your breast with your fingers underneath and holding your thumb on the top when breastfeeding. Use the hand you use the most to support the head and the other hand for holding your breast. Place the nipple near his nose and he will open wide to take it in. This will provide the best latch for success.

Getting into an argument with your child is never fun, and when emotions are flying high, it can be easy to lose your cool and say things that you regret. When you feel yourself getting very upset, give yourself permission to take a time out. Walk out of the room, take a short walk, read a book – give yourself a chance to calm down.

When it comes to trying to change kids’ bad behavior, parents should try to “walk the walk” by setting a good example. Just as most parents cannot stand the sound of their children whining, nearly all children can hardly bear parental nagging. Instead of constantly harping on your child, make a positive statement encouraging them to follow through with some action and accompanying it with a brief explanation of the consequences of failure to do so.

You can make your disciplinary efforts far more effective, by trying to shift the focus of your words from only highlighting the child’s wrongdoing to using positive language. Children who are repeatedly criticized, have a natural tendency to resist discipline, which in turn, leads to increased instances of fits, discipline problems and poor conduct.

Use your smart phone to help you keep track of your child’s diaper changes and feedings. You can download an application that will keep a record of what you do with your child. This is particularly useful during visits with your pediatrician; they may need to know specific details regarding your child’s routine.

A great parenting tip is to involve the whole family when it comes to making decisions. Start having family meetings. This will make every member of your family, including your child, feel more responsible and helpful. Don’t just think you’re the only authority and that you should make all the decisions.

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.

Wear your baby instead of using a stroller. Wearing a baby means you don’t have to make room in the car for a big stroller. Further, it means that you don’t have to push a heavy stroller through the mall. A baby who is worn also feels safe and secure next to their parent’s skin.

A great tip to help you become a better parent is to not hide things from your child. No matter how big or small, if you hide anything from your child, they’re likely to figure it out. This can lead to a general mistrust that won’t be quick to go away.

Talk to your kids and listen when they talk to you. Welcome dialogue about uncomfortable topics as this will help you get to understand your children and their needs better! The tips above will help you become a better parent so your kid can be the best kid he or she can be!

Parenting Tips In One Convenient Article was originally published on Spring