conflict

Technology, time limits and getting it right for our kids

May 29, 2012 By Martine 18 Comments

Do your kids get angry when you ask them to get off the computer, turn off the xbox, give someone else a turn of the Wii or put the ipod away?

Last week I was guest posting over at Planning with Kids about 8 things parents should know about technology and parenting. Many of the comments pointed toward a frustration by parents over the amount of time kids were online and the trouble they had in enforcing rules regarding the use of technology. Or overuse more to the point!

Here are a few pointers to help you take back control and help ensure your kids have a greater chance of being able to regulate their own behavior and time management as they grow up surrounded by the distractions of technology.

Start early From the moment your little one can swipe an ipad make sure they know there are limits to its use. We want to be able to take things away without a fight every time. And whilst you will more than likely get one the first few times you interrupt their extremely important, almost at my highest score game, they will learn. Like all aspects of parenting, the earlier you start getting them used to the boundaries, the greater control you will both have over their behaviour. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Discipline, Modern Parenting, Technology and Parenting, Teenagers Tagged With: conflict, internet, Parenting, rules, technology, time management

From child to adult…the social and emotional changes affecting our teenagers

May 10, 2011 By Martine 24 Comments

“People spend their childhood learning to be like their parents and their adolescence learning who they are and how they are different from their parents” Miriam Kaufman

This quote pretty much sums up the effect of the emotional and social changes that take place when a child makes the transition from pre-pubescent ball of wonder and adoration to a teenager who is often moody, unpredictable and no longer showering you with affection and adulation. What happened in the blink of an eye? Where is that little inquisitive creature who would be constantly asking advice and seeking approval? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Modern Parenting, Teenagers Tagged With: conflict, emotions, independence, Parenting, risk-taking, teenagers

Sibling Rivalry- Strategies to Manage the Inevitable!

April 3, 2011 By Martine 5 Comments

Sibling rivalry, like parent guilt, tantrums and snotty noses seem to be part of the whole ‘parenting package’. Can we win the war, or should we simply be prepared to manage the individual battles whilst minimising the casualties?

These are some of the things my kids fight over:

TV, Xbox and computer usage, who cheated when playing ’2 square’, who hit who first, who was sitting at the good end of the couch first, who last emptied the dishwasher, and so on and so on. Nothing out of the ordinary really and most of the time ’semi manageable’, depending on mood, temperament and amount of sleep had on the previous night by all parties involved. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Discipline, Modern Parenting Tagged With: battles, conflict, Parenting, rivalry, siblings