When to Give Your Child a Cell Phone

Every child wants a cell phone. As parents we’ve all heard the pleas and the arguments. We’ve been told that every other kid at school has one, and while we know that isn't completely true... we do realize that at least most of the other kids have a cell phone.

But how do we decide when our own kids old enough to have their own cell phone? When should parents allow their children to have access to the world at their fingertips? The answer will be different for every parent and every child.

There are several things that parents should consider before deciding if their kids are ready. If your kids are asking for a phone ask yourself these questions before you give your answer:

• Can you afford it?
• Is it convenient for you?
• Is it in their best interest?

Knowing when to give your child a cell phone is a very big decision. Do the research. Read When to Give Your Child a Cell Phone: Advice for Parents for more information on making that decision as well as some suggestions for things to consider once you've given them their phone.

How to Get Your Kids to Obey

Getting children to obey their parents is often overwhelming. It's common for parents today to be frustrated by misbehavior and disobedience. We all want our kids to be good, well behaved, happy, respectful, and polite. While sometimes a child seems defiant and rebellious, sometimes, it's just because they really just aren’t sure what is expected of them. What can moms and dads do to help their kids mind?

Start by establishing clear and concise rules for your kids to follow. These rules need to be:

• Short - they should be able to memorize them.
• Simple - kids should be clear on what's expected.
• Fun - remember that they are kids

For more information on how establishing simple rules can help you get your kids to obey read: Parenting Tip: Simple Rules to Help Kids Obey. By setting clear boundaries and expectations early, you can set your kids up for success and help them learn to obey.

Top 5 Tips for Organizing Housework

It’s difficult for moms today to balance a career, family and housework! If you don’t have the funds to hire a cleaning lady, then it’s easy for a working mom to be overwhelmed with household responsibilities. Developing some organization, however, will help busy moms with housecleaning chores. With a little preparation, you too can conquer the cleaning and get your kids and family involved! With a few simple tips, you can relieve the stress, have a clean house and find some time to have fun and relax. Try these top 5 tips for organizing and delegating housework:

• Make a chart so everyone in the family knows what room gets cleaned each day
• List out the assigned responsibilities for each room and each family member 
  
• Purchase convenience cleaning products to make things easier for the kids
• Make everyone responsible for their own laundry
• Reward their efforts for a job well done

For details on these top 5 tips, as well as a few others, click here to read Tips for Organizing Housework for Busy Moms.

Children should be seen and not heard?

"Children should be seen and not heard," That's what my dad used to say! As a mom of three kids ages 16, 14, and 10, I don’t have all the answers. but I do know that that is not often the case. Kids are noisy! They giggle, scream, yell, laugh, talk, chatter, bang toys, jump, and then giggle some more. Even as they get older, the noise level never really seems to decrease.

What do you do when you want to get the noisy kids to be quiet? There are several things you can do to control the noise level with your children at home, when riding in the car, when eating at restaurants, or even while visiting the library. Here are a few quick tips to bring some peace and quiet to you day:

• Whisper - When their noise level is too loud. Try whispering to get their attention. See what happens.
• Tiptoeing – When you hear heavy feet running and jumping, try tiptoeing and see it they follow suit.
• Prepare ahead of time – For outings to restaurants, the library, or trips in the car, come prepared with some emergency snacks and activities.
• Give them a loud voice outlet – Kids will only be quiet for so long. Make sure there is some time built into the day where they are free to be as loud and rambunctious as they want.

These how-to tips can help bring peace and calm. Read Help for Parents: Getting Noisy Kids to be Quiet to learn more about how to calmly get those noisy kids to be quiet!