parenting's guide

Incredible Stylish New Frames From Zenni

2008-07-13T01:08:00.000-07:00

Well-known Zenni Optical was on FOX news! Zenni this brand glasses, which offers a huge collection of stylish prescription glasses. You will find the selection of personnel and may choose Incredible Stylish New Frames From Zenni for your glasses and a full vision goggles for as low at Zenni Optical $ 8 Rx Eyeglasses. They sell only their own shots are made directly to the customer, without any intermediaries, and virtually no advertising budget so as to why they can sell it at lower prices

Personal Cash Advance

2008-07-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

The money is the problem of everyone in our world today, because it seems that we can not get our needs and desires of money. It is difficult but we must accept the fact. There are only a few things in this world who are free unlike before where we can simply things we want without this type of medium of exchange. During emergencies, for example, it has always distressed when we have no money especially if it is still not our payday. Most of the time, we ask the help of our friends and relatives in this kind of problem, but who are you going to call when they also have the same problem? Of course, the solution is to use a loan and guess what? It is this rapid payday loans where you can immediately apply for a loan within a few seconds. You can read the different links in the frequently asked questions for details. Enough answers to questions such as how does quick payday loans. What about the request, payment and confidentiality of information?

Does Your Child Need A Cell Phone?

2008-04-08T00:55:00.000-07:00

In the modern era, children as young as five years of begging their parents for cell phones. Most parents wonder if their child has the right age for the cell phone. That will depend on the circumstances. When deciding if your child is ready for their own cell phone, there are a few things you want to consider.

Most parents want to buy their children cell phones that young people can keep in touch when they are away from home. These devices are useful if you want to ride and can contact them in case of emergency. And, as frightening as it is, with a mobile phone can be only contact with the child during school shooting or a terrorist attack.

Another advantage of a mobile phone for your teenager is the fact that it can call and let you know where it is and when it plans to be at home. Additional functionality in the GPS can ensure that the teenager, where it should be.

The only reason that you may want to get a young child has a cell phone is to give him the opportunity to communicate with you, not when he home.This may sound like a good idea, but the place where young children when not in their own home schools, and many schools are now banning the use of mobile phones in their property. So if you buy a phone for a child who spends most of their time in school, you might as well not even embarrassed. He will not be able to use it anyway. Another factor is age. If the child is under ten, it really should not be alone in any case, so he should be able to use the cell phone, which belonged to an adult, which is monitoring. Before buying a phone for younger children is not a necessity.

Another disadvantage of buying a cellular phone to any of your children extra cost. Although you can closely monitor the list of available minutes, and rarely use the text message function, the children do not monitor it minutes they use, and some teenagers, as much to send text messages a day, that their fingers will allow them to type. Your child can also download games on their mobile phones by adding additional charges. This may lead to you to get astronomical telephone bill. This does not include the additional costs, if your child loses or breaks his cell phone.

While some parents consider additional independence that the mobile phone can give your child an advantage, it could also be seen as a drawback. Although it gives a child more freedom is the freedom to communicate with the outside world without your control. This could pave the way for sex offenders, friendly your child without your knowledge.

If you decide to allow your child to have a mobile phone, you can buy prepaid phone to keep prices within reason. You should also place restrictions on the amount of use and specificity that the phone would be used. Also, take time to talk with your child about not accepting text messages from anyone they do not know.

Mobile phones have become a way of life for most Americans. Although the teenager is likely to require at least one of these devices, the younger child can not. Eventually, the choice is up to you.

Parenting Advice - What Is Your Job As A Parent?

2008-04-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

Parenting is a tough job. All too often we do not come to appreciate just how rough our parents had it until we become parents ourselves. While parenting has always been challenging, it seems that parenting today is even tougher than it was for the generations before ours. I believe that is is more difficult because we are raising our children in a far different world than our parents raised us. For the most part, our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents had a pretty good parenting guide set out for them by watching the other members of their family and the world did not change the greatly from one generation to the next. In addition, previous generations of parents had a strong support system of not only examples but helping hands. Today, our mobile society and high rate of single parenthood (through divorce or from the beginning) have not only destroyed the support system of yesteryear but also created a lot more challenging childhood to parent. In our electronic age we do not lack for parenting advice and parenting tips, but it is so hard to pick and choose from the myriad of "helpful hints" to know just what will work for you and your child. However, just like so many other problems in life we are often our own worst enemies. Whenever the parenting choices get too tough then boil it down in importance by asking yourself one of these three key parenting questions.

First, are you a good role model for your child? You know right from wrong. You know what it means to be an adult. You know what kind of man or woman you hope your child to be when he or she grows up. If you want your child to grow up a certain way then try to give them a role model to follow. Children do as you do, not as you say, my mother always says, and I know this is true from watching my own child as well as my students. If you want your child to be kind then you need to demonstrate kindness. If you want your child to be a good student then model scholarship and demonstrate that you value education. If you want your child to have strong work ethic that show them what it means. You can tell your children you want them to stay in school but if you are a dropout who never pursued a G.E.D. then what message does that send? Our children can learn from our mistakes but too often they simply repeat them unless we show them how to change their life.

Second, are you preparing your child for life and adulthood? Don't get me wrong. I think children should be allowed to be children. They should have fun and play. All too often today's child grows up far too soon. I am not talking about talking about sex with your 6-year-old or forcing your 12-year-old to get a job. I mean simply starting when your child is young to teach responsibility, decision-making, and consequences. Start them small with little jobs and little decisions and then as they grow older you can increase the level. If you do too much for your child then they will not be able to do for themselves when they grow older. Also, if you teach your child that life is all fun and games then they are going to be really upset when they discover it is not. I don't allow my 6-year-old to operate any kitchen equipment without supervision but he can make himself a peanut butter sandwich and pour a glass of milk. He can't unload the entire dishwasher (and I shudder to think about him putting glassware in a cupboard over his head) but he can put the silverware away.

Finally, are you providing a solid emotional, physical and educational foundation for your child? Remember, your child may well be in charge of your life some day or maybe even in charge of all of our lives (hey somebody's kid has to be President, why not mine or yours?). Many people with tremendously flawed beginnings grow up to be good people, but why handicap your child that way? No matter how many challenges you face personally it is your job as a parent to provide security and comfort for your child.

I believe that one of the keys to being a good parent is keeping your eyes on the prize. Focus on one universal rule or measuring stick and everything else will get much easier. What measuring stick should you use? That is up to you as this is your life and your child, but the measuring stick my husband and I use is a simple one. We think about what kind of man we want our son to be and apply that goal to the situation at hand. If you focus on being a good role model, preparing your child for life and adulthood, and providing a solid foundation then you are a good parent. Don't sweat the small stuff if the big stuff is taken care of.

Effective Parenting: 5 More Tips That Work!

2008-04-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

Parenting hold a super challenge: turn your kids into wonderful adults who are considerate, animated, industrious, loving, and diligent workers. You've just got one opportunity to do this correctly and we hope these additional five tips will help you.

6. Be What You Want Them To Be. Even if you've never taken a class in psychology, just about everyone knows that children learn by modeling and the people they model most often are their parents. We all want our kids to be happy." Well, are you happy? Do you have honor and integrity? Do you treat people the way you want to be treated? Are you overly materialistic? Are you moody? This article is not designed to lay any guilt on you because it won't make you a better parent. If there are things you want to change about yourself, work on it now. Try to be the best human you can be. There's a good chance your children will model your good qualities.

7. Exercise Love not Fear. Don't belittle anyone - certainly not your children. Don't be sarcastic. Drop all the negative stuff. Most of us make our decisions based on one or two emotions: fear or love and for most people, they're driven by fear more often than they are by love. If you want healthy children, teach them to act based on love not fear. In other words, teach them to be in the minority. I can tell you lots of things not to do: don't be pessimistic or cynical.but what we really mean is don't inflict damage. Don't cause pain. Don't cause fear. Instead, create love. Build self-confidence. Let your children know they are safe and protected.

8. Set Rules and Boundaries. It's a law of nature that every action has a consequent reaction. Every action of your children has a consequence. Whatever your rules are, make sure your children understand them and understand the consequences of breaking them. Breaking those rules is bound to happen at some point or another, so be sure you follow through with the consequences - not out of anger or emotion, but just because those are the consequences. Discuss with your child what the consequences could be. Let your child help to establish his own consequences. It makes it a lot easier for you to enforce if he's participated in their creation.

9. Be Your Children's Hero. Keep promises. Put the full force of your meaning into what you are saying and do it the first time. If you break your promise, you're a liar. Let your children inspire you to be the best you can be. Children will do as you do. I wanted to be my kid's hero - a role model, a guide, the kind of man they would one day look for in a husband, the kind of man they would try to create if they had sons. I found my meaning in life: I would be great dad. What could be more important than that? What about you? Will you ever do anything that is more important than raising your children?

10. Don't Resist Change. Have courage. You've got no choice. People generally don't like change. We know that change is inevitable and yet we resist it because we believe it will be painful. But resisting it is, in itself, painful. So we resist the unknown because it might be painful. It all boils down to the fact that we're afraid of the unknown. Most of our actions are based on fear or love. Divorce was certainly a huge change and it caused all kinds of fear. Have faith. Take courageous risks. Create a stable environment. Don't make comparisons. Look back from the finish line to move forward. Go out there and really live. You were meant to do this!

Effective parenting isn't accomplished instantaneously. It will take practice for you to get all of these into your method of operating. Practice still makes perfect, even for you. We'd like to recommend that you re-read this article and keep it at the ready so the next time your children require your practical parenting expertise, you'll know right where to go for it. These ten effective parenting tips can become your parenting guide to positive discipline so that your children turn out to be successful adults.

Chef schools

2008-03-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

Do you want to be a great chef someday? Or want to have your own restaurant perhaps? You need to know the basic knowledge at least.
If you are a fond of baking or cooking and want to improve your skills and expertise with the things you like, you might choose to attend a culinary school. Attending an culinary school can be a very rewarding experience, and allows you learn and train future industry professionals in your field.
Chef schools will introduce all cooking techniques and how to prepare sumptuous meals and desserts. You can search for different culinary schools in one website.

Getting into Top Schools

2008-02-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

Your college education is one of the most expensive "products" you will ever purchase. You need to compare many different options to be sure you get the most for your money. No college is perfect for everyone, and there are probably only one or two colleges that are ideal for you. Your college experience will influence the rest of your life, so you need to select carefully but without procrastination.
Ivy League schools "infuse" your educational records with the extra boost you may need to be recognized for different job opportunities after graduation, despite that such colleges are not always as great as their reputations might otherwise imply. The learning atmosphere is extremely competitive, but you can get the high-status connections for post-college success. There are many less well known schools with more low-key learning styles and superior educations.
Getting into Top Schools
There is a site online called miroadvantage.com that can help students graduating from high school or college get into the top colleges and graduate schools around the U.S.
If you’re looking for a way How to get into the Ivy League schools around the U.S., this is a service you should definitely look into.
Of course you wouldn’t miss that chance, right? Here’s the key to admissions, and with just the price of an iPod, we can help get our children admitted to top colleges.

Medical Career Training

2008-02-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

More and more hospitals need more and more nurses due to a staggering decline of nurses in the field. Before you can pursue a career in medicine, you have to get training first. There is high demand for qualified medical doctors because of the aging baby boom generation in the united states.
Medicine and medical services is an area of the economy that is relatively recession proof. People always need medical care and people always need to have tests.
Do you know what are the medical career options available to you? You will be surprised if you visit the website medical-career-training.com to know the ocean of options and opportunities in medical careers available out there!
Medical-Career-Training.com is an online medical career portal for individuals who looking to work in the medical field. medical. Many people only associate medical careers with hospitals and doctors’ offices.

The best part is that the programs are not just for nurses! Others can apply to the school for amazing careers in healthcare administrator, or an x-ray technician, and many more! So what are you waiting for! Entering the medical field is one of the most exciting and profitable careers around. Be a part of it! To learn more, visit the following URLs; ultrasound tech, ultrasound tech school, ultrasound technician school.

Hotel Reservations

2008-01-20T22:04:00.000-08:00

Are you planning take vacation in this holiday season?If you are,accommodation is very important thing you must consider for getting fun holiday.Hotel reservation is the first step for any vacation.
If you are looking for Hotels, Motels, Resorts try to visit and hotelreservation.com to see the excellent services.

Hotel Reservation.com provides you with a Special Internet Rate Price Guarantee. Special Internet Rate reservations booked through Interactive Affiliate Network are guaranteed to be the lowest rate you can find. You can't beat that. Like I said, they are your one stop shop for all your travel needs.

In this busy world, no one finds enough time to spend time with their families and enjoy with their kids for some time. The hectic work is taking its toll on the people that they dearly want a break from their work.

HotelReservations.com offers more than 70,000 properties worldwide - from hotels to B&B's to condos to all inclusive resorts. HotelReservations.com offers the information travelers need to book the perfect trip all backed by the HotelReservations.com Price Guarantee, see details on website.

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with Hotelreservatioins? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you've ever wanted to know about Hotelreservatioins.
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Where and when do you want to travel?at HotelReservations.com you can select over 1430 destination place all around the world. The last thing to do when you select vacation packages provided byHotelReservations.com is to fill information how many people with you in holiday.

Hotelreservations.com has great deals on cruises as well.I would highly recommend HotelReservations.com to anyone who is planning a trip. The website is easy to use, the prices are right and the service is excellent. What are you waiting for go to Hotel Reservations now!

Payday Loan

2008-01-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

If I need emergency cash, where will I go? If I ever find myself caught between paychecks and badly needs money as soon as possible, where will I seek help? If I ever need instant money fast as lighting, where will I get it?

Payday Loans many advantages over conventional loans. On payment loans are typically faster than offline processing. You get full privacy. In many cases do not require any documents to fax. There are many other benefits as well. A payday loan or also called a cash advance or payday advance is a small, short-term loan that is intended to cover a borrower's expenses until his or her next payday.

Maybe you need a cash advance and I am not talking about the manual thing. A Cash Advance that are done online and in the convenient of your own home.

The trustsource site is that the site can help you when you needed some cash. It provides immediate approval and therefore would not have to strain or on whether you can not get a loan or not. The right place for that youcan trust. In trustsource You can easily read reviews from people who have actually used.
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Cash Advance Payday Loans

2008-01-18T23:16:00.000-08:00

TrustSource.org payday loan Payday Loans and Cash Advance sites reviewed and ranked by people who have used these sites to get cash fast.

Money has always been something we're after ever since we realized the undeniable fact that today, without money, you are non-existent to the world.
If you looking for cash advance, then visit this payday loans and cash advance review site. You will find the perfect loan site to get fast and unsecured loans. Trustsource.org helps you meet all your financial demands quickly.

Payday Loans has many advantages over traditional loans. Payday loans are usually processed faster than offline. You get complete privacy. In many cases you don’t need to even fax any documents. There are many other advantages too.
Maybe you need a cash advance and I am not talking about the manual thing. A Cash Advance that are done online and in the convenient of your own home.

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Do you need cash right now? If you are in need of Payday loans, it is very easy to get them just visit www.trustsource.org/cash-advance.

MagicHoldem Poker Odds Calculator

2008-01-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

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Single Parenting With a Smile

2008-01-02T20:39:00.000-08:00

There are so many challenges that come along with being a single parent, but one of the most difficult, is truly enjoying time with your children when there are so many other areas of chaos around you. Yet, while it is one of the most difficult, it is also one of the most important areas to focus on for you and your children.

Studies have shown that divorce is not a traumatic event for children to live through, but that the aftermath, what you do once the divorce has occurred, is truly what impacts our children most. And if your accomplishments lie on the fact that you are surviving each day and getting each child safely into bed at night, you may begin to pat your back...but just a little. It is a good start, but it only touches on the surface of what creates a well-adjusted child of divorce.

The real challenge is being able to table all of the other challenging areas for the moment, long enough to really engage with your children. It's about learning to focus on this moment, as if it is truly the one moment you have. Focus on each detail around you as if it will never again be this way, as if it is the golden moment.

But how? As single parents, we are faced with new careers, bills we are unfamiliar with, challenges that seem overwhelming, household chores and even finding a new circle of friends, so how do you find time to just enjoy your children? First of all, take a deep breath and a quiet space to clear your mind.

Tips to truly appreciating the moment with your child:
1 - Announce that you are going to stop everything else (no laundry, cleaning, phones, computers, etc.)
2 - Ask your child what he/she would like to do that would be fun (If you have a time restraint, make reasonable, but fun suggestions: play cards, get ice cream, play a board game).
3 - Be honest. Explain that you have been overwhelmed with your stuff, but really want to put that aside for right now. And then do it. Put the rest of your life on hold. It will still be waiting for you when you are ready.
4 - Look at your children as if seeing them for the first time. Notice your child's' eyes, how his/her face has changed, how tall they have gotten in the past few months.
5 - Start with a hug, with the intention of creating a connection that has been overlooked. No matter how old we get, we could always use a hug. Embrace how they feel in your arms, as you try to recall the first day you ever held your child.
6 - Acknowledge how patient they have been while you have been under duress. Surely they have also been waiting for you to have time to spend with them, and have been under stress themselves.

Now you are ready to truly enjoy what has been missing. Unconditional love.

You may be surprised to see that while you are enjoying whatever moment you've created together, the stress of other areas in your life will settle comfortably into a side pocket. Keep it there as long as you can and hold onto how it feels to have it there. Acknowledge aloud to your child how much you appreciate them and how much you have missed being in the moment with them.

And finally, take another deep breathe before leaving the moment and remember that at anytime, your child will gladly have you back and your "stuff" will surely be willing to wait for you. Remember that while the other stuff will wait, though, each moment your child has without you, will be missed. They will be waiting for you as well, but they will have grown, their needs will be different and you will have missed whatever it is that occurred.

Enjoy the moment. It is the only one you've got.

Lesley Geller is a Business Coach. She helps successful professionals exceed their expectations of growth. She works with small business owners, as well as individuals in large corporations looking to reach the next level. Lesley graduated from the University of Maryland is certified as a Coach through the Coach Training Alliance, which is recognized by the International Coach Federation. She is also a Freelance Writer and co-author of: 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life. For more information about how to reach the potential you're capable of, visit her website at http://www.LesleyGeller.com or e-mail her at Lesley@LesleyGeller.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lesley_Geller

The Seven C's Of Successful Parenting

2007-11-20T09:14:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder what it takes to be a successful parent? In the paragraphs that follow, I will attempt to provide you with an answer to that question. I call these my "Seven C's of Successful Parenting."

Confidence is a belief in one's own abilities. It is also an attribute that can determine whether or not a parent is in charge or if it is the child that has the upper hand. Confidence is power. Children will respond more positively to a parent brimming with confidence than to a parent oozing of self-doubt or uncertainty. Stand firm, speak assertively, and know that you are doing the right thing.

Consistency is the ability to maintain a particular standard or to be able to repeat a particular task with minimal variation. Consistency brings a sense of predictability to a child's life. It lets him know what to expect when his behavior is not appropriate or acceptable. When consequences change periodically and are at irregular intervals, then a child will learn that misbehavior might not lead to any consequences at all. The same consequences should be given for the same behaviors each and every time.

Communication is the exchange of information between two people. It involves a sense of mutual understanding and sympathy. Parents simply cannot be parents without this component. Communication must be clear, open, and understanding in order to be effective. Children often have a lot to say and putting up walls or refusing to discuss certain matters will only cause them to seek the advice of others or to bottle it all up until a breaking point is finally reached. Be approachable and willing to discuss issues without criticism or rejection. Effective communication is essential to successful parenting.

Composure means having a calm and steady control over one's emotions. Out-of-control parents typically raise out-of-control children. Yelling and screaming at a child is about as effective as giving them directions in an unfamiliar language. Parents must work to take the emotional aspect out of their discipline practices and save the positive emotions for more appropriate times. Children learn to exploit their parent's emotional weaknesses quite effectively, often leading to rifts between parents. Keep calm and collected, even when things get difficult. Patience, my dear.

Connectedness means being joined or linked firmly together. When applying this trait to parenting, we tend to think of the bond or connection between a child and his or her parents. A disconnected parent is essentially just "a roommate with leverage." Spend time with your child. Get to know your child. Be caring and compassionate. A healthy bond will lead to a sense of mutual respect which leads to happier parents and better-off children.

Common-sense is the ability to make rational decisions and use good judgment. If you are already struggling with two difficult children and then decide to have another, you do not possess this trait. Common-sense is difficult to learn. You either have it or you don't. If you don't, then I would highly recommend seeking and taking the advice of someone that does. If you do, then make sure you use it. Be logical when parenting, not emotional.

Consequences are essentially the results of our actions or behavior. They can be positive or they can be negative. Effective consequences are the root of effective discipline and can ultimately shape a child's future behavior. For instance, giving a child what he or she wants in order to tame a raging tantrum results in a positive consequence earned for throwing a tantrum. A parent that does this is not using effective consequences. One can expect that child to throw another blistering tantrum next time he or she wants something. Choose consequences that are logical and fair, not just easy or convenient.

Now that you have read the descriptions above, think about what they mean to you and how they relate to your own parenting style. Instill these qualities into your parenting practices and watch as the relationship you have with your child progresses and your effectiveness as a parent improves.

by Shevach Pepper

Father's Role In Parenting

2007-10-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

A father's role in parenting may seem mundane and unimportant compared to everything else that he has to do during the week. After all, his career keeps him busy and with this fast paced society he rarely has time to unwind. Times are really changing these days and the world is definitely changing around us. If there is one thing that never changes it is a fathers important role of raising his children to become productive adults.

The father's role shouldnt be taken for granted as it is something that affects the whole family whether the children live with one or both parents. Five of the main ways the father's role in parenting can affects the whole family in a positive way are listed below.

1. Having respect for the mother. The mother of your child deserves to be respected if you are with her or not. When you show your children that you have respect for their mother they are learning to have respect for others. If both parents are respectful to each other their children will feel more secure. When your child sees that you have respect for each other they will feel more accepted and deserving of respect themselves.

2. Spend some time with your children and the whole family. If you and the childs mom are together then you should spend time with her and with your children. It is an important part of a father's role in parenting to let your children see you and their mom trying to make the marriage work and keeping the family together. Your kids also need to see that you are spending time with your family. This shows them that they are all important to you.

3. Be a strong role model. As a father you should live your life as you would want your children to live theirs. Teaching children to, do is I say not as I do rarely ever works. You should emulate the type of person that you want them to become. If you do not want your children to go bar hopping and to become addicts then you need to show them by example. When children see their parents making mistakes they dont learn to not make those mistakes; what they learn is its acceptable behavior. Instead of losing your childrens respect and having them they give you is being hypocritical you really should follow your own advice and live the role of the type of person that you want your children to become.

4. Teach the children. Being a teacher is so much more than handing them the basic lessons they learned in school. Your children need a teacher in the classroom called life. The subject matter that they learn in your life classes include lessons in respect, love, choice and decision making and the knowledge of the right from wrong. Being their father puts you in the most important teaching position. Your classroom is life, your bulletin board is the behaviors that you demonstrate and your bonus pay is getting to watch your child grow into a confident adult.

5. Be the head of the home. This is probably the most important part of the father's role in parenting. As the father and husband, you are the head of the household. It is important that you take that job very seriously. When the mother and children know that there is a leader in the house they feel secure and are able to properly develop. A "wishy-washy" father causes insecure feelings and low self-esteem.

Being a strong leader does not mean being a dictator. Being a strong leader does not mean being bossy. Being a strong leader does not mean being abusive. By being a strong leader you gently but firmly leach your family, you set a good example for your family to follow, you teach your family and you learn from your family. A good leader never undervalues those that he is in charge of.

It is important to never undervalue the father's role and parenting. The combination of the fathers firm hand and disciplining practices along with his example of help and comfort coupled with a mothers warm caring and gentle demeanor can help a family to set positive values and help your children to carry positive values and self confidence throughout their lives.

by Shevach Pepper

Parenting Tips: Helping Kids Deal With Divorce

2007-08-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, divorce is a fact of modern life, and many couples seek parenting tips to help their children deal with the prospect of splitting up the family. While there is no doubt that divorce takes a heavy toll on children, there are steps parents can take to minimize the trauma of dealing with this eventuality.

With the divorce rate among American couples hovering around 50%, the splitting up of the American family has become a serious issue in the United States, with very real social, economic and cultural implications.

Unfortunately, divorce also has a great impact on the development of children, and if handled poorly, can result in children feeling isolated and insecure. In extreme cases, the children may even blame themselves for the divorce, something which has a devastating impact on the developing childâ€™s self-esteem and social learning.

But while every couple may not be able to salvage their marriage, there are steps they can take to help their children make peace with the process of divorce and living with a divided family. In this article, we'll cover a few tips to lessen the impact of divorce on children.

1. Communication Children take their cues from their parents. Accordingly, the way that you talk to your children about divorce will determine their mindset to a great extent. The best advice is to speak to your children candidly about an impending divorce, resisting the temptation to "sugar coat" the event, and avoiding using emotional words and terms.

It is important to remember that talking to children about divorce is an ongoing process. It is not a situation where you can sit down for a one hour talk and then everything is fine. You will need to continue to have frank discussions with your children and keep them "in the loop" throughout the process.

2. Security The main thing that children will need during a time of divorce is security. The process of dividing the family can cause insecurity, but at this time more than ever, children need to feel loved and connected to both parents, regardless of the impending divorce.

This means that if the divorce is unpleasant, parents will need to keep those feelings in check when they are talking to the children. And it is also important to show as much love and affection during this time as possible.

3. Respect Some parents make the mistake of pretending everything is fine during a time of divorce, because they think it will make the child feel better. While their intentions are good, this can often be a bad idea. Children are very intuitive, and above all else they can spot a phony a mile away. For this reason, it is important to "keep it real" with your kids as much as possible.

If you are currently feeling hatred toward your spouse, you do not have to say so; but pretending that everything is "hunky Dory" is also not the way to go. It will be seen as patronizing by your kids, and won't be appreciated. Respect your children enough to tell them the truth. Regardless of what some media pundits would have you believe, children are not helpless, and they are very capable of understanding many complicated and adult situations, including divorce.

The best advice for helping your children cope with an impending divorce is to be honest. This includes being emotionally honest with your children too. If you're feeling sad or angry, it is okay to tell your children you are feeling sad or angry. Kids "get" that, and they understand that you feel real emotions, just as they do.

While divorce is undoubtedly unpleasant, sometimes it is also unavoidable. By using these simple parenting tips, you can help your children to deal with the breakup in a healthy way.

by Craig Thornburrow