Although running a home based business is enjoyable, it really is all about the kids.  And raising children can be an even bigger challenge than running a business.  Here are some articles that deal with the parenting issues we all face:

1.  Baby Sitter Information – You finally have a chance to go out and enjoy an adult evening.   Don’t let the experience be ruined by guilt or worry.  Make sure your baby sitter and your children know what to expect

2.  Establishing A Bedtime Routine – A bedtime routine can be as simple or as elaborate as need be.  It really depends on the child.  If your child takes more time to transition than others, create several steps for the bedtime preparation process.

3.  Teaching Your Child To Apologize Properly – Children are very caring and sensitive to others, and in most cases, they want to make things right when they have made a mistake, done something wrong, or hurt another person’s feelings.  When we mend hurt feelings and apologize sincerely, we help the offended party heal.  This is why it is important to teach children how to make up and how to apologize properly and sincerely. 

4.  How To Handle Bedwetting – If your child wets the bed at night, it may help to know that you’re not alone.  Millions of parents face the problem of how to handle bedwetting.

5.  Being A Single Parent Does Not Mean Parenting Alone – The responsibility of being a single parent can be frightening and is certainly challenging.  However, raising a child whether alone or with a spouse or partner can be the most rewarding aspect of your life.  Some parents fear that raising their child alone will have a negative impact on their children.  However, most children who grow up in single parent homes are happy, healthy and well adjusted children.

6.  Planning Your Child’s Birthday Party – Birthday parties can be as much fun for Mom and Dad as they are for the kids.  Seeing you child’s happy face and hearing his or her shrieks of delight, are what a parent lives for.

7.  Getting Children To Exercise More – When many of us were young, we played outside as much as we possibly could.  Don’t you remember begging to stay outside for just a few more minutes?  Unfortunately, today many children don’t play outside and don’t participate in physical activities unless it’s in gym class or an organized sport.   Many don’t get enough exercise because they don’t run and play tag, jump rope, skate, or play ball nearly as much as we did as kids. 

8.  Help Your Children Live Up To Their Potential – Children are amazing.  When they are little, they really believe they can do anything.  This is a trait that needs to be cultivated and encouraged.  Parents must help their children believe that they really can do anything if they want it bad enough and work hard enough. 

9.  Childcare:  Structure and Activities – It is very important for a childcare center or home to have a well-developed structure and planned activities.  This is true because not only does it help keep children busy, stimulated, and out of trouble, but it also helps them feel more secure.  Small children feel safer in a structured environment.

10.  Five Warning Signs of Poor Childcare – Every parent has concerns about childcare.  Even if the childcare center or home has a good reputation and comes highly recommended, parents should investigate carefully and continue to monitor their children’s care.

11.  Children and Backpacks – Every child seems to have a backpack these days, from the smallest toddler going off to daycare to the tallest teen heading for high school.  Manufacturers dazzle us with the colors, special features, such as extra pockets, and gizmos, like attachable water bottles.  Our children clamor for one and we lovingly oblige.

12.  Help Your Child Set Goals – It is important to start setting goals even at a young age.  What children learn when they are young will dictate the way they handle things later in life.  Every parent can help their children set and meet goals.  Children need something to work toward, and a sense of accomplishment when a goal is met.

13.  Determining A Bedtime – Some children go to bed with no problem.  They are tired from a busy day and even look forward to a good night’s sleep.  Other children would stay up all night, if their parents allowed it.  In either case, establishing a routine bedtime is a good idea.  It not only helps provide structure, but it also insures that children receive a proper amount of sleep. 

14.  Four Tips for Choosing a Childcare Center or Daycare Home – Aside from other important steps like checking out the childcare provider’s license, background, reputation, and experience in caring for children, there are some other things to keep in mind when choosing a childcare center or daycare home. 

15.  Applied and Natural Consequences – No parent enjoys disciplining a child, but we all know that it’s necessary.  We want our children to grow up to be decent, responsible people, so we have to start enforcing rules at a young age.

16.  Making Couple Time A Priority – It’s easy to get so caught up in the demands of parenting that we forget we are part of a couple.  We each made vows to that person on the other side of the bed that we’ve barely had time to speak to, much less enjoy, in the past week. 

17.  Plan A Family Fun Night For Your Children – Today parents are very busy, and in many families both parents have to work just to make ends meet.  Even if mom or dad is a work from home parent, there isn’t a lot of extra time for fun stuff, after work, school, homework, chores, and baths are handled. 

18.  Dealing With Friends and Family Who Smoke – You are perfectly within your rights to ask friends and family members who smoke not to do so around your children.  If your home or car are no smoking zones, this rule should apply to everyone. 

19.  When Your Child’s Friend Has Peanut Allergies – Many parents are just beginning to learn about peanut allergies and about how serious they can be.  Peanut allergies can cause a host of problems, and in some cases, they can be fatal. 

20.  Getting Your Child To Bed Without A Fight – How many times have you put your child to bed only to find yourself pulling your hair trying to figure out how to get them to stay there?  Unfortunately, many parents lack an understanding for proper bedtime procedures and have a difficult time getting their children to follow the bedtime ritual.

21.  Healthy Parenting – Happy Children – As a parent, there is so much that we want to do for our children.  Although we do not have complete control over the world around us, there is a lot we can do to raise happy and healthy children.  Parenting is not always easy, however, by knowing what we want for our children, we can guide them through their childhood.

22.  Homework – Sometimes it’s difficult for children to keep up with their homework.  Parents may need to play a more active role in making sure the work gets done. 

23.  Making Individual Time For Each Child – For parents with more than one child, especially those raising many children, it is difficult to give each child undivided attention.  Making individual time for each child is a good way to connect with your children and to make sure each one feels special.

24.  Teach Your Children Telephone Manners – Have you ever called someone only to have a child answer the phone and refuse to hand it over to an adult?  The child tells one knock-knock joke after another, laughs hysterically, tells you about his dog, his sister, his friend, and then hangs up on you. 

25.  Encouraging Children To Help Around The House – Some parents feel that they have to take on all the housekeeping and other tasks around the home.  They would never consider asking their children to help out, due to some misguided sense of guilt, or a sense of culture, that claims they are stealing their children’s childhood.

26.  Monitoring More Than Telephone Programs – Today, parents have to monitor more than just their children’s television programs.  These days, we also have to worry about the commercials.  Even when watching what is described as family programming, some of the commercials are appalling. 

27.  My Child Can Count to a Zillion – As the parent of any toddler can tell you, it’s a tough playground out there! And not just for the toddlers. Toddler parents don’t have it so easy either.

28.  Stopping the Jealousy Before it Can Start – When I found out we were having a second child we knew right away that we would have our first son, who was three and a half at the time, involved in every aspect we could.  We wanted him to know what was happening and be ready for the adjustment on his life. After all a new baby is a big change for everyone involved.

29.  On Behalf of Boredom – Once upon a time, not so very long ago, summers lasted forever. Days were long and hot; nights were short and also hot. The first few weeks were filled from dawn till darkness. From our bicycles to our skates to a backyard pool, we filled every waking minute with fun. We romped with the 15 or so kids who lived on our block. Dinner was five minutes after dad and Mr. Sullivan walked down the blocks from the train. When the street lights came on, everyone was in for the night.

30.  Every Parent Needs a Little Time Off – Parenting is a job that does not offer paid personal days.  Heck, you can’t even get an unpaid day off.  Realistically, every parent needs to make time for a little “Me Time.” 

31.  Parents Must Present A United Front – Has your child ever gone behind your back to ask your spouse for something when you already said no?  Most children will try this move at least once.  It is how the other parent responds to such a challenge that is important.  If Mom says no, but Dad says okay, there is more than a power struggle between Mom and the child.  Now, she is also in the middle of a power struggle with Dad.  It also happens the other way around, but either way, the parents are battling each other while also battling to retain authority over their children. 

32.  Selecting A Pediatrician – Parenting isn’t easy.  It throws us many challenges.  One of these challenges includes selecting a pediatrician with which you and your children feel comfortable.  While a pediatrician should obviously be well educated and qualified, their are other things that also deserve consideration.

33.  Photographs and Memories – Any first-time visitor to my home inevitably comments on the many framed pictures on my walls. And, as much as I admire the work of Monet, his are not the pictures gracing my living room. Instead, we have at least twelve framed photographs of our kids in large frames on the walls.

34.  Help Your Children Prepare for Preschool or Daycare – Any small child that is accustomed to staying home with Mom or Dad is going to feel at least a little bit intimidated when it’s time to head off to preschool or daycare.  Some children adjust easily, while for others the experience can be very traumatic.  This trauma can also be felt by parents. 

35.  Protect Your Child from RSV – RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) is the main cause of most respiratory illnesses in children. RSV is highly contagious and can cause infection of the lungs and breathing passages. It can be passed through infected oral and nasal fluids. Hand washing is imperative in the effort to avoid the spread of infection.

36.  Raising Today’s Children – Fifteen years of raising offspring have led me to believe that a certain level of superhuman capability in a parent, especially mom, is required nowadays in order to successfully fulfill the demanding needs of our children.

37.  Raising Mannerly Kids in an Unruly World – Raising kids who exhibit good manners isn’t a matter of luck, and it isn’t easy. It takes work, constant repetition, and lots and lots of reinforcement when they get it right.

38.  Raising the Latchkey Child – The prevalence of single parent families, as well as, families with two working parents, has led to the phenomena of latchkey children.  Latchkey child is the term provided to describe a child who arrives home after school to an empty home.

39.  A Parent’s Guide To Teenage Dating – As the teen years hit a young adult their mind begins to change. Problems arise such as makeup, peer pressure, and above all, dating. While drugs and alcohol really are the key issues, parents should always be aware that of who their kids are dating, how things are going, as well as all the other issues

40.  Decorating Your Child’s Room – Decorating kid’s rooms can be a lot of fun.  Achieving the perfect look and feel to make your child comfortable is best done by including your child in the process.  Ask for your child’s input and let him or her make some of the decisions. 

41.  Sibling Rivalry and Learning to Share – Anyone that has more than one child will no doubt encounter sibling rivalry among their children. Not only do children require the attention of their parents, they desire it as well.

42.  Sibling Rivalry – A certain amount of sibling rivalry is to be expected.  People are unique, and that includes siblings.  Children are not likely to agree on everything all the time and they are bound to compete for parents’ attention.

43.  Ways to Comfort a Sick Child – Every parent hurts when his or her child is sick.  No parent wants to see a child experiencing discomfort.  We want to take away the pain, and do everything possible to make our children comfortable. 

44.  Talking About Sex with Junior! – No doubt about it, kids start learning about sex pretty early and for most it starts even before the age of 3.

45.  Teaching Good Behavior and Consequences – When it comes to children, we all want and expect our children to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner and be “good” kids.  Unfortunately, many parents do not understand that children need to be shown how to behave properly.

46.  Teaching Your Child About Money – Many parents get frustrated when their children keep asking them for things that they can just not afford.  With today’s technology, there are many game systems and gadgets available that are easily compatible with one week’s pay for most households.  So what are the parents of today supposed to do?  The most important thing that a parent can do for their child is to educate their children on money.

47.  The Ups and Downs of the Teen Years – Any parent of teens will tell you that getting along with their children takes a lot of love, patience, and stamina.  Teens can be very demanding, while also being less than accommodating to those around them.  It is a selfish time of life, but that doesn’t necessary make a teen a bad person.

48.  The Benefits of Reading To Your Child – First of all, by reading to your children every night, you are bonding with your children.

49.  The Mother and Teenage Daughter Relationship –

50.  Young Children and Restaurants – People who don’t have kids of their own or who have gone to the trouble and expense of finding a sitter prefer not to deal with other people’s children.