~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
PRACTICAL PARENTING ADVICE NEWSLETTER
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
SURVIVING PARENTHOOD
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

<><>---<>SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR TIME4BABY<>---<><>

Time4Baby is dedicated to babies and toddlers. It is your source for toys,
baby gifts, nursery products but also parenting advice. Share your
experience with other mother, download free practical information and shop
online for quality and innovative products. Also enter your baby in our
Cutest Baby competition and your baby could appear on our homepage for a
month. Free UK Mainland Delivery

<https://www.time4baby.com/ >

<><>-----------------------<><>-------------------------<><>

The Practical Parenting Advice Newsletter provides a free public
service for parents and practitioners wanting advice and support on
children's behaviour, development and family relationships. Web site:
<http://www.practicalparent.org.uk>

Tell you friends, family and colleagues about the Newsletter:
<http://www.practicalparent.org.uk/recom.htm>

If you like Practical Parenting Advice please vote for us by clicking
on: <http://www.sitesforparents.com/perl/rankem.pcgi?id=AndyGill>

6,000 Valued Subscribers - to unsubscribe send blank e-mail to:
PracticalParenting-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<><>----------------<>WELCOME!<>----------------<><>

CONTENTS

1. Editorial - Happy New Year!

2. Feature Article - Yelling - Strategies to Take it Down a Notch by
Marilyn Suttle (2005)

3. Article - British Dads Most Playfil in Europe

4. Gary Direnfeld Column - Parenting Tips and Support

5. BBC Parenting - News and Free Help

<><>-----------------------<><>-------------------------<><>


1. EDITORIAL - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hi All

Hope you and your families had a great Christmas, I know I did, it's great
to be able to spend so much free time enjoying the kids and playing fun
games. We all played the DVD version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and
guess what I became a virtual millionaire (if only it was real life!).

Already planning for 2006 and the 8th year of the Newsletter!

Don't forget to keep your contributions coming in for the newsletter by
e-mailing me at:

AndyGill@...

Happy New Year to all of my 6,000 subscribers.

Dr Andy Gill
Editor

<><>---<>SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR<>---<><>

Free Weekly Parenting Tips Contest - Great Prizes!

Enter your favourite parenting tip to win the weekly Parenting Tips Contest
at <www.ParentingTipsOnline.com>. Prizes include “101+ Letters From” and
the “Tooth Fairy Super Package” - both designed to help keep the magic in
your relationship with your child. Register now to win!
<www.ParentingTipsOnline.com>

<><>-----------------------<><>-------------------------<><>


2. FEATURE ARTICLE - YELLING - STRATEGIES TO TAKE IT DOWN A NOTCH

By Marilyn Suttle (2005)


Too often yelling undermines our efforts to get things back on track.

Why do parents yell? It’s partly to get the kids attention. It’s also a way
to express frustration. Does yelling work? Well . . . it’s not the most
useful parenting technique.

Some parents train their kids to pay attention only when voices raise. Dad
says. “Joanne, come here.” Joanne ignores him. Dad raises his voice,
“Joanne, did you hear me? Come over here.” Again Joanne fails to respond.
Dad’s face turns red as he bellows, “Joanne Marie Stevens get over here
NOW!” Joanne has learned to ignore dad until he yells.

Yelling can become such a habit that your family doesn’t even register it as
unusual. If you want to take the volume down a notch, consider applying
these six strategies:

1. Plan ahead for anger. Do you ever get angry with your kids? Of course you
do. So, don’t be shocked when it happens. Be ready. Decide ahead of time
what helpful parenting skills you will apply when the kids have you on edge.
By planning ahead, you can replace ineffective yelling with a positive
action.

2. If you are going to yell, do no damage. You won’t do damage if you
replace hurtful words with words worth hearing. Do not attack your child’s
character. Instead, yell out helpful information. For example, replace “You
left the milk out, you thoughtless brat,” with “Milk spoils when it’s left
out.” Yell what needs to be done, “The dog needs to be fed.” Yell about your
feelings, “I have no patience right now.”

3. Lighten up. Kids aren’t designed to be perfect. Adding a little humour to
a tense situation can lighten up the mood and set kids back on track. I
remember walking into my kids bedroom. They were supposed to be making their
beds, instead they were playing. At that moment I had a choice. I could
become angry or try a different approach. I put my hands on my hips and
said, “Yell. Yell. Yell.” The kids asked, “What are you doing mom?” I said,
“I’m yelling at you to make your beds.” We all laughed. The mood lightened
and they got to work.

4. Yelling has undesirable consequences. When you’re feeling frustrated,
yelling can be a release, easing up pressure for the moment. The problem is:
hostility follows when yelling doesn’t get the results you expect. Kids don’
t respond well to yelling. Some develop feelings of worthlessness. Others
become defiant, wanting to match your model of power through intimidation.
Most kids just tune it out. The only time yelling seems helpful is when it’s
used so rarely it’s impact is a surprise and therefore gets their attention.

5. Look in the mirror when you yell. This is the quickest way I know to nip
yelling in the bud. You might laugh. You might cry. Either way, seeing
yourself the way your kids see you can be a helpful wake-up call.

6. Take a time out. Did you ever have one of those days where everything
seems to go wrong? Accumulated frustrations have a way of spilling out in
the wrong places. When you feel like yelling, take a time out to recharge
your batteries.

Article Source: http://www.articledestination.com


Marilyn Suttle shows you how to create satisfying relationships, increase
self esteem and self care. She shares delightful stories filled with useful
communication skills and principles. Marilyn is a popular keynote presenter
for associations and corporations. Email her at Marilyn@... to
subscribe to her free monthly e-newsletter: Life in Balance.


<><>---<>SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR CJ SPORTS<>---<><>

Discounted sports equipment, play and safe artificial surfaces for your
home, school and club

<http://www.cjsports.co.uk>

<><>-----------------------<><>-------------------------<><>


3. ARTICLE - BRITISH DADS MOST PLAYFUL FATHERS IN EUROPE

British children reap emotional and physical benefits of hands-on dads


New research out today reveals that British dads devote more time to playing
with their children than their European counterparts.

The study, commissioned by Persil as part of its 'Dirt is Good' campaign,
reveals that fun-loving British dads spend the equivalent of a full day at
work (eight hours) playing with their children every week. This is twice as
much as French fathers, who devote only four hours to playtime, and more
than Dutch and Swiss fathers who spend five and six hours respectively.

Jan Van Gils, outgoing President of the International Play Association,
explains:
“Play is one of the best ways for children to learn and develop and Dads
tend to be more active and boisterous in the way they play, so they're great
at indulging kids in exhilarating and mucky outdoor games which are
essential for a child's development. By devoting more time to play, British
dads are helping their children learn how to express their feelings and
develop their personality and skills.”

A Father's touch
According to the research, playing with their offspring is British dad's
favourite past time. In-fact, almost half (46%) of the dads surveyed would
rather play with their kids than do their hobby (19%), watch sport on TV
(18%), go to the pub with their mates (10%) or watch a film at the cinema
(5%).

Furthermore, seven out of ten British dads said they wish they could devote
even more time to playing with their children.

Playtime favourites
Football, unsurprisingly, tops the list of dad's favourite games to play
with their kids with 23% of dads loving nothing more than a kick about.
However, the research also shows British dads have a creative streak and
enjoy getting back to nature by building sandcastles, pond dipping, climbing
trees and bug collecting with their little ones.

When British kids were asked about their favourite game to play with their
dads, 34% named ball games like football, cricket and rugby as their
favourite, followed by bike riding (17%) and painting (13%). They also
claim dad is best at building dens and sandcastles, rock pooling, digging in
the garden and making mud pies.

Leading child psychologist, Emma Citron explains: “Celebrity dads like
Jonathan Ross, Bob Geldof and Jamie Oliver are leading the way when it comes
to giving over time to playing with their kids. They clearly relish their
hands-on role in their children's upbringing and they are inspiring dads
across the country to follow suit.“


In-depth research was carried out with parents in five countries across
Europe between May-July 2005. The findings have been compiled into Persil's
'Dirt Report 2005'.

<><>-----------------------<><>-------------------------<><>


4. GARY DIRENFELD COLUMN - PARENTING TIPS AND SUPPORT

...................................................................

Happy New Year!

If you are contemplating New Years Resolutions, there really is only one
worth remembering. Read:

The Granddaddy of All New Years Resolutions
http://www.yoursocialworker.com/p-articles/New_Years_resolutions.htm

...................................................................

Listen in...

Assessing and Managing School-Aged Child Behaviour Problems
(A small group workshop with Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW)
http://www.yoursocialworker.com/listen_in.htm

....................................................................

A quickie radio interview on managing holiday access - 680 News, Toronto:
http://www.yoursocialworker.com/videos/holiday-access.wma

.....................................................................

A TV interview on the same topic, managing holiday access. CHTV, Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada:
http://www.yoursocialworker.com/videos/holiday_access.wmv

.....................................................................

Interested in a workshop during the coming year... My pleasure to provide.
For example:
http://www.yoursocialworker.com/Public%20Speaking.htm

.....................................................................

<><>-----------------------<><>-------------------------<><>


5. BBC PARENTING - NEWS AND FREE HELP


1. Child of Our Time returns!
Don’t miss the new series of Child of Our Time which returns to BBC One on
Sunday 15th January. Take a look through the first five years' archives to
see what’s happened in the series so far.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/tv_and_radio/child_of_our_time/


2. Video on demand
To coincide with the return of Child of Our Time, the BBC is offering
parents the chance to search selected clips from this series and other hit
shows such as Little Angels and The Human Body. You can search by age, topic
or programme whenever it suits you. The service launches on Jan 11, and you’
ll be able to find it on the parenting homepage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/


3. Dressing your bump
Most women dream of buying a new wardrobe, but what happens when your body
shape changes? Should you invest in proper maternity wear, or can you get by
simply by undoing the odd button here and there? Heather Welford takes a
look at what to wear while you're pregnant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/having_a_baby/pregnancy_clothes.shtml


4. Never too young to learn
Did you know that your baby’s brain grows faster in the first two years than
at any other time? A little bit of encouragement can help make the most of
an amazing time for both you and your baby.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/learning/babies.shtml


5. Stepfamilies
Catch our new series starting on BBC One, on January 4th. Throughout the
series, family counsellor Suzie Hayman will work with five families for six
weeks to bring back harmony to their households. Take a look at the website
to chat to Suzie, read additional advice about stepfamilies and have a go at
our competition for a chance win a copy of the book accompanying the series
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/tv_and_radio/stepfamilies/


6. Sleepy heads
Are your little ones having problems sleeping? Are they keeping you up all
night? Creating a familiar bedtime routine can help your kids settle, while
maintaining a low level of household noise can make them feel at ease,
knowing that you're nearby.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/parenting/your_kids/toddlers_sleeping1.shtm


<><>-----------------------<><>-------------------------<><>
Subscribe to Free Practical Parenting Advice Newsletter:

Send totally blank e-mail to:

PracticalParenting-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
<><>-----------------------<><>-------------------------<><>


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Name: Dr Andy Gill
E-mail: AndyGill@...
Practical Parenting Advice Web Site:
http://www.practicalparent.org.uk
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


----------------------------------------
I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.
It has removed 29847 spam emails to date.
Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
Try www.SPAMfighter.com for free now!