Gareth Williams

Confidence is a word that we hear a lot of these days. Success in work and in our personal lives is said to stem from it. Indeed there are very few situations in life where a lack of confidence is considered to be an advantage. It is through confidence that we manage to assert ourselves in the world. You might find it strange then to know that such a crucial part of our personalities has had very little in research made into it.

In just about any family with more than one child, the issue of sibling rivalry is sure to crop up. I'd be amazed if it didn't. Bickering, jealousy, competition for attention, and so on, are the norm when it comes to raising multiple children in the same household. So, what can parents do about it?

As we get into the warmer months, and schools finish up, it's more likely that you'll pile into the family auto and head off on a vacation or just a weekend road trip. Here are some things you need to know and do to help keep everyone safe.

The first advice for any parent is to be prepared, and that includes knowledge and training (CPR, etc.), as well as having the proper resources on hand. In this case, a well-stocked First-Aid Kit for your home and car. Here are some of the items such a kit might include and do be sure to keep said kit out of the reach of curious young hands!

In the 1940's and 1950's Diana Baumrind, a clinical and behavioural psychologist from New York City, introduced her ideas of different parenting styles. These three main parenting styles are authoritarian (too hard), permissive (too soft), and authoritative (just right) parenting. In this article, we will explore what authoritarian parenting is, and we will also discuss the repercussions and outcomes of this parenting style in terms of child development and self esteem.

Raising children can be the most rewarding and most challenging job set before us in our lives. Everything you do shapes and moulds your child into who they are and who they become. We all want our children to be successful, feel loved and secure in themselves. Using a technique called attachment parenting, many are finding success.

Being left out is a fairly common occurrence, as children begin learning around age six to eight to make and choose their friends. Leaving some children out is often unintentionally hurtful, as children learn to strengthen their bonds with some children by excluding others. If your child has ever experienced being left out, or is the one doing the excluding, don't embarrass her in front of others. Better to wait for a quiet moment when you can calmly discuss either behaviour or circumstance.

Separation anxiety is actually very common in children under the age of three, and it's normal for toddlers and young children to feel anxiety when a parent leaves the room. It's also very common for young children to feel anxiety and cry when being left at day-care or school for the first time. For most children, this eventually passes as the children become engaged in new surroundings and activities.

Preschoolers are a handful and every mother, teacher and grandmother is always looking for good activities for preschoolers toddlers that will keep them occupied and be educational at the same time. This can be a tall order because finding activities for preschoolers that will appeal to the majority of a preschool class can be challenging, what's more, many sites don't seem to understand that activities for preschoolers toddlers need to be age appropriate and hopefully inexpensive.

Mothers of toddlers unite... at nap time! Why? Because nap time is the only time mothers of toddlers have to themselves! It's true these years are considered very trying. But, oh, how rewarding they can be. The key during this stage is finding activities for toddlers that will both entertain them and help their precious development. When mothers swap tips to kill time and entertain, the best ideas are the ones that also advance the child mentally, physically, or both.