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Category Archives: Parents
5 Things to Say to your Daughter the Night before her Wedding
For a father, watching his daughter get married is a bittersweet moment. While you are so proud she has grown up into a beautiful woman and found a man who truly loves her, it is hard to let go of your little girl. She is a woman now and maybe someday soon be raising children of her own. Even though your baby girl is uniting with another man, your role in her life is not forgotten. She will always come to you in times of trouble and share with you her happiest moments. On the day before her wedding, share with her just how very special she is.
Tell your daughter how happy you were the day she was born, how her entering the world changed your life forever. Express your love for her mother and how you hope her marriage brings her as much joy. Explain what it felt like the first time you held her in your arms, the first time you helped her patch up a scraped knee, or the first time you watched her heart get broken. Tell her what a beautiful woman she has Read More
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Daughters
Dads and Daughters
Your role in your daughters life is made very significant because you are the first male that she will relate to and she will constantly be seeking your approval. Whenever possible you should encourage her in two main areas: skills and appearance. Take the time to go and watch her perform in school plays and sporting events and congratulate her on the skills she 
shows. At parent teacher evenings, go along and praise her in front of her teachers – don’t make it up or be over the top, be sincere and real. Tell her she is beautiful too – particularly during adolescence she will question her looks and appearance and, as an influential male, you have the privilege of shaping her view of herself. It is important, too, that it is you that tells her these things – affirmation from Mom is Read More
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6 Top Camping Safety Tips
No doubt about it, camping can be fun. But, if you don’t pay attention to safety, your fun camping outing can turn into the camping trip from Hell. What are some of the most important camping safety tips you should know?
1. Plan Ahead. Do your research. Make sure the campground you’ve chosen is a safe one. Make sure there are no current fire dangers. Check out the weather. Any health alerts in the area, such as dangerous bacteria count in the water, or outbreak of any rodent-carrying viruses?
2. Pack the Emergency Kit. Be prepared for cuts, bee stings and allergic reactions. Bring antihistamines, antiseptic, bug sprays and insect repellents, pain relievers, bandages, sunscreen and if possible, a snake-bite kit.
An emergency kit should also include the following items: Whistle, Read More
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Taking your Teen on Holiday
There comes a time when your teenager will no longer automatically want to go on the family holiday – the reasons and factors will vary but some important points your son/daughter will be weighing up are:
- Where are we going? The location will greatly determine their eagerness to come. There is no set standard – Water world = a definite winner or camping is a definite no no. It greatly depends on your child – but it plays a significant part in their thinking process.
- Who is going? If they can bring a friend it will give bonus points – if that friend is their boyfriend/girlfriend then you could be onto a winner. (I am not saying you should do these things – just that the improve your chance of their willing attendance)
- What will they avoid? Staying at home but with relatives could
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Identical Twins? I don’t think so.
A short time ago I had a conversation with two young men (separately, not together) as they had been referred to me by their school. They were both demotivated, unfocussed, falling behind in their work and were a concern to both the school and their families. They are both the same age, 17, and both disorganised. On the face of it I had two identical problems that could be dealt with in identical ways – but the reality was far from that. Additionally I need to work hard against pre-deciding what they need before they arrive and always need to listen to their story before offering any suggestions.
My normal approach is to base any initial discussion around two simply stated, yet difficult to answer questions. Who are you? How can I serve you? As you would imagine the answers to the first question are never the same although most young people struggle with the second question as they are used to serving adults not the other way round.
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Facebook – friend or foe?
Stranger Danger. Twenty years ago, this phrase was meant to stop kids from talking to adults they didn’t know who approached them on the street, at home, or at school. Now the strangers are coming into our houses, into our children’s room’s even, by the screen of a computer. As the popularity of Facebook and other social networking sites grow, so does the danger around them. It is becoming more difficult to keep our children away from them, so it is up to parents and grandparents to teach children how to be safe while using them.
The internet opens children to a world of information. Unfortunately, the people who give and take information are not always trustworthy. Since children can’t see these people face to face, it’s easier to trust them, and easier for criminals to lie. There are three things that parents should look out for specifically. The first is their children giving out personal information. Read More
Posted in Parents, Teenagers
Tagged communication, Internet, Parents, Time Management
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Just be like everyone else !
Whether or not children should wear school uniforms is a hotly debated issue with arguments for and against. Some of the main ones in the ‘for’ camp are:
- Children perceive them as professional and are therefore more likely to work and not ‘play’ as they have been dressed to work.
- They promote good discipline.
- They reduce violence and bullying by removing the fashionable element to clothing which can often divide young people and create opportunities to be treated differently.
- They provide a lower cost alternative to keeping up to date with the latest fashions and designer labels.
- They promote a sense of identity and school spirit.
Of course there are equal numbers of counter-arguments including the need for individuals to express that individuality.
Many schools that have a uniform can raise funds by allowing a casual dress day from time to time [charging a small sum for the Read More