Parenting as a Christian Single Dad

Even the best behaved toddler has an occasional temper tantrum. A tantrum can range from whining and crying to screaming, kicking, hitting, and breath holding. They're equally common in boys and girls and usually occur from age 1 to age 3. Some children may experience regular tantrums, whereas for other children, tantrums may be rare. Some kids are more prone to throwing a temper tantrum than others. Toddlers are trying to master the world and when they aren't able to accomplish a task, they often use one of the only tools at their disposal for venting frustration - a tantrum. There are several basic causes of tantrums that are familiar to parents everywhere: The child is seeking attention or is tired, hungry, or uncomfortable. In addition, tantrums are often the result of children's frustration with the world. Frustration is an unavoidable part of kids' lives as they learn how people, objects, and their own bodies work. Tantrums are common during the second year o...

A couple nights ago Madalyn and I were sitting around playing Connect 4 . As I was out smarting her at every turn she calmly said, "Daddy, I don't have any friends at school and no one wants to play with me."  This coming from a Kindergartner!  She didn't look at me, her tone was soft, and I sensed the sadness.  My heart was breaking inside me and I did not know what to do or say.  How could this be?  What have I done wrong?  Haven't I shown her how to make friends?  The questions kept on popping into my head and I did not have the answers to any of them.  As we talked she started to change her story a bit and eventually had 2 - 3 friends... okay now I am feeling a little better.  I had to remember that she was at a completely new school and it would take time for her to get to the point she was at the previous daycare.  I still worry a bit but I think we are going to be okay.  I know she is going to have a lot of great friends, I...

As a parent, it's important for you to be involved in your child's education, and one way to do that is to help your child with homework. This may seem easier said than done...especially when your child would rather watch TV than do homework or if your child's math homework is too difficult for you to understand. However, helping your child with homework can teach him the most critical lesson of all—that learning is valuable and interesting and can be fun. What's the best way to help your child with her homework? You can encourage good study habits and model a positive attitude toward learning and problem solving for your child, even if you're not a whiz at history or science. Set a schedule. Help your child choose a regular time for doing homework every night. When choosing a time, think about your child's after-school activities, your family's dinnertime, the time of day that your child is most alert and ready to work, etc.1 Also, make sure your chil...