Category: parenting

Tantrums: How to Prevent Them & How to Handle Them

Posted on | by KD Novelties
How to Prevent and Handle Tantrums

Perhaps one of the most difficult things to handle as a parent is a child’s emotional and behavioral outbursts. They can be incredibly embarrassing when out in public and they can be downright frustrating even when they occur away from prying eyes. It is hard to discern what exactly causes tantrums as they can often be a result of a mixture of things. Since small children are limited in many ways, such as language and communication, they may not be able to properly voice how they feel and why they feel that way, or be able to tell you what they need or what they need to say. This can be incredibly challenging for children to handle, especially when there are other factors that may be at work as well. Each child is different, so there really is no “one size fits all” tantrum solution, but if you do what you can to meet your child’s needs, even if they are not or cannot fully express these needs, you may be able to lessen the likelihood of a tantrum occurring.

Cover the Basics
Do you ever find that you are particularly grumpy when you are hungry/thirsty/sleepy/uncomfortable? The same goes for children. Small children may not yet be able to identify these urges and feelings at their age and may not readily communicate when they need a snack, let alone a nap. Making sure that you have backup snacks and water can help the chances of a tantrum, especially since hunger can be a trigger for a tantrum in the first place.

Give them a Heads Up
When it’s time for playtime to end or if it’s approaching bed time, give your kids a 5 minute warning of the change so that it will not come as a surprise. Kids don’t like to see good things come to an end, especially if that good thing happens to be fun. Telling your child that play time is over, or it is time for bed may trigger an outburst if it is too sudden.  If its bedtime, then their tiredness may make them more agitated and more likely to act out. If you give them time to think about switching gears and wind down, this is less likely to happen.

Stick to a Routine
Change can be difficult for small children to adjust to, so sticking to a family routine can help kids transition from one activity to another. If they are used to a certain way of doing things, announcing bed time or bath time may not be as big of a hassle. It does help to have some flexibility, too, however, since some kids may also react negatively if there happens to be a significant schedule change.

Use Feeling Words to Help Them Out
When a child begins to express discontent, help them find the words that they need in order to express their feelings. Some kids begin to throw tantrums because they cannot properly communicate how they feel or why they feel that way. Sitting down quietly and listening to your child can help far more than simply telling them to stop behaving badly or to be still or quiet. It can also help kids find the right words to express their thoughts and feelings in the future so they feel less confused and frustrated.

Pay Attention to the Attention You Give Them
Some children act out in order to get their parent’s attention. Sometimes this is due to a problem that they may be having in other parts of their lives such as school or with friends, but sometimes tantrums come out of the simple desire to get their parents’ attention – and it may not always be in the most productive way, either. Since kids are still learning how to interact with others and how to use words and language to express their inner feelings and emotions, causing a fuss may seem like the most logical solution to them at the time. But if you pay attention to how much time you are spending with your kids, then you may find that an adjustment may need to be made. Quality family time can also help teach kids how to form meaningful and friendly bonds with others.

Limit Their Choices
When it comes to what they want for lunch or what they want to wear, giving a child too many choices may actually only end up hurting rather than helping. Since kids are still learning how to rationalize, having too many options can easily overwhelm them. Give your kids a choice of two or three things so that they are still able to make choices but in a way that might be easier for them to handle.

Redirect Their Attention
Sometimes, parents can see a tantrum coming on and in some situations the best thing may be to distract your child and help them switch gears. If you see that they are becoming overstimulated, then diverting their attention to something else can help calm them down and give them something different to occupy their time with.

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Kids Issues Are Family Issues: How Parents Can Tackle Kids’ Problems as a Family

Posted on | by KD Novelties

All families are different. Parenting tactics have changed over the years to meet changing ideals and what may work for one family may not work for another. It is important to keep these differences in mind and it is imperative as a parent to figure out how your children (and how every member of your family, for that matter) work on an individual level in order to deal with issues.

There are several trends in children’s issues these days. Some may not sound new, but the way in which these issues are dealt with may require individual care and attention. Many parents dealt with the issues and problems that their children had when they were growing up, but it helps to remember that there is no one way to parent. Each child is different and will respond differently to situations. Remembering to listen to your children and to work with them to solve some of these issues can help make your own job easier and much more rewarding. Parenting may feel like a job that you alone are burdened with, but your children can actually help you figure out how best to parent them if you know how to listen and how to navigate certain situations.

What is Bullying?

ISSUE #1: One of the biggest issues that kids face these days is bullying. It’s one of those things that everyone has dealt with at some point or another. The difference with bullying now versus the bullying in the past is that parents now have to deal with cyber bullying. The truth is, however, that cyber bullying is not limited to children alone. You may be familiar with just how vitriolic comments and conversations can be online. Adults may be able to better ignore or avoid such confrontations, but since online media is so present in children’s lives they may not yet understand how they can navigate these sorts of situations. Cyber bullying is harder to identify, sometimes, especially since online conversations and comments can be hidden or deleted. What makes cyber bullying so dangerous is the fact that rumors can be spread faster than ever and certain things can be immortalized on the Internet. What is perhaps the scariest part of this trend is the fact that online anonymity and distance makes it easier for kids to become bullies. The distance associated with this kind of communication can be used for ill, and it may seem easier and less consequential for kids to say mean things or spread false rumors when they can use the internet as a shield.

Teaching kids how to properly use the internet, how they should conduct themselves while using it, and advising them about the dangers involved is important. Many parents today introduce their children to the web at an early age, especially now that there are so many apps and games for small children. As a parent, you may not even realize when your child transitions from using the family computer or iPad for educational letter games to talking with friends and others online, so it is important that you watch what they do and remember to teach them how to be responsible no matter what they are doing online.

ISSUE #2: Another major issue facing kids today is depression. The statistics can scare anyone, showing that kids as young as those in preschool are being diagnosed with clinical depression. As a parent, you may initially want to dismiss certain behaviors and you may even mistake behaviors associated with the condition as being lazy or over dramatic – but this can be dangerous. Pay special attention to your child’s behavior and be sure to ask them questions. Knowing how to read their behavior can help you identify when they may be feeling sad due to a particular event that may resolve naturally or whether there is something more serious at hand, like clinical depression. Remember, it helps not to dismiss everything your child says, listening to their problems is extremely crucial.

ISSUE #3: Obesity is another major issue facing the children of this country at large. Many parents may live a busy and hectic lifestyle, meaning that fast food and other options filled with preservatives feel like your only options when it comes to feeding your family. Studies have shown that scheduling family meals ahead of time, making some snack alternatives, and even swapping out soda for water, can make a huge difference in the overall health of your children as well as your entire family. The way that children eat while growing up will influence how they make food choices when they are older. Even making some small changes to the foods that your family eats and what you do for meals as a family will have a huge impact on your child’s health. However, obesity is not just a side effect of a poor diet. Children need to stay active, and as educational as apps and games can be, it is important that kids do not spend all of their time in front of a screen as it can really deter them from moving around and getting exercise.

ISSUE #4: Self-image is an interesting problem these days, since it goes both ways. Self-esteem is always a matter of concern for kids and parents alike, but recent studies have shown that some parents may overdo it. Parents know what it is like to get bullied and to feel as if they are not special or important – but telling your child that they are perfect and infallible can be detrimental. It is vital that you give your child a healthyself-image that allows them to navigate the world with confidence but not arrogance.

Build Self-Esteem

There are plenty of other issues that face children today, but what is important to keep in mind, is that each child is different and that every family is different. As a parent, it is imperative that you get to know your children as individuals and that you learn how to read their behavior to know when something is wrong and understand their personalities when trying to resolve problems.

When it comes to families, it helps to realize that your family is unique as well and that what may work for one family will not work for all. You can look to others for advice and ideas, but don’t judge yourself or others based on what works. It also helps to treat your children as individuals who have a say in the family, and not just kids. Treating them as individuals versus children that need to listen and behave can make a huge difference. While it is important to enforce rules and to teach kids how they should conduct themselves, treating each child as an individual will help them develop a healthy form of self-confidence and assurance that can further aid them when dealing with the major issues that face kids today.

P.S. For more parenting tips check back often here or subscribe to our KD Novelties Blog. For self-esteem books for kids check out our website at http://www.KDNovelties where our goal is to make children the stars of their very own stories.

Teaching Kids Manners

Posted on | by KD Novelties
There are many things that a child will only really learn from their parents or guardians. While it helps to get kids started on math, reading and other basic academic schools at home, teaching kids these subjects from the ground up is not always the sole task of the parent. With school, kids can benefit from a head start, but will learn most of what they need to know from their teachers and aides. But there are some basic life skills that parents and guardians do need to teach their children, because no one else, especially not strangers, will step up to the plate. One of these things happens to be good manners.
Parents play an integral role in implementing a child’s many habits, from healthy eating to teeth brushing, but manners should also be considered important. As a parent or a guardian, it is your job to teach kids how to be people, how to be adults, how to interact with others, and how to be a valuable member of society. In order for that to happen, kids need to learn how to behave and how to act in a way that is conducive to building strong relationships with others and the world around them.
When it comes to teaching kids anything, it helps not to enforce it too much. As important as some things are, asserting too much aggression when trying to teach them something new can be damaging, especially when it is a habit that you would like for them to adopt and adapt to. Some children might be resistant to such tactics, but there are other ways to instill good core values in your children that will carry over into how they carry themselves.
Teaching Kids Manners


Lead by example. Many experts agree that leading by example is one of the better ways to teach a child a new skill, a new habit, or to even instill their interest in something. Similar studies show that children are more likely to pick up a book or develop an interest in reading if they see that their parents read often when they are around. Kids like to be just like their parents, so setting a good example is a great way to start.

Be positive! Even when you are simply having a conversation, whether around your child or whether you are speaking to them directly, try to be positive. This applies to both tone of voice and vocabulary. Sharing things that are inherently positive is good too! Negativity or gossiping can affect children and the way they behave. If they see you swapping stories over coffee with another parent about other parents or their children, or even anything else in general, they may adopt that same behavior, tone of voice and generalized topic discussion with their friends or when speaking with others. If kids are used to talking positively at home, they will most likely carry these traits over to when they are at school or socializing with friends.

Use positive reinforcement. Taking note of when your child uses good manners on their own can help, too. Note when they say “please” and “thank you” and compliment them genuinely when you see them do something nice of their own volition. It’s one thing to “make” your children be polite, but if you see them act accordingly on their own, they are more likely to continue doing so.

Being polite and minding manners is more than just a social show-off. It can actually help kids’ academic success and will help strengthen their social skills. Minding manners is a big part of being a student in a classroom, and if kids know how they should be acting and do so, they will sit quietly throughout their lessons and pay attention. It is not the teacher’s job, necessarily, to tell kids how to behave but it is part of their job to enforce good behavior. Acting politely also helps kids thrive in social situations as well. As early as their days at playing in the park, a polite child will find more playmates willing to interact with them and may be better equipped to handle rude or difficult children, too.
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