http://www.sheknows.com/authors/jen-klein/articles Wed, 23 Mar 2011 05:21:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/825711/the-importance-of-bedtime-routines When you first bring your infant home from the hospital, there may seem to be no rhyme or reason to how you get him to fall asleep. I may be different every time: rocking, strolling, whatever it takes for your baby to get rest and restoration, you do it. But eventually a pattern develops and you can repeat activities or events or actions to help ease your child to sleep. Congratulations! You have just established your child’s first bedtime routine! Now…keep it up for the next 18 years. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/825711/the-importance-of-bedtime-routines Jen Klein Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:15:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/825709/sleep-and-your-older-child The change may be gradual or it may seem sudden. You adolescent starts having trouble falling sleep at night and has increasing difficulty getting up in the morning. He sleeps later and later on weekends, prompting a few charges of “lazy” by you -- and doesn’t seem particularly rested or restored. Is it hormones? Something else? What’s going on? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/825709/sleep-and-your-older-child Jen Klein Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:10:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/825707/monday-mom-challenge-get-your-rest As a parent of young children, sleep may be elusive for you. In your child’s early days and weeks, you likely are so tired that you feel like you could fall over and sleep immediately. As your child grows, the sleep deprivation eases and you make sleep and sleep routines a priority for your child. But do you make it a priority for yourself? Are you giving your own body the rest and restoration it needs to function most effectively? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/825707/monday-mom-challenge-get-your-rest Jen Klein Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:15:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824409/hair-battles-with-your-teen Your son’s soft curls, your towhead daughter’s pigtails….these may be some of the memories you have of your child’s early years. Hold on to those gentle, sweet memories of your child’s hair, because in the minefield of adolescence, hair can be a battleground. But does it have to be? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824409/hair-battles-with-your-teen Jen Klein Wed, 16 Mar 2011 06:12:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824407/acne-and-teen-self-esteem The hormonal roller coaster of adolescence is often very apparent in facial skin. That previously fine, smooth baby skin is no longer, and now there are bumps and inflammation and all sorts of problems. You child is likely somewhat sensitive about the issue: You can’t interfere too much but, you’d be remiss if you didn’t do something. Addressing skin issues in adolescence isn’t about vanity -- it’s about basic self-esteem. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824407/acne-and-teen-self-esteem Jen Klein Tue, 15 Mar 2011 06:07:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824405/glasses-or-contacts-for-your-teen Whether your child has been wearing glasses since Kindergarten or they’ve just been prescribed recently, you’ll likely come to a time when your child approaches you and asks, “Can I get contacts?” Whether you’ve thought about the glasses versus contacts issue for your child, now is the time to sort it out. The answers may not be so clear-cut. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824405/glasses-or-contacts-for-your-teen Jen Klein Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:03:00 -0700 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824403/monday-mom-challenge-dont-be-vain Many a mom tells her kids that true beauty is on the inside. Adages like “Don’t judge a book by its cover” seek to reinforce that message. Are we unwittingly sabotaging the message? Just about everyone wants to look good, but in the effort to maintain some pride in your appearance are you crossing the line into such a heavy focus on appearance that you are showing your kids that looks are more important than inner qualities? In short, are you vain? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824403/monday-mom-challenge-dont-be-vain Jen Klein Thu, 10 Mar 2011 06:09:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824127/when-to-find-a-tutor-for-your-child Why is it that so many of us are afraid or reluctant to ask for help? Oh we talk a good game about understanding that no one is perfect, but when it comes to actually seeking outside help, especially for our children’s academics, many are resistant. Whether it’s unnecessary embarrassment or a statement about the ultra-competitive nature of education and schools, it doesn’t matter. If you child needs help academically, you need to get him or her help. A good tutor can be a gift! http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824127/when-to-find-a-tutor-for-your-child Jen Klein Wed, 09 Mar 2011 06:53:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824125/coaching-your-child-through-teacher-student-relationships When your child is younger, the idea of facilitating the student-teacher relationship might not have crossed your mind. What’s to worry about when the first grade teacher is so dear and your child is so happy and learning? But as your child gets older, school is about more than academic subjects. It’s socialization, relationships and work ethics -- and sometimes even conflicts with teachers. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/824125/coaching-your-child-through-teacher-student-relationships Jen Klein Tue, 08 Mar 2011 06:54:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823941/setting-the-stage-for-academic-success Your teenager has always done well in school, but suddenly is losing homework assignments and is moody. Your middle schooler can’t seem to get pre-algebra. Your elementary aged child is always leaving homework in weird places and seems to be a scatterbrain. When and how do you begin to address these issues? How do you set expectations for effort and success and the doing of schoolwork so you can figure out what’s a real problem to be addressed with the help of professionals -- and what can be solved with simple solutions? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823941/setting-the-stage-for-academic-success Jen Klein Mon, 07 Mar 2011 06:44:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823937/monday-mom-challenge-help-your-child-academically-without-helicoptering We all want what is best for our children and for them to succeed in life. That includes school. Ostensibly for the benefit of our children, we become very involved in their academic experiences -- far more than previous generations. While in many situations this is a good thing, in some situations it crosses the line and becomes helicopter parenting, which is more a detriment than a benefit. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823937/monday-mom-challenge-help-your-child-academically-without-helicoptering Jen Klein Thu, 03 Mar 2011 06:11:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823873/favoritism-and-sibling-rivalry How many times have you heard it? “It’s not fair!” Or “You let her do it. Why won’t you let me?!” Or the atom bomb of sibling relationship management, “You love him more that you love me!” It is enough make even the calmest, most even tempered, fairest mom run for the bubble bath and a glass of Chardonnay. Favoritism may not actually exist in your household, but the allegation of it can send even the strongest household dynamic spinning. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823873/favoritism-and-sibling-rivalry Jen Klein Wed, 02 Mar 2011 06:07:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823871/fighting-the-favoritism-bug-one-child-at-a-time We all talk a great game when it comes to encouraging our children’s individual selves. Most of us coach a great game, too. We talk about helping our children develop self-esteem and confidence as individuals. Sometimes we can lose sight, however, of all the reasons it’s important to do this. It’s not just for a child’s life -- it’s for a family’s life and the relationships within it. Strong parts make an even greater family whole and an environment where anything is possible for every family member. And it helps manage inter-family issues and conflicts, like rivalries and claims of favoritism. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823871/fighting-the-favoritism-bug-one-child-at-a-time Jen Klein Tue, 01 Mar 2011 06:01:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823869/how-to-deal-with-your-childs-allegation-of-favoritism It’s one of those issues that can deflate a parent faster than a pin in a balloon. Claims of favoritism for one child over another by a parent, a relative, a friend, or even a teacher or other relationship is common -- and it can seem like there is no great way to address it. You want to address the issue without necessarily validating it. How do you address what may not be there without somehow confirming it? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823869/how-to-deal-with-your-childs-allegation-of-favoritism Jen Klein Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:56:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823867/monday-mom-challenge-build-special-relationships-with-each-child It’s impossible to treat our kids exactly the same. You know it is! Yet do you sometimes find yourself trying to do just that? An exact balance of an hour with one, an hour with another -- a craft here, a craft there. Thing is, treating your kids the “same” really doesn’t work. Your kids are individuals and they need to be treated as such. And trying to treat them exactly the same -- or “fair” -- may result in you treating each of them very unfairly. What’s a well-meaning mom supposed to do? http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823867/monday-mom-challenge-build-special-relationships-with-each-child Jen Klein Thu, 24 Feb 2011 06:56:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823603/getting-to-the-bottom-of-your-kids-health-issues Does your child seem to have a chronic or persistent medical issue? How do you know? Are symptoms related? Or not? Are they subtle? Blatant? Somewhere in between? It can be hard enough to sort out chronic issues in our own bodies and lives -- trying to sort them out in our kids can be harder, especially if your child is pre-verbal. Add in the desire and pressure to do right by our kid and...sigh. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823603/getting-to-the-bottom-of-your-kids-health-issues Jen Klein Wed, 23 Feb 2011 06:52:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823601/plan-your-familys-health-year The new calendar year can feel like a fresh start. We make resolutions, start diet or exercise plans and think about ways to improve our lives. One way to make things a little smoother at home is to organize your family’s health care for the coming year. Look at the big picture and determine who is going to need what and when from a health-related perspective. Maybe you'll help the family budget at the same time. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823601/plan-your-familys-health-year Jen Klein Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:48:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823599/organize-and-your-familys-health-information Keeping track of your own health history is challenging enough. Was it 1994 or 1996 that you had shingles? Trying to manage it for a whole family can be downright daunting! Even though computerized records promise to have all the details at our fingertips, you may not always have access to complete records, especially if you switch providers or move. It’s as important to keep track for ourselves of who had what vaccine and when and the name of the doctor who operated on your daughter when she had emergency surgery on vacation. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823599/organize-and-your-familys-health-information Jen Klein Mon, 21 Feb 2011 06:42:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823597/monday-mom-challenge-address-your-health-issues Moms are notorious for putting themselves last. We spend so much energy taking care of kids and spouses and homes and jobs that there seems to be absolutely no time left for ourselves. Yes, this can be framed as a good thing, a selfless thing -- but it can also be a not-so-good thing. We need to take care of ourselves to continue to be there for taking care of the kids and the hubby and all that. We need to pay attention to ourselves and our health so we’ll be there for the long run. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823597/monday-mom-challenge-address-your-health-issues Jen Klein Thu, 10 Feb 2011 06:37:00 -0800 http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823349/taking-valentines-day-down-a-notch As with just about every holiday or occasion, retailers have found a way to turn a day into a money-making focus. With the effort to gain access to your pocketbook, retailers have also managed to up the perceived pressure on the day of love. If you just watch ads, you might think that expensive diamonds are required for every relationship! But they aren’t, nice though they may be. You don’t have to buy into the consumerism of Valentine’s Day to show your love to your family on Valentine’s Day. http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/823349/taking-valentines-day-down-a-notch Jen Klein