Summer is a great time to bond with your kids. The lack of schedules and structure creates a more relaxed atmosphere and everyone tends to be in better moods. If you are planning to travel with your kids, then it is important to heed some useful tips that will make your trip fun and memorable. 

 1)   Avoid trips without breaks.  Although you as an adult might be able to sit for 5 hours reading your favorite book, remember that kids don’t have that kind of attention span.  A long continuous trip will be boring for kids and they will in turn become restless and cranky. Try to avoid one long exhausting trip by breaking the time up into small sections.  Do your best to spend no more than 5 – 6 hours on the road per day.  Take rest stops to go to the bathroom, walk around and to clean and reorganize the car.  Throw away food wrappers and drink bottles so the back of the car doesn’t turn into a complete mess.  Rotate toys they can reach from their carseats.

 2)   Avoid boredom by preparing several games to pass the time. You can ask your kids to look for road signs, play the license plate game or who can remember the most names of places you pass by. Additionally, you can also prepare a sing-along CD with your kid's favorite songs or remakes of popular songs performed by children. Pack some new, fun activity books or sticker books appropriate for your kid's age. Have crayons and paper ready for coloring.  If you have a movie player, purchase a few new movies to keep their interest. Make sure that DS’s and other gadgets are well charged.  This will help keep them busy and forget the long trip.

 3)   Choose a destination that offers fun for both kids and adults.  Going to the beach or amusement parks will certainly make your children happy. If you are going on a cruise, make sure you pick one that has a good kids club.  Moreover, choose a kid-friendly accommodation. Your kids will certainly love a hotel which offers amenities like a swimming pool and playroom.

4)   Remember to bring comfortable clothes for your kids to wear. Buttons, zippers, scratchy materials will only add to the whining if anything is feeling uncomfortable.  Never allow the summer heat to ruin your trip!  Bring lightweight cotton clothing.  It is also advisable to pack bright colored t-shirts so that you will be able to spot them immediately amidst the summer crowd.

5)   Don’t forget to bring a first aid kit.  Items like Band-Aids, wipes, diapers, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, benadryl, Tylenol and prescription medications are mandatory to carry whenever you are traveling with kids. Bring a separate copy of important prescriptions with you in your purse in case any of the medication gets lost.

6)   Don’t forget to pack favorite items.  Bringing everyday, comforting items like their favorite sippy cup, binky, blankey, stuffed animal or doll will prove highly beneficial.  Some kids have a hard time adjusting to new and different places, hotels, etc.  Providing these items simple items will help your kids feel more comfortable with their new surroundings.  Also, if you are going to a different country, they may not carry the exact same binky or sippy cup that your child is incredibly attached to.  Bringing a second set of these things can’t hurt

7)  Take an online parenting class prior to your trip.  Quality online courses that are provided by a licensed, practicing therapist will give    the additional tools you need to keep your calm and negotiate tantrums during your time away.  Even the most seasoned traveler can use some additional parenting tips and techniques when hitting the road.

As a parent, particularly a new parent, you probably find yourself completely stumped when it comes to behavior problems. What on earth do you do in a modern world, to get your kids to behave the way you'd like them to?  You know that everyone around you is super-critical of how you are handling their behavior and are afraid to come across as too much of a pushover, or too strict. 

The good news is that there are online parenting classes that can help guide you through the most successful and current techniques in child rearing.  Online classes are for parents who are interested in learning more about raising happy, socially healthy children in a relaxed, self-paced atmosphere.  Courses are taken on your computer at any time of the day or night. For the best results, check that you choose a quality course led by a licensed and currently practicing therapist.  

The following are some quick tips to get you thinking:

1) Lead by Example

The best way to teach kids to behave the way you'd like them to is to behave the way you would like them to. The old saying 'do what I say, not what I do' does not apply to kids. If you're behaving badly, they will too.  Try to remember that your kids will always emulate you - so if you use foul language, yell or behave badly, you'll be teaching them that behavior is acceptable.

2) Reward Good Behavior

There's a fine line between bribing or spoiling kids, and rewarding positive behavior, but it's worth finding the balance. If you make sure that your kids know they'll be praised for good behavior, they're more likely to continue with the behavior you want.  Try to keep the rewards you give your child for good behavior to non-material types - a hug, a trip to a playground or for ice cream is fine. You're not buying good behavior - you're reinforcing it. 

3) Ignore Bad Behavior

Often, bad behavior from kids is all about attention seeking - and even if they get negative feedback, it's feedback. By ignoring bad behavior, your child is not getting their payoff for their bad behavior, and if it's not having the desired result, there's no reason to continue.  Remember that even negative attention is attention, and if your child is getting the attention they want from bad behavior, there's no reason for them to behave well. 

4) Time Outs 

Time outs are a popular behavior correction method because they work. Just a few minutes on the 'naughty chair', or in a quiet corner of your home can be enough to get your child thinking straight again.  Often, children become overly emotional when they're acting out, and the few minutes of quiet time helps them to organize their thoughts and get those emotions back under control.

5) Structure, Structure, Structure 

Children do best when their lives are based on some sort of structure. Waking up at the same time every day, eating meals at regular hours, going to school or daycare at the same time every day and having other predictable routines are important.  If your kids aren't already in a routine, then it's time to start implementing one.

Most importantly, remain calm, even when your child is not, and try to remember that every parent has asked the same questions you are asking.  Online courses can also get you in touch with a support network of other parents across the country that are dealing with the exact same situations you are.  You do not have to feel alone on this journey.

In the past, most mothers stayed at home while they were raising their children. As a result, their main focus was geared toward getting the children to school and taking care of their needs when they returned. When the children experienced problems in school or in their home, most mothers could respond appropriately because they had the time to address most problems that occurred.

Today, many mothers work outside the home which means they have additional responsibilities added to their day. These responsibilities placed on top of regular motherly duties can be very stressful for most. In these situations, the mother may be emotionally stretched to the limit.  She will be most successful at parenting if she has a high (EQ) or Emotional Intelligence level.

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence can be described as the ability to use, identify, understand and manage the person's own emotions. The management of these emotions, however, must be done in a positive and constructive way. When the person's emotional intelligence is high, they can handle many challenges throughout their day. They are able to diffuse conflicts effectively, empathize with other people and keep the lines of communication open.

How does emotional awareness affect parenting skills?

Emotional intelligence affects your parenting skills in many ways.  If you have a strong emotional intelligence than you are able to manage your stress levels and emotions in a healthy manner.  This translates into a home life for your children that is more stable and free from emotional, anxiety-ridden and angry behavior.

Emotionally Intelligent parenting involves being able to validate, empathize, sooth, listen and teach children by modeling appropriate behavior.  An emotionally intelligent parent is able to ensure everyone in the home gets what they need emotionally as well as managing their own world.  They model the behavior they are seeking in their children.

An example of using these skills is when talking to your children about something, acknowledge their feelings.  “I can see that you are frustrated about trying to zip up your jacket.  I can remember how hard it was for me to learn when I was little.  It’s tricky, but if you make sure the bottom of your jacket is aligned, it will be a lot easier for you to pull the zipper up!”  Talk with your children in a positive manner, and this will teach them confidence and the ability to identify with feelings.  Don’t yell at your children as this will teach them that yelling is the only way to get a point across.

Children who are raised in a household with emotionally intelligent parents are taught the ability to persist in difficult situations, to empathize with other’s feelings, to get along with others, and how to identify and deal with their own feelings in a positive manner.  These children generally go on to be successful, social human beings.  To learn more about techniques and skills to raise your children, try taking an online parenting class at www.onlineparentclass.com.  They are low-cost, convenient and full of the most current information on the best ways to raise your children today. 

Parenting is one of those careers that one cannot claim to have trained for. As a parent, you often learn from how your parents raised you, how other’s around you are bringing up their kids, by articles or just trial and error.  As your kids go through the different phases of growth, the work of parenthood becomes more challenging. Life decisions become more difficult than choosing which Disney Channel to allow your child to watch.  Choices in friends, schools, drugs and alcohol, etc. come into play and as your child enters their teen years, they begin to want the power to make their own decisions.  There is no doubt about it that one of the hardest stages to deal with when raising your children is when they reach the teen years. It becomes harder to convince them to do things which they may not want to do, to keep them on the better maybe more difficult path, and at the same time keep them happy. Most parents at this point will ask, how do I raise a happy teenager?

There are several things that will help parents seeking to keep their teenage kids happy. For starters, communication is very important if the parents and their teenage kids are to get along well. One of the reasons why teens tend to rebel against their parents is because of the fact that some of them feel misunderstood. Sometimes there is a large generation gap between the parents and their teen kids especially in the case where the parents waited later in life to have children.  Some teenagers are going through a stage of curiosity while at the same time trying to fit in among their peers. They may be tempted to do some things that parents may not approve of and this creates a rift between the two. It is important for the parents to set up a dialogue during such times so that everyone is able to comfortably air out their feelings.

Another way of raising a happier teen is making sure that they feel like they are treated like adults. One of the major reasons why some teens become rebellious is because of the fact that they feel like they are being treated like kids and that nobody listens to their side of the story. It is important to treat them like responsible adults if you want them to behave that way. Show them you trust them to be responsible by giving them more responsibility and freedom. Most teens will try to step up to the plate to prove their abilities.  In the end, you will have a happier teen who also feels like they are treated like an adult.

A final consideration is to how you approach these young adults with advice and direction.  It is important as a parent to help your teen navigate through the complexities of life, but if you are too strict or demanding, you will often cause rebellion.  Giving advice in a subtle way without being too controlling, will lead your child in the right direction while giving them the feeling that they are in power of their own life.

Taking online parenting classes to help you prepare for this stage in your child’s development is extremely beneficial.  You will learn about what behaviors are normal, what to expect and how to best handle situations that may arise.  Current parenting skills from the top experts will be taught and parents who take the classes always feel more prepared to handle the teenage years.

One of the most important jobs in the world does not require any type of training or previous experience. Although it is important and complex, people are doing it everyday without the proper training. In many cases, the complexities of this job cannot be predicted so it is difficult to prepare for. However, one way to be successful in this position is to seek assistance. We are talking about the job description for parenting, an age-old position which in modern times can benefit from taking online parenting classes.

While some parents believe they can do this job successfully without any added assistance or guidance, others are happy to seek help because they usually have more parenting issues on their hands than they can handle. In some situations, many parents ask the questions, I have 3 kids, why should I take a parenting class online? Why should I take a parenting class now?  The answer is that no matter what stage of life you are in, a parent can always benefit from learning how to provide a structured and positive environment, how to build effective communication skills, how to build child independence and self-reliance and how to build self-esteem.  Hearing other parent’s stories and experiences will help the parent gain the realization that they are not alone in dealing with many child-related situations.

Types of Parenting Classes

There are different types of parenting classes available online. These online classes provide instruction on ways to redirect the child's behavior. Other online courses concentrate on ways to build essential development skills. To get the best results from a child, positive reinforcement for children is promoted instead of using only punishment techniques to train a child. They help the parent to set boundaries that children can recognize and abide by. Classes can be taken in various length segments from 4 hours to 16 hours, to accommodate the individuals needs.

Purpose of Parenting Classes

According to Parenting and Divorce Education, approximately 19.5 million children live with only one parent, this is one of the main reasons why parenting classes were designed. These classes can help single parents to choose between traditional and alternative methodologies when raising children. It is important for divorced parents to know how to deal with various kinds of social issues when their children are growing up in split homes.

By enrolling in an online parenting class, the parent is making a conscious decision to invest time into their child's future. When a parent improves their skills, the child can easily benefit from the things that the parent learns. Online classes are also easier to take and complete because they can be done at home and at the parents own pace. Specifically, students do not have to go to a physical classroom setting to get the help that they need. This is important to most parents with today’s busy schedules.  Classes can be completed during the children’s naptime or after they have gone to sleep at night.  Also, for one cost, both parents can sit together to learn the course contents.  They are usually court approved if needed to fulfill legal mandates.  Most importantly, the courses are full of the most current skills and techniques to help raise successful children and maintain a balanced home environment.