Here is an exercise for you to do as a couple so that you can begin establishing a meeting of the minds on family life issues. Sometime, preferably before you move in together, sit alone or together and try thinking about and completing the following statements and questions. (This exercise is adapted from Ruth-Ann Clurman’s book, Parenting the Other Chick’s Eggs). Write your thoughts down. The most important part of raising a family is…....

Although older kids usually require a more complex reward system, a sticker alone can often provide enough positive reinforcement to motivate preschoolers to change their behavior. If your child grows bored with stickers, however, you can certainly allow your child to exchange stickers for other tangible rewards. When to Use a Sticker Chart Sticker charts should be used when kids need a little extra help addressing a specific behavior. Think of a behavior you want to see more often, then each time your child exhibits that behavior, offer a sticker....

Instead of seeing your child in peaceful repose, their body jerks up and down and a jumble of nonsense words comes out of their mouth. A scene like this may be alarming, but many seemingly weird sleep behaviors, such as jerking movements and sleep-talking, are common. We reached out to two certified pediatric sleep consultants to help you understand which sleep behaviors and harmless and which might be a cause for concern....

While it’s normal for all kids to have moments where their sense of entitlement becomes evident if you are like most parents you don’t want your child’s ungrateful attitude to become permanent. But instilling a grateful heart is about more than teaching your child to say “yes please” and “thank you.” If your child is ungrateful more often than you’d like, the good news is, there are things you can do....

Materials Large whole walnuts in the shell Green felt 4 inches thin gold cord or ribbon Paintbrushes Red and black acrylic paint Glue gun Scissors Magnet (optional) Ruler

What Do Toddlers Do? Rosa lies down on the changing table. Her mom washes her hands and tells Rosa what she’s doing. “I’m washing away all the germs so you will stay healthy. I’m taking off your shorts. They’re red, like your sneakers.” Rosa says, “Red sneakers.” Mom takes a diaper from the shelf. She replaces Rosa’s wet diaper with a dry one. “All done,” says Mom. “Wash hands?” asks Rosa....

It can be hard to talk with your teenager about anything, let alone something as dicey as school violence. In addition to hormonal swings and growth spurts, adolescents are coping with the overwhelming developmental task of establishing an identity that is separate from yours. Disobedience, disdain, disbelief, and just plain “dissing” may all be part of a teenager’s repertoire of responses to your attempts to keep the lines of communication open....

1. Take Over Photo source: Flickr Give your child’s teacher a little break by coming in to read to the class. You may choose to read your favorite book (or your child’s) and do a follow-up activity. Or, make arrangements ahead of time with the teacher to read something connected to the classroom curriculum. Not only will this give your child’s teacher a much needed break, it will also help you appreciate them so much more....

Grown-ups know that the tiny dime is more valuable than the larger nickel and penny, but to children, this may be hard to understand. The very first step in learning about money and finance, therefore, is understanding what money is all about. The two main skills that children need to know when it comes to money—and the earlier, the better—is being able to identify money and being able to tender money and make change....

Cause and effect also comes up time and time again in learning in just about every subject: In math, it’s a way to make sense of concepts like the order of operations or regrouping. In reading and writing, understanding cause and effect can help your child learn to read more critically and to write stories with captivating plots and fascinating characters. In science, it helps your child understand the scientific method....

Math Skills at Work: Grocery Shopping Here are some ways to reinforce fundamental math concepts including operations, estimation, and working with currency. Don’t try all of these activities on one shopping trip — you’ll never get home! But one or two will add a dose of fun and learn to list. Estimation Before shopping, have your child write down an estimate of the cost of each item on the grocery list....

Is this a step to maturity or a slip toward lower grades, inadequate sleep and a constricted social life? How do you talk with your child to help him make the right choice about taking a job? And how do you maintain the communication needed to assure he manages job, school and social time wisely if he goes to work? Nearly every teen can benefit from job experience. But there are risks you must assess....

Before purchasing a kid’s desk, consider the size of the desk—it should fit the space while also being ergonomic for your child. We carefully considered design, material, dimensions, size, ease of assembly, and value when reviewing products. Here are the best desks for your little scholar. The FUNKOCO Home Office Writing Desk earns our top spot because not only is this desk cute, but it’s also equipped with three separate drawers and a detachable hutch (which has two additional drawers) that can either be used on the desk or hung on the wall as a shelf....

Our inside sources and a team of avid shopping editors and writers have helped us gather intel on the very best Cyber Week sales that are still happening. The trick is that you need to act fast, because at these prices, we’re seeing many of these products selling out. The list below was true at the time of publication, but things are changing faster than we can update it, so click through as soon as you can....

Lifestyle changes to help minimize constipation can include eating more high fiber foods, decreasing constipating foods, increasing hydration and physical activity, and optimizing both toilet posture and bathroom schedules. When these changes don’t relieve a child’s symptoms, a healthcare professional may recommend laxative as an effective solution to ease discomfort and promote a bowel movement When selecting a laxative for your child, you want to look at how the laxative works as well as the form of delivery to find one that will be most effective and accepted by your child....

In addition to ensuring your child’s glasses fit properly, you also want to ask your child for their opinion on style. Two experts we spoke to, ophthalmologist Catherine Jordan, MD, and optician Heather Heil, agree: children will be more willing to wear their glasses if they’re involved and get to have a say in which pair you buy for them. We carefully considered styles, frames, lenses, age recommendations, value, design, and fit when reviewing products....

Editor’s Note: We know raising kids can be hard. That’s why we’re dedicated to making your life easier with the latest and greatest parenting advice and products. We wanted to let you know that if you chose to purchase one of the items featured in this post, we may receive a small commission for it. Our Top Picks for This Year Best Baby Gate: Summer Infant Extra Wide and Extra Tall Baby Gate Best Cabinet Locks: Munchkin XtraGuard Dual Action Multi-Use Latches Best Outlet Covers: Safety 1st Plug Protectors Best Corner Guards: Roving Cove Corner Protectors Best Furniture Anchors: QT Baby Anti-Tip Furniture Wall Anchors...

We selected our picks for the best college dorm bedding taking into account college requirements and the many functions the bed will serve—from rest haven to dining table, hangout spot, and study space. We’ve also considered all the items your kid will need in addition to sheets and a comforter, like a mattress cover (required by most colleges), a bed skirt (to hide all the storage under your bed), and easy-to-wash duvet covers....