From the moment they are born, we want the best for our children. As kids grow, they face many challenges along the way and it’s our job to help them navigate through them. Perhaps if our children came with discovery learning videos or an instruction manual attached, it would make our job a whole lot easier. Since this isn’t the case, it’s helpful to find out what kind of challenges you can expect to face with your child in the future. Here are 11 parenting challenges you may face as your child grows up.
Bedwetting Woes
Bedwetting in children is a common challenge many parents face. There are many reasons that can cause bedwetting. This issue typically resolves itself over time but it can feel frustrating while going through this period. The important thing to remember is to try to be as patient and calm as you can. Try not to scold the child but instead work together to find out the root cause. You may even want to consult your pediatrician for help. Try not to overreact as your child may already feel embarrassed.
There are some simple things you can do as a parent to help reduce the number of bedwetting incidents and help you both get a better night’s sleep. Avoid giving your child anything to drink for at least four hours before going to bed. Have extra sets of sheets and blankets stashed in your child’s closet for quick changes during the night. Use waterproof sheets to make cleanup easier. While your child is potty training, you can put pads in their pull-ups to help them stay drier during the night.
Dental Care Dilemmas
Getting children to take proper care of their teeth can make you want to pull out your own at times. Kids love to go after sweets that can produce cavities that can lead to more serious problems if not dealt with appropriately. Try to find a fun kids dentist in your area that will help make dental care more interesting. Research online reviews and ask family or friends for recommendations. Consider planning a fun activity to participate in after a trip to the dentist’s office to encourage them to go.
Your child should brush their teeth at least twice a day and go for a dental checkup and cleaning at least once per year. Have them pick out their own toothbrush and toothpaste and show them how to floss. Brush your teeth with them and play their favorite music to get them to see it as a pleasant activity. Watch discovery learning videos together to learn about proper dental care. Consider offering rewards for consistent brushing habits and keep tracker by using a calendar or chart with stickers.
Food Fights
Some children can be picky eaters, which can turn the dinner table into a battlefield. Helping your child learn to eat nutritious meals can be a challenge. If a child is balking over eating their vegetables, it’s not helpful to make them sit there until they clean their plate. There are numerous things you can try instead to make sure they get their servings in like making smoothies or choosing sauces that contain extra portions of vegetables mixed in. Let them choose new things at the grocery store that they would like to try.
It’s hard to teach your child healthy eating habits if your refrigerator and pantry are filled with unhealthy items. Have easy to grab items that kids might like such as yogurt, cheese sticks, and pre-cut fruits and vegetables for snacks. Eliminate sodas and juices as much as possible and drink water instead. Get your kids involved in cooking meals together as a family and have some fun with it. Check out discovery learning videos online to help you find some interesting recipes.
Discipline Issues
Disciplining children is becoming harder and harder for many parents. When your children are toddlers, they love to get into everything and tantrums are the norm. Your goal is to remain patient and be consistent when enforcing the rules. This definitely isn’t easy when it’s a constant battle day after day. Timeouts can be helpful for both the kids and the parents. You need to find a break for yourself if you start to feel out of control when your child starts acting up.
When your child starts to misbehave, you may find using distraction to be a beneficial technique. Redirect the child away from what they’re doing to something that’s more constructive. This can help a child learn to choose activities that are good for them, rather than ones that will get them into trouble. Check out various discovery learning videos online to learn more strategies.
Finding School and Home Balance
Children spend a full workday at public school or Catholic school and then are expected to complete a certain amount of homework every night, which can range anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours. While this homework can help develop good study habits and time management skills, some children may struggle to handle a large workload from a variety of classes. We can find ourselves stepping in to supervise which can cause stressful battles. You should speak with the teacher if you are concerned that the homework may be excessive. There may also be signs of a learning disability if you’re child is struggling on a consistent basis.
You may even find yourself disagreeing with your child in how they are getting their work done. You may not like that they are watching TV, listening to music, watching discovery learning videos, or chatting with friends online during homework time. Technology has become such a critical aspect of our lives that 73% of U.S. college students state they can’t study without having the use of technology, according to an Edudemic report. If the child is doing decently in school, there may be little need in worrying about how the work gets done.
Handling Stress
Many children are more stressed-out than ever before. Learning how to cope with stress and deal with anger management issues is extremely important. There are many discovery learning videos online that can provide children with helpful information on how to deal with anger, anxiety, and frustration. Participating in activities like meditation or yoga classes can help children reduce stress. Spend time together as a family doing fun and relaxing activities like taking a walk, going to the beach, or spending the day at a children museum.
Consider your child’s daily schedule. Is it over-packed with too many activities and responsibilities? Juggling too many activities can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and anger management issues. Help your child determine what things are most important and cut back on the rest. Help your child figure out how to set aside time to relax and get away from many of the pressures they face on a daily basis.
Dealing With Bullies
Bullying has been a problem for a long time that parents have had to face with their children. The problems seem to have been made even worse by the rise of technology which has made cyberbullying an issue for kids today. It’s helpful for children to distinguish the difference between bullying and everyday conflict. Most squabbles between children typically fall under conflict where they just simply aren’t getting along. However, there are situations to watch for where a child is being mistreated and unable to defend themselves, and knowing how to handle these situations is extremely important.
There are two main ways that your child can manage dealing with a bully. They can learn how to confront the bully in an assertive yet non-aggressive manner. They can also alert an adult they can trust to help them navigate the situation. Show them how they can address a bully and step in if absolutely necessary. There are many discovery learning videos available that can help with strategies in dealing with bullying.
Gender Identity
Children often don’t think about gender identity in the same way as adults do. They often haven’t developed rigid concepts on what it means to be a girl or a boy and dabble with traits that adults label as either masculine or feminine. For example, girls may enjoy climbing trees or roughhousing which can label her as a tomboy. Some boys may love playing with dolls, which is typically labeled as something only girls do. It’s important as a parent to help your child feel comfortable about who they are.
If you have a child who appears to identify as non-binary or gender fluid, you can help them get the professional support they need to come to terms with who they are. Children are bombarded constantly by expectations in society regarding who they should be. They need a safe space to explore who they are and learn how to become comfortable with expressing themselves in their daily life. If you need help with non-binary and gender-fluid issues, you can check out discovery learning videos or seek out professional help.
Sexuality
Having “the talk” is something that many parents may dread, but it is absolutely necessary. Teenage hormones can run rampant, and it’s your job to help your children manage them responsibly. It’s important to teach them how to protect themselves using birth control methods to prevent them from unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. This is also a time where they may be exploring their sexual orientation as well. You will need to address these issues in an age-appropriate way, starting when they are young.
For younger children, you can help them learn the names of their body parts and discuss what is good touching and bad touching from other people. You can gradually introduce contraception and other more sensitive topics as they get closer to puberty. Sex education classes at school are not enough to give your child information about healthy sexual relationships. They need information from you as well to help them make the proper decisions. Find some discovery learning videos for kids online that can help them learn about these things as well.
Getting Behind The Wheel
Learning to drive is a huge milestone for your child. You can enroll your child in driving school to help them learn the skills they need to get their learner’s permit. Be patient with your child while they are learning these skills and model good driving behavior yourself. You will have to discuss how to handle emergency weather situations and what to do if they get into an accident. Getting insurance can be expensive for young drivers so you will also need to help them develop a plan on being financially responsible for owning and maintaining a vehicle.
Digital Screen Time
Many parents in today’s world grew up without access to computers and cellphones. As a result, they struggle with what is acceptable regarding how to handle their children’s use of this technology. How much screen time is too much? How do you teach kids how to balance their online life with the real world? Asking your teenager to put down their smartphone during dinner time can be a constant battle.
It’s important to teach your child as early as you can about how to use technology in a safe and responsible way. Have age-appropriate policies in place and show them how to protect themselves on social media, such as never revealing their personal information. Have discussions about what is proper behavior online and insist on monitoring their activities when they first start interacting on social media. Apply the rules you expect for your child to yourself and be a digital role model.
You and your child will face numerous challenges and the strategies you use to deal with them will change drastically over the years. While you can seek out advice from experts and watch discovery learning videos, how you choose to raise your child is ultimately up to you. Do your best, trust your gut, and be consistently firm and loving along the way. The most important thing is to enjoy each other’s company and build a strong bond with one another that will last long after you’re gone.