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By Lindsey Palmer
REDBOOK knows that moms know. So the life-tested parenting advice here comes
straight from the mouths of the experts — you!
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“Enlist everyone you can to help you. Just because you’re a mother, that
doesn’t mean you have to be Wonder Woman. When my daughter was born, I called
my sister crying. Hearing how overwhelmed I was, she came in all the way from
Alaska and helped me set up a schedule, which was such a lifesaver! It takes a
village to raise a child, especially a newborn, and you’re a better mother for
asking for the assistance that you need.”
—Trisha Idoni, 43, mother to Mallory, 8; Pensacola, FL
As soon as my kids get home from school, I set them up for homework time,
with each child at his or her own station in the kitchen so that they don’t mix
up their papers. Then I find something to do in the vicinity so that I’m nearby
for help if they need it, but not hovering over them. It’s a routine we stick
to, so the kids know what’s expected of them every day.”
—Karen Schiff Freeman, 37, mother to Rebecca, 12, Jarrett, 9, and Lexi, 6;
Solon, OH
“When your child has nightmares, here’s how to ward off ‘monsters’: Use a
battery-operated handheld fan to chase them away, and fill a spray bottle with
‘Go-Away Monster Spray.’ Then lie in bed with your child and ask him what he’d
like to dream about, suggesting pleasant things like sharing an ice cream cone
or building a sand castle on the beach. This worked with my son, and now he
sleeps through the night.”
—Lisa Keddy, 43, mother to Nicholas, 6; Ocean, NJ
“I serve my kids whatever I plan to feed them for dinner, including a small
portion of dessert, all together on those plastic sectioned character plates
(Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob are their favorites). Each area has chicken,
rice, salad, and a Popsicle, or something similar. I don’t bug them to eat the
veggies before the treat, so even if they have dessert first, it’s small enough
that they don’t fill up — therefore they always move on to eat a nice amount of
dinner. It works like a charm.”
—Emily Becker, 39, mother to Jonathan, 11, and Madelyn, 4; Belmont,
CA
“When I had a cranky child on my hands, I’d swoop her into my lap and say,
“It’s time to complain, so let’s complain together. Oh, I feel so angry, or
hurt, or sad,’ hugging her the whole time and letting her be cranky. After a
while, she felt soothed and ready to move on. Also, she learned to put words to
her feelings.”
—Nancy Feingold, 57, mother to Seth, 26, Lindsey, 24, and Adam, 22; Newton,
MA
“If the sight of blood terrifies your child, use dark washcloths to clean up
cuts and scrapes. Better yet, try storing the cloths in plastic bags in the
freezer — the coldness will help with pain relief.”
—Betty Miliano, 48, mother to Trevor, 24, and Blake, 17; Belfast, ME
“When my kids were babies and it was time to bathe them, I dropped the
bottles of soap and lotion into the warm bathwater. That way, when I lathered
them up, they felt nice and warm and didn’t get a chill.”
—Diane Kilroy, 46, mother to Matthew, 21, and Eric, 19; Secaucus, NJ
“I was having problems with my oldest son being rebellious, so I started
enforcing family dinner with no TV, no phones, and no guests — just our family.
We talk about school, homework, and other concerns the kids might have, and
sharing these nightly times together has really improved my son’s
behavior.”
—Pamesha Robinson-Joseph, 27, mother to Nasheim, 8, Tyrell, 6, and
Jocaharia, 4; Chicago
“Put the baby bassinet in the living room during the day, especially if you
have other children. Your baby will become accustomed to the noises, and then
she’ll be able to take a nap anywhere! When we adopted Angelia, we were making
over our bedroom, so we had to put her bassinet in the living room. But it
worked out great, because now she can sleep through the other kids playing and
watching TV. A well-napped child is happier and makes for a happier mom
too!”
—Wendy Marner, 42, mother to Wreece, 12, Elijah, 6, Thad, 5, and Angelia, 2;
Cedar Rapids, IA
“My daughter is very social, and she’s at that age when her friends are on a
revolving loop — I never know who’s in and who’s out. When she’s down in the
dumps because a girl at school doesn’t like her, I’ll ask her about another
girl who I’ve noticed she’s treated poorly. I comfort her too, but I want her
to truly be aware of her responsibility: Being a good friend is more valuable
than any amount of popularity.”
—April Wade, 33, mother to Brittany, 9; Ivor, VA
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Originally published on: April 11, 2008
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