The day your child was born is likely to top your list of the most memorable days you’ve ever had or ever will have. The connection you feel with your child is a connection that is stronger than any other. Use the following tips to maintain the strength of that connection, so that you have a good relationship with him or her well into his or her adult years.

Remember that your child looks to you for guidance. You want your kids to feel like they have complete faith in your honesty.

If you are away from home with a young child, try to retain their eating and sleeping routines if you can. Small children and babies can get stressed out on the road. The bedtime rituals especially will help your child feel more comfortable in the new space and allow him/her (and you) to get enough sleep!

While you need to take time with your children, you need to have time for yourself, as well. This restores your own well-being, which means you will have more to give as a parent.

Take a break once in a while. A trusted family member or friend could watch your kids so that you could get a break for a couple of hours. All parents need a chance to relax and recharge child-free. Your household will be calmer and you’ll be a better parent if you take a break.

Be sure that you put reflectors on your child’s backpack and coat if they walk around during early morning or evening hours, no matter how old they are. You can also purchase reflective fabric strips that you can attach with Velcro to other garments. This is so your child is more noticeable to crossing guards and drivers, especially earlier on in the morning.

You should never smoke indoors when you have children. Actually, maybe you could quit completely! Secondhand smoke is equally as harmful as actually smoking. Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke on a regular basis are at greater risk for developing respiratory illnesses, asthma and cancer.

A mesh teether containing carrots, cucumber or pickle could be helpful to your little one if they are having a hard time with their teeth coming through. There are many methods that work for relief, but if the item the child is chewing on contains a taste then he will more than likely keep chewing on it. The longer a child uses this tasty teether, the more relief they will feel and the happier you both will be.

When your children are young, it is critical that you have a strong and meaningful relationship with them; this will have a positive effect on them in their teen years when they tend to be more reclusive. Use the information given in the article above to build the kind of relationship you want with your child.

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