Family Talk

Traveling With Children (March-April 2008)

Creating memorable moments while traveling with children requires planning, flexibility, patience, and a positive attitude.

Does Your Child Need a Cell Phone? (January-February 2008)

Cell phones are communication tools, not toys. Can children who crave them understand the difference and treat them appropriately?

Savoring Holiday Memories Through Food Traditions (November-December 2007)

We may eat a variety of fast and prepared foods all year long, but when families gather during holidays, members look for customary favorites.

Introducing Children to Culture and the Arts (October 2007)

Dance, music, and art are the foundation of a child's cultural education, and experts say "no age is too young" to begin acquiring their lifelong benefits.

Bringing Up a Responsible Child (September 2007)

Providing children opportunities and tools to learn responsibility helps them become self-sufficient and accountable for their actions as teenagers and adults.

Helping Children Get the Sleep They Need (May-June 2007)

The rising numbers of first graders through high school seniors who fail to get adequate rest are a wake-up call for parents to become more proactive in promoting healthy slumber.

Manners Do Matter (March-April 2007)

Teaching children to be polite can be a challenge in a world where common courtesy is less and less common, but you can be successful by working at it a little at a time.

Helping Children Stay Smart and Safe on Social Networks (January-February 2007)

It's getting more difficult for parents to know a child's friends, because many new relationships begin and develop in cyberspace on social networking Web sites.

Helping Children Do Their Best on Group Projects (November-December 2006)

Adults can actively assist in raising the comfort level and performance abilities of their kids and other group members.

Building A Child's Personal Health Record (October 2006)

Because much of the accuracy of a diagnosis relies on a medical and health history, parents can partner with their child's health providers by creating and keeping a PHR up to date.

Honestly, Now (September 2006)

If parents stretch the truth or commit 'harmless' acts of dishonesty, their children are likely to do the same. Here are ways—besides setting a good example—to encourage children not to lie or otherwise be dishonest.

Safeguarding Children's Vision and Ensuring Eye Health (May-June 2006)

Early detection and treatment of eye problems are essential to a child's health and the key to a lifetime of good vision.

Helping Children Manage Anger and Conflict (March-April 2006)

Adults can play a key role as a child develops the skills of understanding what triggers strong feelings of displeasure and knowing the best ways to deal with them.

Mealtime Magic (January-February 2006)

Eating together regularly doesn't require any special tricks and can have a powerful effect on every member of the family.

Using Humor to Help Guide Your Family Through Life (November-December 2005)

Kindhearted humor, lovingly applied, can be a healing balm to soothe the stresses and strengthen the standards of family life.

Safeguarding Children Online (October 2005)

While it's impossible to oversee everything children experience on the worldwide Web, parents can take precautions to make a child's trip on the Internet as safe as possible.

Helping Children Learn Clutter-Control Skills (September 2005)

It's never too soon to train a child in the small, daily routines that keep clutter at bay.

Helping Youth to See 'the Sunny Side of Life' (May-June 2005)

Parents and other adults can help children gain—and keep—a positive outlook on life.

Fostering Dental Health—and Bright Smiles—in Children (March-April 2005)

Health care for teeth begins in infancy and includes a proactive plan of protection.

Helping Children Identify Areas of Intense Interest (January-February 2005)

Parents and significant adults can assist youths in recognizing and developing personal strengths and enthusiasms.

Managing the Year-End Whirl (November-December 2004)

These five strategies can reduce the stress of the hectic holiday season and allow more time for things that matter most to you and your family.

Helping Children Stay Fit and Healthy (October 2004)

An active lifestyle and nutritious diet can help youngsters avoid serious health problems later in life.

Helping Your Child Manage Asthma (September 2004)

Although one national health institute calls asthma "the most common chronic disease of childhood," there are definite steps a parent or significant adult can take to help a child control it.

Helping Children Take Care of Pets (May-June 2004)

Teaching a child to be responsible for a living creature can be time-consuming and stressful, but the benefits for the youngster will last a lifetime.

Focus on the First-Time Camper (March-April 2004)

If your boy is attending camp for the first time this summer, you can help him build confidence and dispel worries beforehand.

Growing Through Gardening (January-February 2004)

Cultivating a garden, whether downtown or in the country, can be a fun learning experience for the whole family.

Rediscover the Joy of Family This Holiday Season (November-December 2003)

The most wonderful time of the year is even more so when you use it as an opportunity to build simple traditions that help strengthen family ties.

Helping Children Handle Homework (October 2003)

You may think you're just a mild-mannered mom or dad. But here are some tips that can turn you into a superhero when your children need assistance with difficult homework assignments.

Ways to Unlock a Child's Potential (September 2003)

Encouragement from parents and significant adults can play a vital role in helping a child realize his or her infinite possibilities.

Helping Children Overcome Procrastination (May-June 2003)

Caught early and addressed in childhood, the frequent delaying of doing things can be corrected so that it will not develop into a lifelong, negative habit.

Ways to Advance Your Child's Spiritual Life (March-April 2003)

For children to live balanced lives, parents need to help them grow not only physically, emotionally, and intellectually, but spiritually as well.

Helping Children Cope With Stress (January-February 2003)

Children today have a host of opportunities that bring with them the potential for strain. When pressures are negatively affecting a child, parents and significant adults can take several positive actions.

Growing Closer as a Family ... Even if You've Drifted Apart (November-December 2002)

It is possible to remain connected in spite of today's mobility and busy schedules.

Helping Children Know When It's Important To Fit In ... and When It's Not (October 2002)

Some children have a hard time balancing the desire to adjust to peer-group behavior with the need to draw the line when urged to join in inappropriate activities.

Helping Children to Be Good Listeners (September 2002)

It can sometimes be exasperating to get children to listen, but there are several positive ways for adults to get through to them.

Teen Suicide: A Preventable Tragedy (May-June 2002)

Deterring this all-too-frequent cause of death in teenagers and young adults begins with sensitivity, openness, and an active involvement in the life of a troubled youth.

Scouting and the Bully (March-April 2002)

Scouting's values-based programs provide parents and Scout leaderswith effective tools that address the causes of, and help provide solutions to, the persistent problem of bullying among young people.

Including Children in the Family Grieving Process (January-February 2002)

When there is a death, children are often neglected mourners. But in order to adapt, adjust, and heal, children need guidance and support from significant adults.

Bringing Out the Best in Your Family (November-December 2001)

When tough situations arise, strong and healthy families can pull together as a team, drawing strength from individual character traits and smart parenting.

Getting Children to Cooperate (October 2001)

The ability to work well in one's family and with others is one of the most valuable skills a parent can help a child develop.

Five Healthy Habits to Instill in Children (September 2001)

Teaching these behaviors with diligence and discipline will reduce illness, promote safety, and encourage healthy living through diet and exercise.

Children Need Privacy to Become Self-Reliant Adults (May-June 2001)

Parents can honor a child's "personal space" while maintaining supervision and providing guidance.

Being a Father Who Makes a Difference (March-April 2001)

An effective, involved father provides an important foundation for his children and their ongoing security, stability, and development.

Helping Children Learn Positive Values From Sports Heroes (January-February 2001)

If a child idolizes a sports superstar whose behavior is undesirable, it's important for parents to point out that people may be fantastically talented in one thing and bad in something else.

How Children Can Overcome Shyness (November-December 2000)

Parents and others can help a child who's ill at ease in social situations say "goodbye to shy."

Dealing With Sibling Rivalry and Quarrels (October 2000)

When siblings learn how to resolve conflicts at a young age, they grow up to regard each other not only as brothers and sisters but as the closest of lifelong friends.

Help Your Child to Be a Better Student (September 2000)

Brainpower is only part of the equation in being a good student. Some parental motivation and creativity can help any child do better in school.

Teaching Children to Bounce Back: Ways to Raise Resilient Kids (May-June 2000)

When a crisis arrives, there are steps that parents and other significant adults can take to help children not only survive, but even to thrive.

How to Talk So Your Children Will Listen ... and Learn (March-April 2000)

Parents and other significant adults can employ several key communication techniques to "get through" to children about the tough issues kids face every day.

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? (January-February 2000)

Helping a child explore his personal interests and attributes gives him a starting point in the search for a career.

Connecting With Your Kids (November-December 1999)

Cultivating closeness in a family can produce a peaceful, harmonious home life in which members experience love and support as well as find refuge from the storms of life.

How to Help a Clumsy Child (October 1999)

To develop coordination and confidence, children with two left feet deserve attention which may include an individualized program designed by a professional therapist and patiently executed at home.

Broken Ties: Ways to Help Kids Deal With Divorce (September 1999)

The impact of divorce on children can be overwhelming - but need not be. With love and patience from their parents, kids will adjust and adapt, but it takes time and effort from both father and mother.

Introducing Your Child to Sports (May-June 1999)

Athletics are a great way to teach ethics, fair play, and sportsmanship, but parents and other significant adults should consider several points when initiating a child into sports.

Parents Do Matter to Teens (March-April 1999)

A nationwide study finds relationships with peers are important to character development in adolescents, but bonds with parents are also significant.

Helping Your Child Avoid Obesity (January-February 1999)

Obesity in children can lead to adult weight problems and chronic disease. But unwanted pounds can be taken off overweight kids wisely and without too much fuss - or kept off those otherwise likely to gain.

Teaching Money Management (November-December 1998)

When youngsters are old enough to ask for something in the grocery store, it's time to begin teaching them how to budget, spend wisely, and save.

Helping Children Deal With Depression (October 1998)

Children, like adults, need loving support from others in order to manage and overcome feelings of painful and persistent sadness.

Raising Readers (September 1998)

Introducing and reinforcing reading at home are vital to developing literacy and fostering learning.

Beyond the 'Hype': Promoting the Spirit of the Holidays (November-December 1997)

Parents are working hard—and succeeding—at preserving and renewing the true meaning of this special time of the year.

www.scoutingmagazine.org