Setting Limits and Staying Sane

Too Strict or Too Lenient?

Here's a surefire recipe for conflict: Mix together one parent (whose job is to make rules) and one child (whose job is to question rules). The resulting power struggle can turn a happy home into a war zone in seconds flat and drive a formerly rational person to the brink of insanity. Sometimes it's tempting to enact martial law -- or go to the other extreme and dispense with rules altogether.

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.

There are so many decisions to make when it comes to having a baby. From getting the necessary baby gear to planning a college fund to having hypothetical questions about disciplining kids, it can get overwhelming...and that's just the beginning. Once your tiny human is here, you'll be faced with "quick set decisions." These are decisions you'll have to make in the moment and have no way of knowing that curveball was headed your way. Welcome to parenthood. 

Chances are, if you don’t know what a rainbow baby is, you haven’t experienced loss during your time of having children. A "rainbow baby" is defined as a baby born after the miscarriage, stillbirth, or death of an infant from natural causes. The name rainbow baby comes from the feeling of seeing a rainbow after a storm. Rainbow babies are extra special and so deeply loved even before they are born. However, a rainbow pregnancy is usually accompanied by very strong feelings of anxiety and sometimes doubt.

That special Sunday in June, Father’s Day, is a wonderful opportunity for older and younger kids to show dad how much they love him. Looking for simple and meaningful Father's Day activities that will help you bond with your dad? Check out these fun father-son and father-daughter activities for children of all ages and dads with all different interests. You're sure to make lasting memories!

More: The 60 Best Dad Jokes of All Time

Maintaining a healthy diet for children so they can properly grow and develop is generally high on the list of priorities for any parent. But not all foods influence— positively or negatively—individuals the same way. For parents of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), many have turned to special diets and styles of eating which have shown a reduction in certain autism symptoms.

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.

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.

It's 7:29am, the school bus is pulling up in front of your house, and your child has one shoe on, can't find the other one, her homework is still on the kitchen counter, and the contents of her backpack may or may not actually be what she needs to bring to school that day. The morning routine is way off course.

You open the front door and wave the bus driver away...looks like another day of driving your kid to school, being late for work, and generally watching your morning collapse in chaos. Or is it?

I have always gravitated towards shows that follow babies or being pregnant, so naturally, the new Netflix show Workin’ Moms appealed to me. The show’s description reads, “Maternity leave is over and it's time for these four moms to return to work while navigating kids, bosses, love, and life in modern-day Toronto.” As a working mother myself, I find this show and its characters and their unique struggles both relatable and funny, and also overwhelmingly honest.

If you’re looking for a part-time, “side-hustle” gig to keep you busy now that the kids are older (and bring some extra revenue into the home), this comprehensive list will kickstart your part-time career mojo!

More: Challenges and Opportunities for the Self-Employed

Talking with Children About War and Violence in the World

by Sheldon Berman, Sam Diener, Larry Dieringer, and Linda Lantieri

Healthy Snacks for Kids

Favorite Foods List

Time

• 20 to 30 minutes

Materials

• Paper
• Pencil

Directions

1. Divide the paper into 2 columns, labeled Foods I Like and Foods I Do Not Like.
2. Work together to think of all the foods that fall into those 2 categories and create separate lists to share.

Extensions

New Tastes

Time

• 5 to 10 minutes

Materials

• Food toppings like grated cheese, yogurt, raisins, popcorn, salsa, or guacamole

Directions

Try broadening your finicky child's menu while aiding good choices by offering familiar toppings to new or less desirable foods. For example, your child might choose to sprinkle popcorn onto vegetable or pea soup or coconut onto squash.

Extensions

Cinco de Mayo is always a fun holiday for my family as my husband's family is Latin, and they love taking the opportunity to get together and cook. It's been lots of fun learning their home recipes and favorite foods. Here is a little round-up of kid-friendly cinco de mayo recipes my in-laws have passed on to me.

Lively Lunches

In our household, lunch is fairly straightforward. It's one of the easiest meals for me to prepare. Hannah and Hayley would eat the same sandwich every day for months on end without tiring of it. For example, we just finished a stretch of peanut butter and marshmallow creme sandwiches, fruit, and milk. Much to my pleasure and surprise, they have recently begun branching out into tuna fish and grilled cheese.

Breakfast Benefits

Breakfast has been called the most important meal of the day, and with good reason. While every meal counts toward good nutrition, the facts are on the table: Eating in the morning has positive effects on health and on kids' ability to learn.

What's a nutritious breakfast? A meal consisting of foods from at least two of the five food groups is healthiest, but the truth is that noshing on nearly any food in the morning is better than none, especially when it come to kids.

Skinny Sandwich Secrets

When people decide to cut back on fat and calories, they often assume that sandwiches are out. And while it's true that sandwiches piled high with ingredients like fatty cold cuts, quarter-pound greasy burgers, bacon, full-fat cheeses, mayonnaise, and special sauces can be a nutritional nightmare, just about any sandwich can be slimmed down enough to be part of a healthy diet. A few simple ingredient substitutions can make a big fat — and calorie — difference in your favorite sandwiches.

They want to eat: Peanut butter and fluff. Cupcakes with squiggles. Zero veggies.

You want them to eat: Turkey on whole wheat. An apple. Pretzels.

After dealing with back-to-school battles over homework and bedtime, many moms would rather surrender than fight over what kids eat (or throw away) in the school cafeteria. The good news: It's easier than ever to think outside the lunch box when it comes to food. It doesn't have to be a choice between what's good for your kids and what's fun to eat.