Parenting For Dummies,

Having a baby is an incredible experience, and the ultimate
responsibility! Parenting is a job that you start with no training
at all - and friends and family always seem to be the first
to tell you how best to bring up your children. But there's no
sure-fire formula for raising kids. Maybe that's because every
child, like every parent, is an individual, and no two parent-child
relationships are ever the same. So, you can give up any notions of
being a perfect parent. But, you can learn to keep the big mistakes
to a minimum and make the parenting experience easier and more
rewarding for your children and yourself. Which is where this book
comes in.

Covering information for newborns to pre-teens, Parenting For
Dummies gives you the essentials of parenting basics. From
dealing with a crying baby and potty training, to building
self-esteem and dealing with sibling rivalry, it offers a gold mine
of up-to-date advice.

Auteur
Helen Brown is a journalist and a mother of three. She is Senior Editor for Boots Parenting Club magazines, the former Parenting Editor of She magazine and writes regularly for Mother and Baby.

Résumé
Having a baby is an incredible experience, and the ultimate responsibility! Parenting is a job that you start with no training at all and friends and family always seem to be the first to tell you how best to bring up your children. But there's no sure-fire formula for raising kids. Maybe that's because every child, like every parent, is an individual, and no two parent-child relationships are ever the same. So, you can give up any notions of being a perfect parent. But, you can learn to keep the big mistakes to a minimum and make the parenting experience easier and more rewarding for your children and yourself. Which is where this book comes in. Covering information for newborns to pre-teens, Parenting For Dummies gives you the essentials of parenting basics. From dealing with a crying baby and potty training, to building self-esteem and dealing with sibling rivalry, it offers a gold mine of up-to-date advice.

Contenu

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

What You're Not to Read 2

Foolish Assumptions 2

Conventions Used in This Book 2

How This Book Is Organised 2

Part I: All About You: What Every Parent Should Know 3

Part II: All About Babies 3

Part III: All About Toddlers 3

Part IV: All About Preschoolers 3

Part V: All About Schoolies 4

Part VI: All About Siblings 4

Part VII: The Part of Tens 4

Icons Used in This Book 4

Where to Go from Here 5

Part I: All About You: What Every Parent Should Know 7

Chapter 1: Help! Where Do I Start? The Basics 9

Knowing Your Child: Ages and Stages 10

Baby 10

Toddler 10

Preschooler 11

Schoolchild 11

Oh, and watch for the funny bits 12

Knowing Yourself 12

Your role: Parts all parents should play 13

Your goals: Hopes all parents have 13

Your fears: Worries all parents share 14

Don't Panic It All Comes Together in the End! 14

Chapter 2: You're in Charge: Setting Boundaries 17

Boundary Basics 17

Understanding why boundaries work (even when they're broken) 18

Setting boundaries wisely 18

Strict? Easy going? What's your parenting style? 19

Toeing the Line: Making Boundaries Work 20

Being clear, certain, and consistent 20

Making it cool to do the right thing 21

Spelling out the consequences 22

Following through 22

Great ways to minimise boundary-breaking 23

Moving on: Reshaping boundaries together 24

Chapter 3: You Are Not Alone: Massing the Troops 25

Working with Your Partner 25

Discovering the truth about kids and relationships 26

Sharing the load 26

'But Daddy said ': Presenting a united parenting front 27

Finding time to be together 28

Working with Other Parents 29

Why what they say can keep you sane 30

And when you're better off not listening 30

A word about mothers and mothers-in-law 31

Single but Not Solo 32

Finding back-up 32

Choosing mentors 33

Step-parenting: Raising a 'blended' family 33

Chapter 4: Other Secrets of Great Parenting 35

Right Way? Wrong Way? Your Way 35

Big-Picture Parenting: Eight Skills That Will Serve You for Years 36

Avoiding the Common Parenting Pitfalls 38

Comparing and contrasting 38

Over-parenting 39

Setting too much store by stuff 39

Five Golden Mantras Great Parents Repeat Every Day 40

'Onwards and upwards' 40

'Don't forget to laugh' 40

'Once more, with feeling' 41

'Guilt gets you nowhere' 41

'It's a phase' 41

Horrid comments even good parents hear 42

Chapter 5: Childminders, Nurseries, and Nannies 43

Choosing the Right Option for You 43

The day nursery 44

The childminder 44

The nanny 45

The granny 46

Finding the Right People for the Job 47

Going on a nursery hunt? 47

Going on a childminder hunt? 49

Going on a nanny hunt? 50

And when they're older? 52

Separation and Settling In 53

The Wise Parent's Guide to Childcare 54

Back to Work 54

The practicalities: Sorted! 55

The guilt: Busted! 55

Part II: All About Babies 57

Chapter 6: Surviving, Thriving, and Diving In: Getting Accustomed to Having a Baby 59

The First Six Weeks 59

Fasten on your L-plates 60

Tear up the to-do list 60

Jump at all offers of help 60

Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me? 61

He looks so weird! 61 He cries such ...