Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for July 01, 2014

Mrs. Berger, please.

1.Never do for your child what the child can do for his/her self.~2.Never say to a child, “It is okay for me but not for you” when it is in regard to something that breaks any of the Ten Commandments. It is not setting a good example.~3.Teach a child to clean up after him/herself. You clean up after yourself, too. Be a role model.~4.A ten year old is old enough to do his/her laundry. Teach them how to do it including how to measure the detergent and fabric softener and how to iron.~5.Six year olds are old enough to sew on their own buttons when the buttons pop off their clothes. They might poke themselves, but it is only a poke which is something they often get during playtime anyhow.~6.Teach them to eat healthy and feed them healthy, three square meals a day. Don’t require them to eat more than they are able. It leads to fat, lethargic life styles. ~7.Read to them every night before bedtime beginning by their first birthday, then see them to bed, kiss them goodnight, and tell them you love them.~8.At their first birthday, start time outs. Tell them what they did, what they could have done differently and to sit for the number of minutes that corresponds with their age. One year, one minute, five years, five minutes. Then repeat to them what they did and what they could have done differently. ~9.Teenagers should have a paying job. They should have been taught and required to wash a car, mend, do yard work and do housework when they were children, so they can use those skills when they are teenagers. ~10.Teach them that the last thing they do before leaving home or going to bed is to go to the bathroom. Require it.~11.Don’t punish the child for wetting the bed if they used the bathroom before going to bed. They are asleep and may have dreamed they were going to the bathroom or have a medical condition. If it happens often, take the child to the doctor.~12.Teach them not to yell when angry or scream when playing unless there is actually something to scream about.~ 13.Don’t give a small child or baby magazines or other paper objects to tear up. They get confused about what is okay to tear up and what is not. Teach them to respect the things around them.~14.Homework should be started within minutes of arriving home. If they say they have no homework or already did the homework at school, call the teacher for verification. ~15.Children should go to bed the same time every night including weekends, holidays and school breaks.