Fatherly Tips

Presented by The Salvation Army. Join the fight for good and donate by saying ‘Alexa, make a donation to The Salvation Army’ if you’re listening with Alexa. Or, go to salvationarmyusa.org to make a gift. The Four-Pronged Approach to Getting Kids to Tell the Truth - Create a safe environment in which they can communicate openly about guilt or solve the problems they create.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Getting Toddlers Back to Sleep - Help them sleep well in the first place by shortening sleep schedules as kids grow and making sure that they don’t nap so much that they’re not tired by bedtime. - Understand why they woke up in the first place to prevent the issue from reoccurring as a long-term, broader effort. - Avoid developing counterproductive habits like laying down beside them or offering other comforts.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Detecting a Dangerous Sibling Rivalry - Always supervise children playing together until the age of 4. Once they’re older, let them play on their own as long as you’re nearby and there isn’t a large power or age difference between them. - Spot clear, sudden changes and suspect sibling bullying as a possible cause, including underachievement in school, chronic, unexplained illnesses, or cycles of self-harm.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Explaining Moral Gray Areas - Ask children what they would do not just when no one is looking, but when everyone is looking. - Teach ethical conundrums earlier than later. Even 4- or 5-year-olds can understand the concept that things are not always black and white. - Pose questions that prompt analysis. Start with ethically straightforward examples and slowly add details that complicate the scenario.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Restoring Peace After Discipline - Take a “timeout” when discipline turns angry. Take a step outside or sit down and take 10 deep breaths to calm yourself down. - Model to a child how a parent can be upset and then calm down in order resolve something. - Give out hugs and reassurances when appropriate, even if a certain punishment remains. - Be honest with a child about your own role in escalating arguments. Rethink punishment if it was given out in anger.

Presented by The Salvation Army. Join the fight for good and donate by saying ‘Alexa, make a donation to The Salvation Army’ if you’re listening with Alexa. Or, go to salvationarmyusa.org to make a gift. The Four-Pronged Approach to Raising Kind Daughters - Communicate openly so daughters can speak their feelings out loud. Give them a safe emotional platform from which to operate.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Prepping for a Pet’s Death - Explore grief emotions prior to a pet’s death, not after, to normalize the feelings and model appropriate responses. - Ask questions about a child’s thoughts on death, because their understanding is likely much different than yours. - Look for teachable moments in nature, like predator/prey relationships often featured in documentaries. - Avoid overdoing explanations with unnecessary details about biological processes.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Prepping for a New School Year - Get a jump on socializing your child. Try to arrange a play date with somebody who is likely to be a classmate or at least a grade-mate. - Spend the end of the summer on alert for “what if?” questions or physical manifestations of worry, including stomach pains, muscle tenseness, and sleeplessness.

The Four-Pronged Approach to School Night Sleep Schedules - Move bedtime back in short increments over the two weeks before school starts to normalize the idea of going to bed before the sun sets. - Dim the lights about an hour before bedtime, which helps release the brain’s natural melatonin and triggers the brain’s circadian rhythms. - Turn off all screens. Televisions, phones, and computers should go dark.

The Five-Pronged Approach to Talking Race With Kids - Keep the lines of communication open between parents and children during and after discussions of race. Children will likely have questions. - Avoid pretending that race and racism don’t exist. Acknowledge that race does exist and point out that this is all the more reason to treat everyone with respect. - Teach children behaviors that combat racial bias by modeling good behavior with people of other races.

Presented by The Salvation Army. Join the fight for good and donate by saying ‘Alexa, make a donation to The Salvation Army’ if you’re listening with Alexa. Or, go to salvationarmyusa.org to make a gift. The Four-Pronged Approach to Starting Discipline - Distract rather than discipline children under 2-years-old, whose attention can be easily redirected. - Wait to discipline a toddler until they’re also ready for potty-training.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Explaining Penises - Avoid using euphemisms in conversations with your child. Call a penis what it is: a penis. - Stress to prepubescents that penises have a specific function: peeing. It’s no different or special in use than any other part of the body, like eyes or hands. - Equate covering penises with protection, not shame. Teach children that having and talking about penises is nothing to be ashamed of.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Tackling Bed-Wetting - Ensure that your child isn’t stressed or exhausted during the day to help them achieve a healthy sleep. - Use a bedwetting alarm for bladder-training, which wakes a child to get up and go to the bathroom at the alarm’s prompting. - Resolve constipation-related bedwetting with aids such as stool softeners or gummy fiber supplements. - Don’t over-stress.

The Four-Pronged Approach to Vanquishing Toddler Fears - Figure out what’s a "passing fear" and what is an ongoing anxiety by looking for illogic. Start a conversation about generalized anxieties as quickly as possible. - Create a calm environment by embracing routine and, when routine is suddenly broken, reacting in the most pacific way possible.