Single dad

Your parenting style is likely to impact the way your child grows up. Being responsive to your children, and at the same time, setting clear rules and limits, is crucial for you as a parent. Based on this, four main styles of parenting have been identified:

• "Just do it or else" – Some parents adopt a highly authoritarian, dictatorial style. They expect children to obey orders without questioning. Rules are well defined in such households and breaking them usually invites punishment. Such a system is typical of societies where little change is expected and deviance from normal behavior can be costly such as a rural or agrarian society.
  
  
• "A no means a no" – Some parents are firm, assertive, and authoritative without being authoritarian. They set clear rules, and are firm about discipline without using harsh punishment. Children in such homes are expected to be socially responsible.
  
  
• "Do anything you want" – Parents with this style believe in the permissive or indulgent approach. They do not demand responsible behavior and avoid confrontation with their children. Several parents in the 50s and 60s adopted this style.
  
  
• "I don't care what you do" – Few parents remain uninvolved in their children's lives, which in few cases, borders on neglect.

Typically, most parents are variations or combinations of the above four styles.

There is no “right” or “wrong” parenting style though we all have prejudices on what we think works best based on our own experience and values.  Research, however, has shown the effects of various parenting styles on children:

• Children that have grown up in authoritarian settings, tend to show average performance in school but lack spontaneity, effective social skills, and self-confidence.
  
  
• Children who are brought up by authoritative parents, grow up to become more responsible. They easily adjust to situations that demand cooperation.
  
  
• Children with permissive parents tend to be more creative but some research indicates they may develop behavioral problems as they grow up because they do not accept responsibility.
  
  
• Children with uninvolved parents perform poorly at school.

Most parents want their children to be like just them. The good news is that children too, at least when they are young, want to be like their parents. Parents are, after all, their earliest role models. While this makes it easy for parents to mold children's behavior, it also confers a significant responsibility on them.

Here are things you can do to become a role model for your child:

• Practice rather than preach: Infants instinctively pick up behavioral clues by watching their parents. Your actions influence them more than your sermons. By always doing yourself what you expect them to do, you can ensure that your children will naturally follow desired norms of behavior. This is often easier and more effective than forcing children to obey rules by instilling fear in them or even by enticing them with rewards.

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Most people wishing to work-from-home or telecommute start with a state of confusion. There are so many work-from-home scams that most newbies end up burning their fingers at their initial attempt to set up home businesses.

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The thought of what has happened interrupts you seven times a day. You have lost everything you helped build, all sense of love and belonging in the world. The crisis has left in its wake the disorganization of your instincts and ideas.

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According to 2006 data from US Census Bureau, there were 143,000 stay-at-home dads on Father's Day two years ago, not including single parents, compared to 5.6 million stay-at-home moms.

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As a child of divorce (my parents divorced when I was four), I can personally say that divorce can be, or maybe always is, hardest on the kids. It should be a decision of last resort when kids are involved and very clearly the "least bad" of your options in a bad marriage.

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You cannot expect the school district to bear sole responsibility for the teaching of a child. Education is a process, so stick with your child each step along the way to ensure a smooth transition through the years.

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Stay-at-home fathers are still a rarity in the US compared to their female counterparts, but it is a growing trend both among single dads and those in a relationship.

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It's late at night and your baby refuses to stop bawling and go to sleep. You know your baby wants something but you just can't figure out what. After hours of tears and screams, your exhausted baby finally drifts off to sleep, leaving you frustrated and feeling guilty about causing him so much sorrow. How many times have you encountered this scenario?

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The transition from baby to toddler is also the stage when your child will learn to accept and give in to your authority, at least in certain matters. The process will be gradual and involve a certain amount of stress for both of you.

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