Top Ten Ways to Take the Stress Out of Caring for your Elderly Parent

1. Encourage your parent to walk, dance and shop. Movement is the greatest way to maintain mental and physical health.

2. Encourage your parent to join a community group or religious group in your area.

3. Find out what the local Senior Center has to offer i.e. classes, workshops and resources.

4. If your parent is capable of driving, let them!

5. Encourage cooking and cleaning for themselves. This fosters their independence and builds self -esteem.

6. Communicate – talk to your parents about decisions that involve them and about family matters. Make them feel included and powerful about decisions made in their lives.

7. Adopt a pet – a cat or a dog can raise anyone’s spirits.

8. Reach out for help. If you are feeling the signs of stress or being overwhelmed, reach out to friends, family and local resources.

9. Encourage your parent to keep up with personal hygiene. Take them to the barber or the beauty salon once a week for a shave or to have their makeup and hair done.

10. Reminisce – Make some time to talk with your parent about the old days. This is a good chance for you to become regained with your parent.

The Top 10 Ways to Effectively Transition into Step-Parenting

1. Always make time for the couple relationship. If the marriage is not working the family will feels it’s wounds.

2. Create new family traditions and rituals.

3. Have weekly family meetings to discuss family issues.

4. Keep good relations with the ex-spouse.

5. Parents should always agree on discipline in both homes.

6. Be Patient.

7. Be a good listener to what is being said and what is not being said.

8. Make the new home welcoming to new members.

9. Encourage sharing

10. Seek family therapy if necessary

The Top 10 Ways to Effectively Parent Rambunctious Teens

1. Trust them. Trust them completely but always know what they are doing and whom they are with.

2. Set an example. Children learn about values from you, so make sure you’re actions are reflective of your values.

3. Communicate with your teens. Ask questions that require more than yes or no answers. Getting teens to talk can be difficult and will take some practice.

4. Look for outside resources if you are beginning to feel overwhelmed. Family and friends are often good support systems in times of crisis. Seek counseling if necessary.

5. Be firm, consistent and follow through with discipline. Don’t fall short when it comes to discipline. Teens need structure and consequences for their actions.

6. Talk to your teens about difficult things. Don’t think that if you don’t talk to them about it that they won’t learn about it somewhere else. Talk to them about sex, drugs, cigarettes, anger, stress, pressure, etc.

7. Help your teens develop realistic goals for themselves. Teens often set goals that are unrealistic and set themselves up for failure. Teach them how to set goals that they can reach.

8. Keep a sense of humor. It will help you get through many difficult situations.

9. Remember your parental rights. You have the right to respect, privacy, and friends.

10. Let them express their individuality. Respect and appreciate their uniqueness.