March 04, 2022
top trending topics
👨👦Dads! Here are 5 things you’ll wanna know about fatherhood. (From a dad of 7!).
🍺 Here’s how to ace those convos with your teen about drinking alcohol.
🤯 You don’t have to lose your mind over your kids- these tips can help you stay sane.
🍼 Lessen the stress & fight less after bringing your new baby home.
💖 #GirlDads! Even if she doesn’t show it, your teen still needs you in her life.
tips & tricks for growth
talking to your child about politics doesn’t have to be scary
We’re told there are two things we don’t talk about in life: politics and religion. The only problem is, this “rule” sets us up for failure when these topics come up in conversation. Inevitably, most of us don’t know how to talk about them in a healthy way.
Children are exposed to endless amounts of information in our connected world. As parents, it’s our responsibility to prepare our kids to be good citizens. We can help our kids learn how to talk about sensitive topics like politics.
Here are 6 tools to help you navigate parenting & politics:
🔍 Decide your children’s intake.
🔍 Frame the political discussions within your family values.
🔍 Teach your child about citizenship.
🔍 Talk about the issues, not politics.
🔍 Avoid the ugliness of politics.
🔍 Help your children form their own opinions.
Don’t fear talking about politics with your kids. It’s a part of everyday life. The conversation is ongoing. Give them room to ask questions as well. Encourage their curiosity.
control the media use in your home
Dopamine controls the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. When kids are on their screens, they get an instant dopamine rush from likes on social media, gaming, etc. The “dopamine feedback loop” becomes activated and a craving sets in. The bad news is that school and other “less-exciting” things can’t compete with the novelty offered by screens 24/7.
Reading is the first activity to go when screens are present, and it is the number one predictor of academic success. Sleep is another critical piece. Screen habits make it hard for teens to get the required 9.25 hours of sleep each night.
With this in mind, try to do the following to limit media use:
📱 Delay access to smartphones and video games.
This allows more time for a child to mature so that he or she can use technology wisely. “No” for now doesn’t mean “no” forever. Social media and today’s video games are very addictive.
📱 Follow your family’s accounts and co-view their screen activities.
Nothing is private in the digital world, so your child/teen’s digital activity should not be private to you. Know exactly what they are doing on their screens.
📱 Foster face-to-face social interactions.
Social media is not designed for kids. Try a family social media account managed by you on a home laptop in plain view.
📱Spend more non-tech time together.
Teens with strong family attachments show more overall happiness and success.
📱Help your kids choose and plan healthier forms of entertainment-
they need your help. Don’t give the smartphone and video games all the power in your home.
what we’re lovin’
This week’s picks come from Mitchell Qualls, husband of 17 years to his wife Dalet, a dad of 2, and the VP of Operations here at First Things First. Take a peek at his recommendations for this week because they are just THAT GOOD. Check ’em out 👀:
🎬 Our family began a new tradition this year, and the kids absolutely love it! We started a family movie night utilizing the Family Movie Night Journal. Every Friday night is dinner and a movie and a different family member gets to pick. This journal helps us record all the fun, too!
🚂 We love game night. Our go to game is Mexican Train Dominoes. Our family has played it for years but now the kids are in the mix. They love playing with the whole family and our six year old gets to work on her counting skills.
📲 If you want to laugh, you have to check out The Holderness Family. Kim and Penn do hilarious videos about everything from parenting, marriage, movies, and anxiety. Their content is phenomenal. You can follow them on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, too.
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