Every grandmother and grandfather will tell you hilarious stories of their children when they were first born. And for every funny and touching story they have, they will be able to tell you another for every hardship they encountered. Parenting is something that is done in many different ways by each parent. The following are four general styles employed by parents.

Authority: Authoritarian parents rule on just that: authority. Commands are given to children that they must follow regardless of the circumstances. If these commands are not followed, harsh punishment will ensue. These parents do not welcome feedback from their children. In fact, it is met with severe punishment. The children tend to be quiet and unhappy. They have more of a fear than a love for their parents. Male children have trouble dealing with anger and female children have trouble facing adversity due to their heavily structured life where nothing ever changes.

Indulgent: Indulgent parents tend to be described as lenient. They allow immature and childish behavior. These parents expect the children to learn from their mistakes and to fend for themselves in most times of need. These parents tend to be democratic and allow for feedback from there children on issues. They will hear both sides of an argument and usually make a compromise. Indulgent parents usually avoid confrontation with their children by all means, but do tend to be more involved and emotionally closer to their children.

Authoritative: Authoritative parents are a combination of the two styles previously mentioned. They are the happy medium. While expecting proper behavior from their children, they welcome feedback and questioning on certain issues. They’re able to demand things of their children but are also able to respond to what they’re child says, questions and requests. These children tend to be the happiest, most confident and self assured of all the mentioned parenting styles. It is very difficult to be a purely authoritative parent.

Passive: Passive parenting is being completely uninvolved. These parents may never be home due to immaturity, work or the like. These children are usually raised by grandparents, older siblings, babysitters or themselves. There is no parental involvement at all.

We wish you many happy stories!

Having a baby is one of the most beautiful things that could happen in a parent’s life. Yet, it is also challenging. Raising your newborn child is not easy. It takes a lot of effort and patience to nurture your child until he or she reaches the stage of complete development. Though some of the time this task is can be quite challenging, the joys certainly outweigh any negatives. Here are some suggestions for successful baby nurturing:

1. Feeding

Breast milk is recommended for the first year of a newborn’s life. This is to give the baby the optimum sustenance to grow and progress. Generally speaking, the newborn child should be breastfed about 8 to 10 times a day during the baby’s first few weeks. As a parent, it is necessary that you know when your baby is getting the proper nourishment needed. Some indications that your baby is feeding well is when he or she is having four or more wet diapers a day or having a bowel movements 3 times or more a day.

2. Sleep

Don’t be surprised if your newborn child spends the majority of their time sleeping. It is common for infants to sleep most of the time, around 12 to 20 hours a day. When putting your baby to rest, it is advised by most doctors that you put your baby on his/her back, on a firm mattress. During cold weather, it is best that you dress your baby with warm pajamas to keep him warm rather than using a bedspread.

3. Bowel movements

Determining if your newborn child is having a bowel movement is easy. It is usually apparent when he starts to become quite hard to please, his face turns red, and he starts to cry and tends to move his legs. It is natural for newborn babies to pass a lot of gas so don’t be surprised if this happens often. If your baby is breastfeeding, it is quite normal that he will pass stools a couple of times a day. On the other hand, babies that are formula fed do not pass stools quite as frequently. Should you ever see any signs of blood in the stool of your baby, immediately give your baby’s physician a call.

4. Dressing your newborn

Providing your baby with the proper clothing is very important. Keep in mind that you should use clothing that is comfortable and appropriate. During cold season, you should clothe your baby with knit caps and booties. Though parents often want their baby to look fashionable, it is better not to overdress your newborn. Babies struggle to regulate their body temperature and therefore rely on layers of clothing to stay the right temperature.

5. Baby’s day out

Taking your newborn child can be fun. However, you need to consider when and where you can take your baby. Limit outings to nice days. It is important to keep your baby away from people with colds or any other form of illness. Also, avoid direct sunlight for this may harm your baby’s skin. In addition, avoid taking your baby to crowded places while your baby is only a couple of months old.

To sum it up, proper nurturing of your newborn child is a rewarding experience. You’re not only able to personally attend to your child’s needs, but you also get to enjoy quality time where you and your baby can bond together.