health and safety

"Ear infection." Among parents that have lived to tell the tale, these are dirty words. They're the most common ailments that kids between the ages of 6 months and two years suffer from, and they can easily make a kid very miserable. This can mean sleepless nights, cranky days and general melancholy around the house -- no fun.

Having a baby quickly changes a man's outlook on life. That box of magazines and videos you've been collecting for years? It's now a trunk full of evidence that you were once decadent and sleazy. All that loud music? Those CDs are now just glorified baby alarm clocks. And your man cave, filled with all your trophies, figurines, video games, comic books and posters? Sorry to tell you this, but your special place is a big, fat choking hazard.

Finding the ideal pediatrician might be one of the most important decisions you'll ever make concerning your child. As a dad, you might be compelled at first to find the pediatrician with the most attractive nursing staff. While it might be the best choice for you, it might not be best for your child.

Do you remember hearing Arnold on "Diff'rent Strokes" talk about the bully at his school? Remember the name of that bully? If you said, "The Gooch," give yourself a pat on the back and start getting out more. Unfortunately, bullying is still a huge thing that children deal with at school.

Disciplining your toddler can be difficult. When you look into those sad, teary eyes, it can almost break your heart to scold them or punish them for something they've done wrong. But discipline is the only way to teach them how to be a part of society. Many parents think the only type of discipline for toddlers is a spanking, but there are many other effective forms of punishment. If you want to avoid spanking, here are some more suggestions you can use to discipline your toddler while teaching valuable life lessons.

You've survived the toddler years and the childhood years. The "Terrible Two's" were nothing compared to the teen years. These years can be even worse when it comes to discipline and punishment. If you haven't found out already, you teen knows everything there is to know and you're merely a dumb ol' parent that knows nothing.

The art of parenting revolves around one main concept - discipline. But it's not just any discipline that will work when trying to raise respectable children. With the many forms of discipline out there, you might be wondering which one is best for you and your kids in different situations. Unfortunately, it's not that easy.