The Role of Father Figures in Your Child’s Life
In a perfect world, children would grow up in happy, loving families, enjoying the attention of both their birth parents. Unfortunately, our world is far from perfect and parenting roles keep evolving. Where nuclear families were once clear cut, parents now have to fit in different roles from step-parents, single parents, co-parents and so on. As a result, many children are growing up without their biological father’s presence in their lives. Regardless of how uninvolved a father is in the life of his child, don’t fret. There are other men who will ably step into that role to provide the love, support and guidance your child needs. These father figures can include grandfathers, uncles, a trusted family friend, teacher or pastor or even a sports coach. What matters is that they are able and willing to be present and involved in your child’s upbringing. The Importance Of Father Figures While there are many single parents who do an excellent job of bringing up their children solo, having a father figure there brings added value. Research suggests that children with active father figures have fewer psychological and behavioral problems. Such relationships have a profound influence on a child’s development, positively impacting their moral, social and cognitive growth. Father figures step up to the plate and create opportunities to interact with your child just as their biological fathers would- bonding through play, reading stories, fishing, sports, movie nights etc. Other than being a positive and guiding influence in your child’s life, having a strong bond with an affectionate father figure has also been shown to somehow inoculate children against alcohol and substance abuse, making them less likely to end up as troubled teens. Additionally, the relationship your child has with their father figure can affect their future relationships. The early interactions from…
5 Steps Parents Can Take to Improve Their Family’s Financial Health
Raising a family is expensive. If you have kids or are expecting your first, that’s not news to you. Some days it feels impossible to afford the bare necessities of food, clothing and a roof over your head. However, as a parent, you also need to think about your family’s overall financial health. If you haven’t given serious thought to financial planning, now is the time to start. The sooner you get a handle on your finances and start saving for the future, the more financially secure your family will be. Here’s where to start. 1. Assess Your Income Does your current income allow you to live comfortably and achieve your financial goals? If not, increasing your income should be at the center of your financial plan. While you can always cut expenses to save money, a higher income is the best long-term solution to financial security. Start thinking about ways you can earn a raise, find a higher-paying position, or pivot your career to increase your income. 2. Examine Your Debt Most families have some debt (about 80 percent, according to USA Today). That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if your debt is preventing you from achieving other financial goals, you’re using credit cards to spend money you don’t have, or you’re struggling to make headway due to high interest rates, you need to take action about your debt. List all your debts including outstanding balances, interest rates and minimum monthly payments. Putting it all out in front of you allows you to assess the state of your debt and devise a repayment plan that lets you get ahead. If you find it difficult to keep track of all your accounts, consider debt consolidation. Consolidation combines unsecured debts like student loans, credit cards, and medical bills into a…
Supplementing Your Income When Going Through A Divorce
The average cost of a divorce in the US is $20,000, and that’s if it goes smoothly in arbitration. For couples who need to battle it out in the court room, a two-day trial alone can stretch into the region of $25,000 before any settlement figures are reached. There’s no denying that divorce is an expensive business, and many ex-spouses struggle to stay afloat financially. If this sounds familiar, you might benefit from making a passive income – earning an additional stream of money without trading too much of your time. Consider the following ways to give your cash flow a boost during this difficult stage in life. Renting Your Space Space is a hot commodity, and the digital age makes it easier than ever to match up people needing extra additional room with those who are looking to make some money. Take a look at your property and assess if there are any money-making opportunities to be had. Do you have a garage that you could offer as a storage space? Or a parking space that you don’t use all the time? If you’re happy to welcome guests into your home, then you might even consider letting out a spare bedroom either on a semi-permanent basis or in an AirBnB-style arrangement. Crowdfunding Real Estate Another way to make money from real estate requires a small upfront investment. Starting with as little as $500, you can crowd-invest in a specific property and watch your pot grow so long as the market is looking strong. It’s a fantastic way to gain knowledge of the industry without requiring too much risk. With the right investment, you should be able to enjoy consistent returns, without the responsibility of being a direct property owner https://www.creditdonkey.com/real-estate-crowdfunding.html Use Your Phone With increasing numbers of consumers becoming attached to their smartphones,…
How Society Can Be Supportive To Children Of Divorce
Society is not always putting children’s interests first in other people’s divorces, and sometimes side with a parent. They do not understand the affect that their actions have on the children when meddling in others’ affairs. The key is to be cognizant that you were not present behind closed doors, and were not privy to exactly what occurred. One witnesses the mask of an adult’s public persona which may hide a much darker side. An example of this is, my son was asked by a friend to be a character witness when he was trying to get custody of his children away from his late wife’s parents. He did do this and later was appalled when discovering the father was a sociopath who manipulated others and did atrocious acts. The moral of this story is to let the professionals sort out a situation and do not assume you know all of the facts. Believe the children. When a few children showed me bruises and discussed abuse or neglect, I immediately called the police in my role as school nurse. I did not say, “Oh, their parents would never do that” because this is how some clergy and pillars of the community are able to molest kids. One youngster was molested by a parent and confided this to his long-term Martial Arts instructor who was active in a child protection organization. He flat out told the boy he was lying because he knew his father and he would not do such a thing. This crushed the young student who dropped out of that activity. You may think a kid is trying to get attention and the allegation is not true, but do not say that to the child. The child’s best interest is the most important thing, not someone else’s reputation….
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