By Elizabeth Pantley
Author of "Perfect Parenting" and "Kid Cooperation"

Are your mornings rushed, chaotic and disorganized? Then it's time to get control and make morning a good start to a wonderful day! When your morning activities run smoothly, and you're out the door on time it can make your whole day feel better. To create a peaceful morning routine, follow these steps:

Hint #1: Start your morning - at night!
A real key to smoothing out your morning is to prepare as much as you can the night before. This means choosing the day's clothing, packing lunches, gathering homework, signing permission slips and setting the table for breakfast.

Hint #2: Post a calendar
Buy the biggest wall calendar you can find and hang it in a central location. Write down events and appointments for everyone. Use different color marking pens to code items for easy reading. (As an example: ball practice in red, carpool in green, doctors/dentists in purple) Keep the calendar up to date and you'll be more organized!

Hint #3: Create a drop box
Have a labeled box for each family member by the door. Use this to store shoes, keys, backpacks, coats and anything else that goes out the door with you in the morning. Plastic tubs or decorated crates make great drop boxes!

Hint #4: Use a morning list
Sit down and analyze a typical morning. Make a list of everything that needs to be done. Create a poster-sized list of the standard morning activities listed in order to be done:

If you have a child who gets easily distracted and ignores the morning chart - don't give up! Just make a small mini-size chart, laminate it, put it on a chain and let your child wear it as his "morning necklace!" Your part is to make a few gentle reminders, "How are you doing on your chart this morning?"

Hint #5: Check out sleep time
If your child has trouble getting up in the morning and sticking to his schedule take a look at what time he or she goes to bed. Without adequate sleep a child won't be able to follow a morning routine successfully.

To continue reading please click on the link: http://www.parentstalk.com/expertsadvice/ea_pa_0007.html

Kids know why they whine -- it works. That doesn't mean, though, you can't prevent it.

By Constance Matthiessen
WebMD Magazine - Feature
Reviewed by Roy Benaroch, MD

Anne Crawford has three children, ages 8 through 13, so she has heard her share of whining.

"My kids whine about doing the chores," she says, "or about how unfair it is that one got something and the other didn't. I'd say whining pretty much comes with the territory."

According to Bay Area pediatrician Laurel Schultz, kids whine for a very simple reason.  It works. "Whining gets the parent's attention," Schultz says. "A high-pitched whine is effective because a parent can't not attend to it."

Preventing the Whine

Schultz explains this is not a conscious strategy on the part of children, but a learned behavior -- and parents often play a role. If a child asks for something in a polite way and the parent doesn't respond the first time or two, the child will amp up the volume. A small child may holler or even throw a tantrum. But an older child, who has more self-control, is likely to whine.

To avoid whining, Schultz advises parents not to wait until children are in distress to acknowledge them. "It's important to respond to that first bid for attention, if you can," she says. "If you are on the phone or in the middle of a conversation, make eye contact with your child and put a finger up, so she knows you'll be with her in a minute. Then give your child your attention as soon as you can politely do so."

A Call for Attention

Educator and developmental psychologist Becky Bailey says that when whining does occur, parents should take a deep breath and remind themselves that the child is not trying to be irritating. The child is actually asking for help.

"Respond with I-statements," Bailey says, "and model the way you want the child to speak. Say something like, 'I don't like it when you whine. If you want a glass of milk, say it like this.' Then model the exact words and tone you want the child to use."

If your child continues to whine, and you're sure it's not from pain or illness, Bailey suggests that you look beyond the whiny behavior to determine the larger message it conveys. "Ask yourself, 'Have I been busier than usual? Has my child's routine changed? Has a sibling required more attention for some reason?' Often, whining is a signal it's time to reconnect with your child."

To continue reading please click here: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/why-kids-whine-and-how-to-stop-them