| At one time or another we all need help and parents | | | | Pediatrics for children's health issues. Parents can also |
| are no exceptions. Parents have long lamented that | | | | find empathy and advice from other parents in forums, |
| children do not come with an instruction manual. | | | | chat rooms and on blogs. |
| Sometimes parenting can be a lonely job and parents | | | | Your church or other religious affiliation can be a good |
| simply need to feel validated that they are on the right | | | | source of help for parents. Churches can offer |
| track with their kids. There are also sources that can | | | | instructional support on parenting skills in the form of |
| give a parent new ideas on how to care for their | | | | parenting classes or Sunday School classes. They can |
| children better. | | | | also offer practical helps such as babysitting, preschool |
| One of the first places a parent can go for help is | | | | programs, scouting programs and consignment sales |
| parenting magazines. As a rule magazines will give a | | | | for children's clothing. They can be a social outlet for |
| good overview on accepted thoughts on child | | | | parents and their kids. They are also a good place to |
| development and health issues. Every once in a while | | | | find other parents with the same values that you have. |
| a magazine will publish something that seems a bit off | | | | Books are a great source of parenting advice by the |
| or contrary to common sense. This can happen can | | | | experts and can be purchased online or in bookstores. |
| magazines can be inclined to be a bit sensational to sell | | | | Another great source of books is your public library. |
| more issues. | | | | Books can give you the perspective from other |
| Another source of help is your child's school counselor. | | | | parents, as well as educational and medical experts. |
| They can be a great place to go if your child has | | | | People you know like your friends who are parents, |
| learning disabilities or problems with friends in school. | | | | your own parents and your grandparents can be a |
| Anytime a child is having difficulty in school, a school | | | | source of help. Friends can swap babysitting, parenting |
| counselor is one to approach. | | | | anecdotes and sympathy with you. Your parents can |
| Your child's teacher is also a great source of help. A | | | | also be a source of advice, but do not feel you must |
| teacher spends hours a day in a room with twenty or | | | | follow their advice just because they are your parents. |
| more youngsters of approximately the same age. A | | | | You are still the parent of your child and must weigh all |
| teacher will have a good feel for what is the expected | | | | the advice you get before you choose to act on what |
| development for a child of that age. Teachers can | | | | feels right for your child. |
| also give an adult perspective of what is going on | | | | Parenting is a difficult job and parents need all the help |
| between one child and another at school. | | | | they can get. Every child, parent and family situation is |
| The internet can be a dubious source of help for | | | | different, so parents cannot automatically assume that |
| parents. Anybody can publish anything on the internet | | | | advice will translate well to their own circumstances. |
| so be careful of this source. On the other hand the | | | | However the above sources can be very helpful |
| website for a real world parenting resource can be | | | | when considered with care. Sources such as these |
| very helpful. An example of this would be the website | | | | can be great for providing creative new ways of |
| for the La Leche League which offers breastfeeding | | | | considering a problem and its solutions. |
| support or the website for the American Academy for | | | | |