Forming Good Habits in Kids

Up until now, the adage remains true that no one can be 100 percent prepared for parenting. There seems to be a thousand and one cares and concerns that need a mom and dad's attention, down to the most minute and tiniest details. 

I've talked about money and finances as an excellent starting point for pitching ideas to parenting magazines. And yet, what's equally as important, or even more important, than issues with finances is modeling the kind of habits we'd like to see in our kids. 

Values formation has always been emphasized among churches and schools and must be instilled as early as possible. Investing time and energy in children yields the best form of benefits in the long-term.

Good habits must start at home, and cliche as it may sound, values are caught, not taught.

As a freelance writer, build your article proposals on the idea that starting small has many advantages, like developing one good habit at a time (e.g. going to bed on a certain time during schooldays). 

Also, the last thing that kids want to hear are "lectures," or long-winded reminders on what and what not to do.

So to get you started, think about the following when brainstorming:

• Regulating the amount of time they spend watching TV, playing video games, and surfing the Internet
• Teaching them to form good study habits by figuring out what their best styles for learning are
• Getting them started on proper nutrition, and how much exercise they need daily
• Giving them a daily or weekly allowance for their school expenses
• Balancing their time between schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and other hobbies

Vacations vs. "Stay"-cations, and How Families Can Save But Still Have Fun

In addition to weekends, there are school breaks all throughout the year when kids are given time away from the rigors of the classroom. And parents look for ways to keep their kids preoccupied and entertained during school breaks. 

And coming up with ideas on what to do during these breaks may be your gateway for getting published in parenting magazines.

Very recently, a number of articles have enumerated the benefits of families having "stay"-cations, or choosing to stay at home and have lots of activities over going on a trip abroad, where expenses for airfare, hotel rates, and food are sure to rack up a huge amount.

However, it can also be noted that several airlines, from time to time, offer promos like affordable trips to popular theme parks like Hong Kong Disneyland, and many parents are looking into this as a cost-effective way to take a vacation.

As you can see, there is a goldmine of ideas for articles from these contrasting points of view. But regardless of whether you're for a "stay"-cation or vacation, put your emphasis on the following:

• The joys of getting together and spending time as a family
• The value of relaxation, and how it can make both parents and kids feel recharged
• Getting the kids excited about planning the activities, games, snacks, and refreshments. This will encourage kids to be as imaginative as possible and let their creative juices flow.

Pitching Ideas to Parenting Magazines: Keep the Mindset of Consumer Moms and Dads in Mind

If you're a freelance writer and you'd like to break into parenting magazines, an excellent way to launch your career would be to pitch ideas for articles on how parents and families can achieve financial wellness.

Consider these facts: Even if this may be the age of two-income households, the majority of married couples prefer to keep their families small to keep expenses at bay. And yet, disagreement over financial issues still remain to be one of the most common triggers of marital disputes. 

There are a variety of other reasons that articles about finances are perennially welcome in parenting magazines. A couple may go through stages in their marriage, but money, or issues about money, must always be settled if marital harmony were to be preserved. 

The good news is you need not be a financial expert or certified adviser to give solid advice to readers.  Since parenting magazines hope to appeal to couples of all income brackets, managing editors prefer contributions from freelance writers of different stripes.

You may be a parent yourself, and you and your spouse are working as a team to provide for your children. And surely, even single adults who practice frugal spending habits have something worthwhile to share.

So, to get you started, let me cite some of the most common concerns among parents: 

• Living within their means by coming up with a household budget, which may include payment for rent, food, clothing, water, electricity, telephone, and utility bills
• Paying for their kids' education
• Spending money on entertainment, trips, and vacations 
• Setting aside a portion of their income for savings and investments
• Saving for their retirement  

In my next few articles I'll talk about possible ways to approach these issues.