Name: Pilgrim

From: NJ

Number of kids: 2

Here's a tip that I actually received from my dad, but did not realize it till many years later. Most children go through many short-lived but intense "phases" throughout childhood. My sons have gone the gambit of dinosaurs, jets, police, fire, army, animals, drawing, plate collecting, civil war collecting and much more. We as parents have two options:

1. Ignore them. "Its just a phase, they'll forget it soon enough"
2. Dive in with both feet. Feed the intensity by taking your child to every source of information on the subject that they are currently phased into. Show them how to teach themselves to grab information, to research, and find experts in the field. Yes, it is a short lived phase and they will be over it; but while they are there, you can seize the opportunity to show them how to learn.

When I was young I remember I casually told my dad I was becoming interest in astronomy and grabbed a book at the library showing star formations. My dad scooped me up, threw me in the car, and in a moment was banging on the door of a closed department store begging the manager to let him in to buy a telescope.

At another point, I told him that seashells was my interest. He called Scripps institute of Oceanography in La Jolla. CA to arrange a meeting with a leading conchologist.

He left me a legacy of self-learning that I am passing on to my sons, we can either be lackadaisical in our children's education, or fervent. As for me, fervency made me a success in the business world and my chosen profession and I want nothing less for my kids.

Feel free to send in your own parenting tips and tricks Please submit your tips and tricks via our Tips and Tricks Form.