Here is what it takes to be your child's all time favourite: Goodnight nightmares: Kids usually end up having nightmares. One of the best ways to ward them off is to make them think of nice things like eating their favourite ice-cream or playing their favourite game. Suggesting something pleasant like this will make them feel happy and they'll sleep through the night peacefully. Homework blues: Children hate to do their school work once they come back home. The best way to get them interested in doing their homework is to make them sit right after lunch and try doing some work near them. That way you are not hovering over them but are near enough to help them out. Get them to speak about their feelings: A lot of times children get cranky but just do not know how to vent their feelings. You should encourage them to speak out by having something like a 'cribbing session', where you too complain about what you dislike and that will encourage your child to speak up. Call for help: All moms require help at some point or the other. Few can do everything on their own and so the safest bet is to call someone close to look after the child and help you out, especially when the child is young. Don't be shy to call your sister or mom for a helping hand. Family dinners together: Make it a point to always have family dinners together with no TV, phone or music. Dinner time is the best time for families to bond and discuss the happenings of the day. Sweet tooth: Children can never say 'no' to sweets. So what you should keep in mind is that while having meals put a small portion of the sweet dish in their plates with the rest of the food. This way if they want to have the sweets before they can do so but the small portion wouldn't fill up their tummies to leave the food. The value of friendship: Children need to know that friends are very important. If you notice that they are not getting along well make it a point to encourage them to be friendly with other people. Let them realise that they should avoid bad blood between their mates.