10 Activities about SELF CONTROL:
1) DEFINING SELF CONTROL Not doing what you feel like doing because you know it’s what God wants. Explain that having self control does NOT mean you won’t feel like hitting your brother or throwing the toy or slamming the door. It just means you don’t act on those feelings.
2) BUILDING WORDS Read Jeremiah 24:5-7. God says of his people, that He will build them up, not tear them down. Our words can do those two things as well; they can build up and they can tear down. In fact, nearly all our words fall into those two categories. Teach your children to control their tongue by reminding them to only speak building words.
3) DELAYED GRATIFICATION It’s never too early to start teaching children delayed gratification. Not all rewards are instant! If children help Mom clean the house today, make it a reward to go to the park the next day. The younger children are, the less time they can wait and still be able to associate the two events.
4) ANGER MANAGEMENT Anger in preschoolers is usually rooted in frustration. Typically, it’s because they are not getting their way or they are not being understood. Some tips to help children control this emotion are; 1) Help them use words. If they can’t express themselves, sometimes you can do it for them. “You are frustrated that we can’t go outside to play right now, I understand.” Just being understood can help calm the storm. 2) If they are young, distract them. They’d rather be happy! 3) If they are older, separate them from the situation.
5) NEVER BORED The ability to occupy your mind constructively definitely promotes self control. Billy Graham is quoted as saying, “Only those who want everything done for them are bored.” Teach your children to make their own fun. There’s never an excuse to be bored! “Only small minds are bored” ~ unknown
6) MARSHMALLOW EXPERIMENT Leave your child alone with a marshmallow and a bell. Tell them that if they ring the bell, you will return and they can eat the marshmallow, OR, if they wait for you to come back into the room on your own, they can have 2 marshmallows. See what happens and use the example to talk about and explain self control.
7) FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT Make a fruit tree poster, or some other way to display the fruits of the Spirit that are listed in Galatians 5:22-23. How does self control help us with the other fruits?
8) YES MOMMY. “Self-control is learned in small children by having to say “no” to themselves and “yes” to their parents. We therefore, must offer our children especially strong leadership for the first few years of their life, giving them little say in the decisions we make for them. They must not be included as a part of the “parental leadership team,” not only because they must learn the self-denial which comes from following parental leadership, but because psychologically, their small shoulders can’t handle the stress of running the home. Children, once relieved of such duties, ultimately become secure and happy.” (Reb Bradley) Teach your children to respond to you immediately with a clear “Yes, Mommy.”
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Joy Activities - Building Character in your Children
10 Activities about JOY:
1. “THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH”- Teach your children this wonderful chorus. Teach them that we choose our moods, then, when grumpy attitudes start to appear, just start singing it.
2. BE A BLESSING – Remind your children daily that we are to be a blessing wherever we go. Give them ideas on how to “bless” others (holding doors, smiling, using manners, cleaning up a mess you didn’t make).
3. PREPARE FOR SUCCESS – Nothing will zap a kids joy like undue failure. Make sure your kids are prepared for whatever task or game you embark them on. Not knowing the rules or not having the necessary skills is a definite joy-snatcher.
4. “J.O.Y. DAYS” - Ask your children what they think God wants us to pay attention to. God wants us to put him first (Deut 6:5) then others (Mark 12:31). JOY stands for Jesus first, Yourself last and Others in between. A JOY day is when you do something for everyone else in your house that puts them before you. For example, playing your brothers favorite game with him, even if it’s not your favorite. Parents too.
5. SMILE CONTEST – Just like a staring contest, only see who can smile the longest. It’s contagious!
6. DANCE – Go ahead, pull out those old CD’s (tapes, 8-tracks) and have some fun dancing around the living room with your children. 2 Samuel 6:14 says, “And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.”
7. FINISH THE FAIRYTALE – Start telling your children a story where everything goes wrong. Then, help them make up a fairytale ending, where everything turns out happily ever after. This helps them to think positively, that things can work out. Life may not always be a fairy tale, but we know that in the great scheme of things God is victorious and we will have our happily ever after in heaven with Him.
8. PLAY TIME – Take time every day to play with your kids, doing something that they request. Make a point to smile, be goofy and play at their level.
9. “___________” DAY – Once a month have a day for each of your children. Let them pick the meals for the day and a family activity for after dinner. They will look forward to their special day all month and this will create many wonderful family memories.
10. BE A BRANCH – Take a walk and look at a variety of plants, noticing the branches and the vines (trunks). Look at some pictures of grapevines. Read John 15:1-11 with your children and ask them what the branches are supposed to do. Ask them if they are a branch. Ask them what kind of fruit they would grow. Then ask what kind of things (fruit) does God (the gardener) want us to grow in our lives. Finish by having them draw a picture of the Gardener, the Vine and the branches.
1. “THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH”- Teach your children this wonderful chorus. Teach them that we choose our moods, then, when grumpy attitudes start to appear, just start singing it.
2. BE A BLESSING – Remind your children daily that we are to be a blessing wherever we go. Give them ideas on how to “bless” others (holding doors, smiling, using manners, cleaning up a mess you didn’t make).
3. PREPARE FOR SUCCESS – Nothing will zap a kids joy like undue failure. Make sure your kids are prepared for whatever task or game you embark them on. Not knowing the rules or not having the necessary skills is a definite joy-snatcher.
4. “J.O.Y. DAYS” - Ask your children what they think God wants us to pay attention to. God wants us to put him first (Deut 6:5) then others (Mark 12:31). JOY stands for Jesus first, Yourself last and Others in between. A JOY day is when you do something for everyone else in your house that puts them before you. For example, playing your brothers favorite game with him, even if it’s not your favorite. Parents too.
5. SMILE CONTEST – Just like a staring contest, only see who can smile the longest. It’s contagious!
6. DANCE – Go ahead, pull out those old CD’s (tapes, 8-tracks) and have some fun dancing around the living room with your children. 2 Samuel 6:14 says, “And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.”
7. FINISH THE FAIRYTALE – Start telling your children a story where everything goes wrong. Then, help them make up a fairytale ending, where everything turns out happily ever after. This helps them to think positively, that things can work out. Life may not always be a fairy tale, but we know that in the great scheme of things God is victorious and we will have our happily ever after in heaven with Him.
8. PLAY TIME – Take time every day to play with your kids, doing something that they request. Make a point to smile, be goofy and play at their level.
9. “___________” DAY – Once a month have a day for each of your children. Let them pick the meals for the day and a family activity for after dinner. They will look forward to their special day all month and this will create many wonderful family memories.
10. BE A BRANCH – Take a walk and look at a variety of plants, noticing the branches and the vines (trunks). Look at some pictures of grapevines. Read John 15:1-11 with your children and ask them what the branches are supposed to do. Ask them if they are a branch. Ask them what kind of fruit they would grow. Then ask what kind of things (fruit) does God (the gardener) want us to grow in our lives. Finish by having them draw a picture of the Gardener, the Vine and the branches.
Patience Activities - Building Character in your Children
10 Activities about PATIENCE:
1) PLANT A GARDEN Gardening takes patience because we must wait on God’s timing. Plan a garden for the spring….there’s so much they can learn from it! http://www.ehow.com/how_110539_start-vegetable-garden.html
2) MAKE BREAD FROM SCRATCH Start by explaining that most of the work has already been done. We don’t have to plant the grain, tend to it, harvest it, thrash it, winnow it or grind it up. All we have to do is open the bag of flour, mix, knead, rise and bake it. It’s a process that can’t be rushed and requires patience.
3) PACK A PATIENCE BAG Help your child pack a small bag that they can have in the car or take with them to places where they may have to be patient. It can include a notebook, pencil, card game, toy…whatever they choose.
4) ANYTIME/ANYWHERE Teach your child games and activities that they can do anytime anywhere (nothing needed). Some examples are “I SPY”, “20 Questions”, “Rock, Paper, Scissors” or the “And Then” game. (That’s where kids take turns telling a story; when they are ready for the next person to start telling the story they say “And Then”) Include activities they can do alone, like, counting the squares on the floor, count the cars that go by, find every letter in the alphabet, people watching, etc..
5) “FARMER BOY” Read this classic by Laura Ingalls Wilder aloud to your children. They will hear how things used to be. It is the story of what Almonzo’s life was like at 9 years old. Boys and girls will be amazed at how much work was involved in day to day life. They will hear about how Almonzo patiently waited to be able to train his dad’s horses.
6) DO A PUZZLE Constructing a puzzle or a model or anything that takes more than a day, helps a child learn patience. For younger children, playing simple games where the players take turns will encourage patience. You can help them understand the concept by saying, “I am having fun watching everyone else go as I patiently wait for my turn.”
7) A PENNY SAVED Is there something your child really wants? Don’t miss the opportunity to let them earn it themselves. Give them a list of extra chores that you would pay them to do. Let them figure out other ways to earn money (shoveling sidewalks, walking pets) and make it an event when they get to go make their purchase.
8) GO FISHING What a great way to learn patience! So many fun things to look at, to think about and to talk about while you are waiting for the fish to bite. There’s a fishing pond near the intersection of River Styx and Blake Road.
9) PATIENCE IN THE BIBLE Read the stories of Joseph and Jacob. What did Joseph do while he was waiting in jail? What did Jacob do while he was waiting to marry Rachel? (You could also do Job and David). Act out the stories. Do they have anything in common? Does the Lord ever use waiting time to draw us closer to him?
10) WATCH A SUNRISE OR SUNSET Weather permitting, lay outside with your child at dusk and watch the colors change as the sun slowly descends. Notice each little change that happens moment by moment. Then watch the stars pop into view. There’s so much more we see when we patiently watch.
1) PLANT A GARDEN Gardening takes patience because we must wait on God’s timing. Plan a garden for the spring….there’s so much they can learn from it! http://www.ehow.com/how_110539_start-vegetable-garden.html
2) MAKE BREAD FROM SCRATCH Start by explaining that most of the work has already been done. We don’t have to plant the grain, tend to it, harvest it, thrash it, winnow it or grind it up. All we have to do is open the bag of flour, mix, knead, rise and bake it. It’s a process that can’t be rushed and requires patience.
3) PACK A PATIENCE BAG Help your child pack a small bag that they can have in the car or take with them to places where they may have to be patient. It can include a notebook, pencil, card game, toy…whatever they choose.
4) ANYTIME/ANYWHERE Teach your child games and activities that they can do anytime anywhere (nothing needed). Some examples are “I SPY”, “20 Questions”, “Rock, Paper, Scissors” or the “And Then” game. (That’s where kids take turns telling a story; when they are ready for the next person to start telling the story they say “And Then”) Include activities they can do alone, like, counting the squares on the floor, count the cars that go by, find every letter in the alphabet, people watching, etc..
5) “FARMER BOY” Read this classic by Laura Ingalls Wilder aloud to your children. They will hear how things used to be. It is the story of what Almonzo’s life was like at 9 years old. Boys and girls will be amazed at how much work was involved in day to day life. They will hear about how Almonzo patiently waited to be able to train his dad’s horses.
6) DO A PUZZLE Constructing a puzzle or a model or anything that takes more than a day, helps a child learn patience. For younger children, playing simple games where the players take turns will encourage patience. You can help them understand the concept by saying, “I am having fun watching everyone else go as I patiently wait for my turn.”
7) A PENNY SAVED Is there something your child really wants? Don’t miss the opportunity to let them earn it themselves. Give them a list of extra chores that you would pay them to do. Let them figure out other ways to earn money (shoveling sidewalks, walking pets) and make it an event when they get to go make their purchase.
8) GO FISHING What a great way to learn patience! So many fun things to look at, to think about and to talk about while you are waiting for the fish to bite. There’s a fishing pond near the intersection of River Styx and Blake Road.
9) PATIENCE IN THE BIBLE Read the stories of Joseph and Jacob. What did Joseph do while he was waiting in jail? What did Jacob do while he was waiting to marry Rachel? (You could also do Job and David). Act out the stories. Do they have anything in common? Does the Lord ever use waiting time to draw us closer to him?
10) WATCH A SUNRISE OR SUNSET Weather permitting, lay outside with your child at dusk and watch the colors change as the sun slowly descends. Notice each little change that happens moment by moment. Then watch the stars pop into view. There’s so much more we see when we patiently watch.
Trust Activities - Building Character in your Children
10 Activities about TRUST:
1. TRUST AND OBEY- Teach your children the chorus to this hymn. When they are troubled or anxious you can hum it to them as a reminder of who they can trust.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. MY SHEPHERD – Memorize the 23rd Psalm with your children. 1) Have them draw a picture for each phrase and hang them on the wall in order. They can use the pictures to remember and recite the psalm. 2) Cut out 12 outlines of your child’s foot. Write a phrase on each footstep and have your children memorize it “step by step”. Let them walk on them as they say them. See if they can correctly arrange them.
3. THE DECEIVER – Read and retell the story of Eve and the Serpent. How was Eve deceived? To deceive is to cause or allow someone to believe something that is untrue. Helping children grasp that deceit is the wrecking ball of trust is valuable. Build a “trust” wall of blocks then throw a ball of deceit at it. The wall has to be rebuilt, or it will never be the same.
4. ILLUSIONS – Simple magic tricks are ways to show your children that our senses can be deceived. It’s important to be clear that there is no mysticism or “magic power” or wizardry (see Deuteronomy 18:9-11). Teaching them a few simple tricks (after you amaze them) will show them that they can’t always trust their senses! There are DVD’s at the library that will teach your children some tricks.
5. TRUST FALL – Have your children stand with their back to you, their arms crossed over their chest and their eyes closed. Then tell them to fall back. Please be sure and catch them quickly. If they put their foot back, have them try again. Have them describe how it felt to trust you to catch them. Would they trust their friends to catch them? Why or why not? Explain that God is worthy of our trust, always.
6. FLOATING – Next time your kids are swimming, take some time to show them how to float. Floating is easier when you relax and trust the water to hold you up. How is that similar to our feeling when we trust God?
7. LITTLE JOE – “The Ballad of Little Joe” is a veggie tale show about the life of Joseph (the DVD is available at the library). It clearly shows Joseph trusting God, even in the hard times.
8. “THE VERY WORRIED SPARROW” by Meryl Doney. Read this fun book with your children and discuss how we can trust God to provide for all our needs.
9. I CAN TRUST…. Help your children create a list of the people and things they can trust. My kids came up with things I never thought of, like the sun, time and water.
10. TRUST WALK – Blindfold your kids and lead them through a long walk inside and out (try to confuse their sense of direction). Have them guess where they are at the end before you take off the blindfold. How did it feel being led by someone they trust? We can have that same confidence as God leads us.
1. TRUST AND OBEY- Teach your children the chorus to this hymn. When they are troubled or anxious you can hum it to them as a reminder of who they can trust.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other wayTo be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2. MY SHEPHERD – Memorize the 23rd Psalm with your children. 1) Have them draw a picture for each phrase and hang them on the wall in order. They can use the pictures to remember and recite the psalm. 2) Cut out 12 outlines of your child’s foot. Write a phrase on each footstep and have your children memorize it “step by step”. Let them walk on them as they say them. See if they can correctly arrange them.
3. THE DECEIVER – Read and retell the story of Eve and the Serpent. How was Eve deceived? To deceive is to cause or allow someone to believe something that is untrue. Helping children grasp that deceit is the wrecking ball of trust is valuable. Build a “trust” wall of blocks then throw a ball of deceit at it. The wall has to be rebuilt, or it will never be the same.
4. ILLUSIONS – Simple magic tricks are ways to show your children that our senses can be deceived. It’s important to be clear that there is no mysticism or “magic power” or wizardry (see Deuteronomy 18:9-11). Teaching them a few simple tricks (after you amaze them) will show them that they can’t always trust their senses! There are DVD’s at the library that will teach your children some tricks.
5. TRUST FALL – Have your children stand with their back to you, their arms crossed over their chest and their eyes closed. Then tell them to fall back. Please be sure and catch them quickly. If they put their foot back, have them try again. Have them describe how it felt to trust you to catch them. Would they trust their friends to catch them? Why or why not? Explain that God is worthy of our trust, always.
6. FLOATING – Next time your kids are swimming, take some time to show them how to float. Floating is easier when you relax and trust the water to hold you up. How is that similar to our feeling when we trust God?
7. LITTLE JOE – “The Ballad of Little Joe” is a veggie tale show about the life of Joseph (the DVD is available at the library). It clearly shows Joseph trusting God, even in the hard times.
8. “THE VERY WORRIED SPARROW” by Meryl Doney. Read this fun book with your children and discuss how we can trust God to provide for all our needs.
9. I CAN TRUST…. Help your children create a list of the people and things they can trust. My kids came up with things I never thought of, like the sun, time and water.
10. TRUST WALK – Blindfold your kids and lead them through a long walk inside and out (try to confuse their sense of direction). Have them guess where they are at the end before you take off the blindfold. How did it feel being led by someone they trust? We can have that same confidence as God leads us.
Stewardship Activities - Building Character in your Children
10 Activities about STEWARDSHIP:
1. HEALTHY EATING – Help your children establish healthy eating at a young age. Explain that this body is our vehicle while on earth and we need to keep it in tiptop shape! Here are some tips that I have found helpful.
a) Serve dessert occasionally, maybe a couple times a week.
b) Don’t make your children clean their plate. Allow them to serve themselves to choose their portions. They should have a little of each of the healthy choices you provide.
c) No foods are “bad” and YOU LIKE EVERYTHING! Teach them about anytime foods (veggies and fruit) and once in awhile foods (chips, fried foods, processed meat, sweets)
d) If you are picky, if you snack all day, if you eat junk, if you overeat, your children will model your behavior. OUCH!
2. TRAINING THE BODY – Kids need to know that they can train their body to accomplish things. If they dribble a soccer ball every day, their body will learn to react quicker and be more efficient…and they will become proficient! Same with basketball or ballet or video games or playing an instrument. Our bodies need to be trained to become good at something. It takes persistent effort. To illustrate this, you could time your child holding their breath. Do it a few times a day for a week and show them how they “trained their body”. Explain that this works with other activities. Then help your child pick an activity to do every day for 15 minutes.
3. SLEEP NEEDS – Many kids are walking around with sleep debts. Make it a priority for your whole family to get enough sleep. You will be amazed at the results.
4. NERF (Nutrition, Exercise, Rest, Fun) – All of these are needed for optimal health. We’ve discussed the first three. Encourage your children to create their own fun. Get away from the need to be entertained and help them use their imagination. Put on plays or skits about a Bible story; put on a circus; play “And Then”.
5. 10 MINUTE TIDY – God calls us to be good stewards of all he has given us…and that includes our toys. Toys that are left out lose their pieces or get stepped on and broken. Make a game out of clean up. Set a timer and play some music.
6. INSPECTION – Work with you child to create an age appropriate check list for inspection. Items that might be on it are: finger nails, hands, closet floor, behind the ears, under the bed, bathroom sink area…etc. You can have scheduled inspections or surprise ones. Give them a score and reward them for having a good inspection.
7. MONEY IS A TOOL – Show your children some tools (hammer, screwdriver, level, saw). Ask them what each one does. How silly would it be for someone to cling to a saw when they don’t ever cut anything? Money is a tool. We don’t cling to tools, we use them. As believers, money is a tool that God gives us to do His work.
8. BE A BLESSING – Remind your children daily that we are to be a blessing wherever we go. Give them ideas on how to “bless” others (holding doors, smiling, using manners, cleaning up a mess you didn’t make).
9. WASTE NOT WANT NOT – Take your kids to tour the large transfer station in Seville. They will be amazed at the volume of garbage processed there! They will also give you tips on how to dispose of the garbage so that they can recycle. Discuss recycling with your kids and make a family plan.
10. NUMBER YOUR DAYS – Figure out how many days your child has been alive, figure out how many days you have been alive. Tell your children that each day is a special gift from God for them to use. What will they do with it? Give tomorrow a “number” and plan a special day.
1. HEALTHY EATING – Help your children establish healthy eating at a young age. Explain that this body is our vehicle while on earth and we need to keep it in tiptop shape! Here are some tips that I have found helpful.
a) Serve dessert occasionally, maybe a couple times a week.
b) Don’t make your children clean their plate. Allow them to serve themselves to choose their portions. They should have a little of each of the healthy choices you provide.
c) No foods are “bad” and YOU LIKE EVERYTHING! Teach them about anytime foods (veggies and fruit) and once in awhile foods (chips, fried foods, processed meat, sweets)
d) If you are picky, if you snack all day, if you eat junk, if you overeat, your children will model your behavior. OUCH!
2. TRAINING THE BODY – Kids need to know that they can train their body to accomplish things. If they dribble a soccer ball every day, their body will learn to react quicker and be more efficient…and they will become proficient! Same with basketball or ballet or video games or playing an instrument. Our bodies need to be trained to become good at something. It takes persistent effort. To illustrate this, you could time your child holding their breath. Do it a few times a day for a week and show them how they “trained their body”. Explain that this works with other activities. Then help your child pick an activity to do every day for 15 minutes.
3. SLEEP NEEDS – Many kids are walking around with sleep debts. Make it a priority for your whole family to get enough sleep. You will be amazed at the results.
4. NERF (Nutrition, Exercise, Rest, Fun) – All of these are needed for optimal health. We’ve discussed the first three. Encourage your children to create their own fun. Get away from the need to be entertained and help them use their imagination. Put on plays or skits about a Bible story; put on a circus; play “And Then”.
5. 10 MINUTE TIDY – God calls us to be good stewards of all he has given us…and that includes our toys. Toys that are left out lose their pieces or get stepped on and broken. Make a game out of clean up. Set a timer and play some music.
6. INSPECTION – Work with you child to create an age appropriate check list for inspection. Items that might be on it are: finger nails, hands, closet floor, behind the ears, under the bed, bathroom sink area…etc. You can have scheduled inspections or surprise ones. Give them a score and reward them for having a good inspection.
7. MONEY IS A TOOL – Show your children some tools (hammer, screwdriver, level, saw). Ask them what each one does. How silly would it be for someone to cling to a saw when they don’t ever cut anything? Money is a tool. We don’t cling to tools, we use them. As believers, money is a tool that God gives us to do His work.
8. BE A BLESSING – Remind your children daily that we are to be a blessing wherever we go. Give them ideas on how to “bless” others (holding doors, smiling, using manners, cleaning up a mess you didn’t make).
9. WASTE NOT WANT NOT – Take your kids to tour the large transfer station in Seville. They will be amazed at the volume of garbage processed there! They will also give you tips on how to dispose of the garbage so that they can recycle. Discuss recycling with your kids and make a family plan.
10. NUMBER YOUR DAYS – Figure out how many days your child has been alive, figure out how many days you have been alive. Tell your children that each day is a special gift from God for them to use. What will they do with it? Give tomorrow a “number” and plan a special day.
Orderliness Activities - Building Character in your Children
10 Activities about ORDERLINESS:
1. EVERYTHING HAS A PLACE Help your child go through their room and make sure everything has a place. If they know where everything belongs, it is much easier for them to keep their room tidy. Make it fun by pretending that the toys have an opinion about it (like in Toy Story).
2. CREATION Draw a picture about each day of Creation, and then try mixing up the order. If God had created the animals first, He wouldn’t have had anywhere to put them! God is a God of order, and He does everything in the best, most logical way. Ask your children to point out things that have to be done in order (like getting ready for bed).
3. “STEPS” POSTER Pick an area where your child needs more order (picking up room, getting ready for bed, doing chores, etc). Help them create a poster with the steps to getting it done. It should be between 3-4 steps. Make it colorful and fun. They will love following their poster’s direction!
4. BOOKCASE FUN Orderliness includes sequencing, classifying, categorizing and coordinating. Many of these can be learned using a bookcase. Have them count their books. Have them organize them by subject. Have them arrange them by size. Have them sort out the books that they don’t read anymore to be donated somewhere.
5. CLASSIFY ANIMALS Find some old animal magazines and have the kids cut out pictures of every kind of animal. The more the better. Or you can purchase animal cards. Then, find 3 boxes and some index cards to make labels for them. Your children will love sorting them! Some possible labels are (carnivore, omnivore, herbivore) (water dweller, land dweller, air dweller) (wild animals, domestic animals)
6. A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 with your children and discuss verse one. Ask them what they need to do each day. Eat, sleep, play, learn, chores, help others, pray. Moms - make sure you take time each day to play with your kids. This time with them will go fast.
7. A YEAR IN 12 DAYS This takes a little preparation, but can be a fun thing to do in the winter. Have a January day (celebrate the New Year, play in the snow, have hot chocolate), then, the next day do a February day (make Valentines…), then March…all the way through December. It’s a fun way to show the kids the sequence of a year.
8. WHAT SEASON Make a sign for each season and space them out on the floor. Then ask your kids questions and they respond by getting to the right season. For example, when do we go sledding? When is Daddy’s birthday? When do we celebrate Thanksgiving? When do the flowers come up?
9. DAILY SCHEDULE Most kids like to know what will be happening each day. There is comfort in knowing what to expect. Make a simple schedule that works with yours that your children can follow.
10. CLEANING OUT Help your children learn to clean out a space using the 3 box method (“Put Away”, “Give Away” and “Throw Away”) . First, let them help you do one of your areas, so they get the idea, then do one of theirs.
1. EVERYTHING HAS A PLACE Help your child go through their room and make sure everything has a place. If they know where everything belongs, it is much easier for them to keep their room tidy. Make it fun by pretending that the toys have an opinion about it (like in Toy Story).
2. CREATION Draw a picture about each day of Creation, and then try mixing up the order. If God had created the animals first, He wouldn’t have had anywhere to put them! God is a God of order, and He does everything in the best, most logical way. Ask your children to point out things that have to be done in order (like getting ready for bed).
3. “STEPS” POSTER Pick an area where your child needs more order (picking up room, getting ready for bed, doing chores, etc). Help them create a poster with the steps to getting it done. It should be between 3-4 steps. Make it colorful and fun. They will love following their poster’s direction!
4. BOOKCASE FUN Orderliness includes sequencing, classifying, categorizing and coordinating. Many of these can be learned using a bookcase. Have them count their books. Have them organize them by subject. Have them arrange them by size. Have them sort out the books that they don’t read anymore to be donated somewhere.
5. CLASSIFY ANIMALS Find some old animal magazines and have the kids cut out pictures of every kind of animal. The more the better. Or you can purchase animal cards. Then, find 3 boxes and some index cards to make labels for them. Your children will love sorting them! Some possible labels are (carnivore, omnivore, herbivore) (water dweller, land dweller, air dweller) (wild animals, domestic animals)
6. A TIME FOR EVERY PURPOSE Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 with your children and discuss verse one. Ask them what they need to do each day. Eat, sleep, play, learn, chores, help others, pray. Moms - make sure you take time each day to play with your kids. This time with them will go fast.
7. A YEAR IN 12 DAYS This takes a little preparation, but can be a fun thing to do in the winter. Have a January day (celebrate the New Year, play in the snow, have hot chocolate), then, the next day do a February day (make Valentines…), then March…all the way through December. It’s a fun way to show the kids the sequence of a year.
8. WHAT SEASON Make a sign for each season and space them out on the floor. Then ask your kids questions and they respond by getting to the right season. For example, when do we go sledding? When is Daddy’s birthday? When do we celebrate Thanksgiving? When do the flowers come up?
9. DAILY SCHEDULE Most kids like to know what will be happening each day. There is comfort in knowing what to expect. Make a simple schedule that works with yours that your children can follow.
10. CLEANING OUT Help your children learn to clean out a space using the 3 box method (“Put Away”, “Give Away” and “Throw Away”) . First, let them help you do one of your areas, so they get the idea, then do one of theirs.
Honor Activities - Building Character in your Children
10 Activities about HONOR:
1. Make a Fruit of the Spirit Tree – cut out fruit shapes and label them with the fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-25. Use it to commend children for demonstrating each quality. Discuss how growing these qualities can help us to honor God and others.
2. Country of the Week – learn about other countries and cultures because they deserve our respect and courtesy as they are also made in God’s image.
3. Homemade Play dough – Make play dough and create something with it. Discuss with your children how God created us and how we are made in His image. Here is a play dough recipe:
¾ cup flour
½ cup salt
1 ½ teaspoon powdered alum
1 ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
½ cup boiling water
food coloring
Mix flour salt and alum in a bowl. Add oil and boiling water. Stir vigorously until well blended. Dough should not stick to sides of bowl and should be cool enough to handle. Add coloring and knead it into dough until blended. Makes about 1 cup. Dough will keep several months without refrigeration.
4. Make an “All About Me” book – How tall? How old? What are your child’s favorite things? Favorite foods? What are things you do together? What traditions do you have? You can do the writing and your child can do the illustrating.
5. Self Portrait - This can be a cover for their book. Framing a special artwork like a self portrait is very affirming to the child. It doesn’t have to be perfect as long as they are excited and proud of it.
6. Fingerprints – Have your children make pictures out of their fingerprints. Discuss how fingerprints are unique. What else makes each person unique?
7. Bible Memory Verse – Have your children memorize Exodus 20:12. This is the only one of the Ten Commandments that has a promise attached to it. What is the promise? Honoring parents must be really important if God made it one of the big 10. Ask your children why it must be so important. Explain to your children how they can honor you in specific ways. (Showing good manners, being respectful of parents and the family rules)
8. Read a Phone Book – Have your child read the names on one page of the phone book. Have them think how each name represents a real person. What is each one like? God knows! God knows everything about every person on every page of every phone book in every city in every country. And He knows all the unlisted, too! J
9. Hide and Seek – Play traditional hide and seek and ask your kids if they can hide form God. Then play Hide the Thimble (or some other small object). They will see how hard it is to find. Isn’t it great that God always knows where we are? We can’t hide from Him.
10. How “Honor” is Used - Have your children brainstorm all the ways the word “honor” is used. What does each mean? (Your honor, On my honor I will try to do my duty…, honorable mention, honor system, graduate with honors, you do the honors, to love, honor and obey…)
1. Make a Fruit of the Spirit Tree – cut out fruit shapes and label them with the fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-25. Use it to commend children for demonstrating each quality. Discuss how growing these qualities can help us to honor God and others.
2. Country of the Week – learn about other countries and cultures because they deserve our respect and courtesy as they are also made in God’s image.
3. Homemade Play dough – Make play dough and create something with it. Discuss with your children how God created us and how we are made in His image. Here is a play dough recipe:
¾ cup flour
½ cup salt
1 ½ teaspoon powdered alum
1 ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
½ cup boiling water
food coloring
Mix flour salt and alum in a bowl. Add oil and boiling water. Stir vigorously until well blended. Dough should not stick to sides of bowl and should be cool enough to handle. Add coloring and knead it into dough until blended. Makes about 1 cup. Dough will keep several months without refrigeration.
4. Make an “All About Me” book – How tall? How old? What are your child’s favorite things? Favorite foods? What are things you do together? What traditions do you have? You can do the writing and your child can do the illustrating.
5. Self Portrait - This can be a cover for their book. Framing a special artwork like a self portrait is very affirming to the child. It doesn’t have to be perfect as long as they are excited and proud of it.
6. Fingerprints – Have your children make pictures out of their fingerprints. Discuss how fingerprints are unique. What else makes each person unique?
7. Bible Memory Verse – Have your children memorize Exodus 20:12. This is the only one of the Ten Commandments that has a promise attached to it. What is the promise? Honoring parents must be really important if God made it one of the big 10. Ask your children why it must be so important. Explain to your children how they can honor you in specific ways. (Showing good manners, being respectful of parents and the family rules)
8. Read a Phone Book – Have your child read the names on one page of the phone book. Have them think how each name represents a real person. What is each one like? God knows! God knows everything about every person on every page of every phone book in every city in every country. And He knows all the unlisted, too! J
9. Hide and Seek – Play traditional hide and seek and ask your kids if they can hide form God. Then play Hide the Thimble (or some other small object). They will see how hard it is to find. Isn’t it great that God always knows where we are? We can’t hide from Him.
10. How “Honor” is Used - Have your children brainstorm all the ways the word “honor” is used. What does each mean? (Your honor, On my honor I will try to do my duty…, honorable mention, honor system, graduate with honors, you do the honors, to love, honor and obey…)
Obedience Activities - Building Character in your Children
10 Activities about OBEDIENCE:
1. Who’s in Charge? Discuss with your children who their authorities are. (God, Mom and Dad, grandparents, teachers, babysitters, the President, etc…)
2. Light and Dark Using lightness and darkness, demonstrate how good authority causes us not to stumble or fall.
3. Soldiers Have your kids dress up like soldiers. Give every family member a rank for the day. When given an order, they should respond with “Yes, Sir.” Or “No, Sir.” Have them request leaves and passes. Have them practice giving commands to a lower rank. Make your own boot camp. Visit a military base or talk to someone who has served in the armed forces about obedience. Learn, “I’m in the Lord’s Army”.
4. Curious George Read “Curious George” or “Peter Rabbit”. Is it okay to disobey if you are curious?
5. Family Rules Make a list of family rules. Try to keep it between 3 and 5. Use scripture to support your rules. Let the children help come up with ideas. Make sure the rules are stated in the positive. For example, instead of “No yelling” the rule could be to “Speak with respect for others”. Once you have them figured out, decide consequences for breaking the rules. Discuss having “punishments that fit the crime”. Make sure the children understand the consequences. Lastly, post the rules…frame them?? These should be positive guidelines that the whole family understands.
6. Right away For a week, give your kids points for every time they obey immediately. Teach them that delayed obedience is actually disobedience (just like partial obedience is really disobedience). Let them cash in the points for a treat at the end of the week.
7. Finishing the Job Ask your children why it is important to finish things that we start. God wants us to obey immediately, thoroughly and cheerfully. What happens if we don’t finish the job? (Make cookies, but don’t do the dishes; rake the leaves, but don’t pick them up; fold the laundry, but don’t put it away; write a letter, but don’t send it, brush teeth, but don’t put the cap back on, etc…) Give each child a task that requires finishing and praise and reward them when they finish.
8. Laws and Commandments Have your kids try and list all the laws you have to obey. (Traffic, civil, criminal, biblical, etc…) What are the consequences for disobeying? Use the car seat laws for an example. Discuss why we have police and why they deserve respect.
9. Simon Says Play Simon Says, but change Simon to the authorities in the child’s life. For example, “Mommy says” or “Your Teacher says”. You can throw in ones like “Your friends say” and see what they do. Let them know that friends are not an authority over them.
10. The Joy of the Lord Learn the song and sing with the kids while doing chores:
The Joy of the Lord is my strength (clap, clap) repeat 3 more times
He gives me Living Water and I thirst no more. (clap, clap) repeat 3 more times
1. Who’s in Charge? Discuss with your children who their authorities are. (God, Mom and Dad, grandparents, teachers, babysitters, the President, etc…)
2. Light and Dark Using lightness and darkness, demonstrate how good authority causes us not to stumble or fall.
3. Soldiers Have your kids dress up like soldiers. Give every family member a rank for the day. When given an order, they should respond with “Yes, Sir.” Or “No, Sir.” Have them request leaves and passes. Have them practice giving commands to a lower rank. Make your own boot camp. Visit a military base or talk to someone who has served in the armed forces about obedience. Learn, “I’m in the Lord’s Army”.
4. Curious George Read “Curious George” or “Peter Rabbit”. Is it okay to disobey if you are curious?
5. Family Rules Make a list of family rules. Try to keep it between 3 and 5. Use scripture to support your rules. Let the children help come up with ideas. Make sure the rules are stated in the positive. For example, instead of “No yelling” the rule could be to “Speak with respect for others”. Once you have them figured out, decide consequences for breaking the rules. Discuss having “punishments that fit the crime”. Make sure the children understand the consequences. Lastly, post the rules…frame them?? These should be positive guidelines that the whole family understands.
6. Right away For a week, give your kids points for every time they obey immediately. Teach them that delayed obedience is actually disobedience (just like partial obedience is really disobedience). Let them cash in the points for a treat at the end of the week.
7. Finishing the Job Ask your children why it is important to finish things that we start. God wants us to obey immediately, thoroughly and cheerfully. What happens if we don’t finish the job? (Make cookies, but don’t do the dishes; rake the leaves, but don’t pick them up; fold the laundry, but don’t put it away; write a letter, but don’t send it, brush teeth, but don’t put the cap back on, etc…) Give each child a task that requires finishing and praise and reward them when they finish.
8. Laws and Commandments Have your kids try and list all the laws you have to obey. (Traffic, civil, criminal, biblical, etc…) What are the consequences for disobeying? Use the car seat laws for an example. Discuss why we have police and why they deserve respect.
9. Simon Says Play Simon Says, but change Simon to the authorities in the child’s life. For example, “Mommy says” or “Your Teacher says”. You can throw in ones like “Your friends say” and see what they do. Let them know that friends are not an authority over them.
10. The Joy of the Lord Learn the song and sing with the kids while doing chores:
The Joy of the Lord is my strength (clap, clap) repeat 3 more times
He gives me Living Water and I thirst no more. (clap, clap) repeat 3 more times
Attentiveness Activities- Building Character in your Children
10 Activities about ATTENTIVENESS:
1. “Stop, Look and Listen” This is the correct response for children when their parents call. Do some practice situations of when you would call to your children. Pretend they are playing at a friends house, or you are in a store, or they are outside on the playset. Have them practice the correct response to you calling their name. Have siblings or dad evaluate how well they stop, look and listen. (To show they are listening they say, “Yes mom?”)
2. “Samuel” Read the story of Samuel as a boy being called by Eli. (1 Samuel 3) Have your children act out a play of the story. For the rest of the day, have them answer “Here I am” when you call their name.
3) “Memory” Put 10 items from around the house on a tray and cover it with a towel. Tell the kids they are going to try to remember everything on the tray. Remove the towel for 30 seconds. Have them write (or you write for them) all that they can remember. Then give them a 10 second “peek”. How many did they get? Try this with more objects. Try removing an object and see if they can tell which is gone.
4) “Body Language” Talk about body language with your children. What do people look like who are in a hurry? Who are scared? Who are sad? Who are lost? Who are happy? Next time you are out in a crowd, sit and observe people. See if they can identify someone who’s late, someone who’s happy…etc. Have them observe the kids in their Sunday school class.
5) “In the eye” Explain that it is important to look people in the eye when you are talking to them or they are talking with you. (so they can hear you, so they know you are listening, so you show respect…) Have your child talk with an adult to practice looking them in the eye when talking to them or listening to them (send a message to a neighbor, visit relatives, have them place an order at a restaurant)
6) “Why listen?” Have your kids make a list of all the reasons why it’s important to pay attention (avoid danger, learn, be polite, avoid confusion…) Have your kids act out a play where a child doesn’t listen.
7) “Excuse me” Discuss the right and wrong ways to get an adults attention. Have them act out some of both. Make a list with them of appropriate times to say “Excuse me”. Practice a no interrupting policy at dinner…parents too!!
8) “J.O.Y. Days” Ask your children what they think God wants us to pay attention to. God wants us to put him first (Deut 6:5) then others (Mark 12:31). JOY stands for Jesus first, Yourself last and Others in between. A JOY day is when you do something for everyone else in your house that puts them before you. For example, playing your brothers favorite game with him, even if it’s not your favorite. Parents too.
9) “No ears or no eyes” Have your kids imagine what it would be like not to be able to hear or to see. If they are interested, you could read about Helen Keller. Explain that communication was so important that she found a way. Put ear plugs in your kid’s ears for a mealtime. With close supervision, blindfold them and have them try to do a simple task like brush their teeth.
10) “Act of Kindness” Get out a calendar and pick a person of the week for the next 4 weeks. It could be an elderly neighbor, single mom, relative, friend…anyone. Then brainstorm a list of kind things your family could do for them. Try to do a few of them within the week. This teaches your kids to pay attention to the needs of those around them.
1. “Stop, Look and Listen” This is the correct response for children when their parents call. Do some practice situations of when you would call to your children. Pretend they are playing at a friends house, or you are in a store, or they are outside on the playset. Have them practice the correct response to you calling their name. Have siblings or dad evaluate how well they stop, look and listen. (To show they are listening they say, “Yes mom?”)
2. “Samuel” Read the story of Samuel as a boy being called by Eli. (1 Samuel 3) Have your children act out a play of the story. For the rest of the day, have them answer “Here I am” when you call their name.
3) “Memory” Put 10 items from around the house on a tray and cover it with a towel. Tell the kids they are going to try to remember everything on the tray. Remove the towel for 30 seconds. Have them write (or you write for them) all that they can remember. Then give them a 10 second “peek”. How many did they get? Try this with more objects. Try removing an object and see if they can tell which is gone.
4) “Body Language” Talk about body language with your children. What do people look like who are in a hurry? Who are scared? Who are sad? Who are lost? Who are happy? Next time you are out in a crowd, sit and observe people. See if they can identify someone who’s late, someone who’s happy…etc. Have them observe the kids in their Sunday school class.
5) “In the eye” Explain that it is important to look people in the eye when you are talking to them or they are talking with you. (so they can hear you, so they know you are listening, so you show respect…) Have your child talk with an adult to practice looking them in the eye when talking to them or listening to them (send a message to a neighbor, visit relatives, have them place an order at a restaurant)
6) “Why listen?” Have your kids make a list of all the reasons why it’s important to pay attention (avoid danger, learn, be polite, avoid confusion…) Have your kids act out a play where a child doesn’t listen.
7) “Excuse me” Discuss the right and wrong ways to get an adults attention. Have them act out some of both. Make a list with them of appropriate times to say “Excuse me”. Practice a no interrupting policy at dinner…parents too!!
8) “J.O.Y. Days” Ask your children what they think God wants us to pay attention to. God wants us to put him first (Deut 6:5) then others (Mark 12:31). JOY stands for Jesus first, Yourself last and Others in between. A JOY day is when you do something for everyone else in your house that puts them before you. For example, playing your brothers favorite game with him, even if it’s not your favorite. Parents too.
9) “No ears or no eyes” Have your kids imagine what it would be like not to be able to hear or to see. If they are interested, you could read about Helen Keller. Explain that communication was so important that she found a way. Put ear plugs in your kid’s ears for a mealtime. With close supervision, blindfold them and have them try to do a simple task like brush their teeth.
10) “Act of Kindness” Get out a calendar and pick a person of the week for the next 4 weeks. It could be an elderly neighbor, single mom, relative, friend…anyone. Then brainstorm a list of kind things your family could do for them. Try to do a few of them within the week. This teaches your kids to pay attention to the needs of those around them.
Monday, April 28, 2008
The real Veggie Tales
Here is where to find the Biblical accounts that some of the Veggie Tales are based on:
Try reading them to your children from a simple translation of the Bible. New Century Version or a children’s NIV. I recommend reading it through on your own first so you know the content. The Bible can be graphic (for example: the lions in Daniel's account actually get a very large meal in the end).
“Esther” is found in the book of Esther
“Dave and the Giant Pickle” is found in 1 Samuel 17
“Duke and the Great Pie War” is found in the book of Ruth
“Little Joe” is in Genesis 37, 39-46
“Jonah” is found in the book of Jonah
“Rack Shack & Benny” is found in Daniel 3
“Daniel and the Lion’s Den” is found in Daniel 6
“Josh and the Big Wall” is found in Joshua 5:13 – 6:27
“King George and the Ducky” is found in 2 Samuel 11 & 12
Try reading them to your children from a simple translation of the Bible. New Century Version or a children’s NIV. I recommend reading it through on your own first so you know the content. The Bible can be graphic (for example: the lions in Daniel's account actually get a very large meal in the end).
“Esther” is found in the book of Esther
“Dave and the Giant Pickle” is found in 1 Samuel 17
“Duke and the Great Pie War” is found in the book of Ruth
“Little Joe” is in Genesis 37, 39-46
“Jonah” is found in the book of Jonah
“Rack Shack & Benny” is found in Daniel 3
“Daniel and the Lion’s Den” is found in Daniel 6
“Josh and the Big Wall” is found in Joshua 5:13 – 6:27
“King George and the Ducky” is found in 2 Samuel 11 & 12
Encouraging Your Child’s Faith
Encouraging Your Child’s Faith – 5 Actions
1) LOVE them as Christ LOVES you! This, by far, is the best way to encourage your child’s faith. It puts meaning behind all your actions, rules and boundaries. If they question your love for them, then all the proper parenting in the world won’t really matter.
2) The 3 question devotion. This is a simple fun way to explore the Bible as a family. First, pick a short passage of scripture and read it aloud. I recommend a simple translation like the NLT or the Message. Next, you will need a toy microphone, a graduation cap, and a hand mirror. Hand these out.
a) The person holding the microphone is the “reporter”. They answer the first question of: “What does the passage say?” They are not to add or take away from what is in scripture, and they shouldn’t tell the lesson or what they think about it. This person just restates what the Bible says in their own words.
b) The person wearing the graduation cap is the “teacher”. They are to answer the second question: “What does it mean?” In other words, they sum up the lesson learned from the passage that was read.
c) The person holding the mirror is the “student”. They answer the question: “What does it mean to me?” They look in the mirror (if they want) and share how this scripture can apply to their own life.
3) Right and Wrong. When children accept Christ as their Savior, they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is at work, helping them discern right from wrong. Whenever possible, help them identify this at work.
4) Pray together! When they have a scary dream, when they are sick, when they are hurt by a friend…take it to the Lord together. Make it your first reaction! Teach them how to trust worries to the Lord by example.
5) Forgive…and be forgiven. When children ask for forgiveness and we forgive them, we must do it completely. This does not mean they won’t experience consequences for their actions, but they should know through our words and our eyes, that no bond has been broken with us. Also, when we sin against our children, we are to ask them for forgiveness. They will learn by example!
6) Serve together. What can your family do together for Christ and His Kingdom? Whether it’s donating toys and clothes, helping out another family, or shoveling a neighbor’s sidewalk…do it together and explain that you are doing it for the Lord. Work together to be a blessing to those you encounter.
1) LOVE them as Christ LOVES you! This, by far, is the best way to encourage your child’s faith. It puts meaning behind all your actions, rules and boundaries. If they question your love for them, then all the proper parenting in the world won’t really matter.
2) The 3 question devotion. This is a simple fun way to explore the Bible as a family. First, pick a short passage of scripture and read it aloud. I recommend a simple translation like the NLT or the Message. Next, you will need a toy microphone, a graduation cap, and a hand mirror. Hand these out.
a) The person holding the microphone is the “reporter”. They answer the first question of: “What does the passage say?” They are not to add or take away from what is in scripture, and they shouldn’t tell the lesson or what they think about it. This person just restates what the Bible says in their own words.
b) The person wearing the graduation cap is the “teacher”. They are to answer the second question: “What does it mean?” In other words, they sum up the lesson learned from the passage that was read.
c) The person holding the mirror is the “student”. They answer the question: “What does it mean to me?” They look in the mirror (if they want) and share how this scripture can apply to their own life.
3) Right and Wrong. When children accept Christ as their Savior, they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is at work, helping them discern right from wrong. Whenever possible, help them identify this at work.
4) Pray together! When they have a scary dream, when they are sick, when they are hurt by a friend…take it to the Lord together. Make it your first reaction! Teach them how to trust worries to the Lord by example.
5) Forgive…and be forgiven. When children ask for forgiveness and we forgive them, we must do it completely. This does not mean they won’t experience consequences for their actions, but they should know through our words and our eyes, that no bond has been broken with us. Also, when we sin against our children, we are to ask them for forgiveness. They will learn by example!
6) Serve together. What can your family do together for Christ and His Kingdom? Whether it’s donating toys and clothes, helping out another family, or shoveling a neighbor’s sidewalk…do it together and explain that you are doing it for the Lord. Work together to be a blessing to those you encounter.
Family Devotions
FAMILY DEVOTIONS – A key part of training your child in their faith.
Five key components (from a FOF interview with Bruce Wilkinson):
1) The family devotion should be a regularly scheduled activity.
2) It should include all family members. If not all family members are present, do the devotion anyway with those who are.
3) The devotion should include meaningful activities and family interaction.
4) The devotion should be centered around the Bible and relevant life situations.
5) It should have two goals 1) Building Godly character (who you are) 2) Creating right habits (what you do).
Family devotions are a time to bless, teach and encourage.
Make it value oriented, not knowledge oriented. (Try the formula of: modern day story, similar Bible story, concluding principle)
Do not use it as a time to preach or discipline.
Values passed on to our children are caught, not taught. Nothing will train them more than your example.
Five key components (from a FOF interview with Bruce Wilkinson):
1) The family devotion should be a regularly scheduled activity.
2) It should include all family members. If not all family members are present, do the devotion anyway with those who are.
3) The devotion should include meaningful activities and family interaction.
4) The devotion should be centered around the Bible and relevant life situations.
5) It should have two goals 1) Building Godly character (who you are) 2) Creating right habits (what you do).
Family devotions are a time to bless, teach and encourage.
Make it value oriented, not knowledge oriented. (Try the formula of: modern day story, similar Bible story, concluding principle)
Do not use it as a time to preach or discipline.
Values passed on to our children are caught, not taught. Nothing will train them more than your example.
The Quest for Quiet
If I get up before anyone else, I can usually have quiet for a few minutes. It’s such a peaceful time. Sometimes, I think I enjoy the morning quiet so much that I spend the rest of the day trying to recapture it. However, trying to keep the four kids quiet for longer than 2 ½ seconds only happens in the movies. If you tell them to be quiet more than a couple times, they seem to have some device that tunes out any further requests.
Besides, unless it’s naptime, mom’s should be very wary of quiet. I remember when Jenna was two and Isaac was a baby sitting in his bouncy seat. I was cooking dinner when I noticed the quiet. It snuck up on me. I called to Jenna, “What are you doing?”. She replied in her sweet 2-year old voice, “I’m coloring on Isaac’s... (she stopped herself)…NOTHING!!” Mother’s should also be very wary when their children say “nothing”. I turned the corner to see that Jenna had artistically colored all over Isaac’s face and hands with markers.
Enjoy your quiet in the early morning or late evening. But during the day…go ahead and enjoy the noise.
Besides, unless it’s naptime, mom’s should be very wary of quiet. I remember when Jenna was two and Isaac was a baby sitting in his bouncy seat. I was cooking dinner when I noticed the quiet. It snuck up on me. I called to Jenna, “What are you doing?”. She replied in her sweet 2-year old voice, “I’m coloring on Isaac’s... (she stopped herself)…NOTHING!!” Mother’s should also be very wary when their children say “nothing”. I turned the corner to see that Jenna had artistically colored all over Isaac’s face and hands with markers.
Enjoy your quiet in the early morning or late evening. But during the day…go ahead and enjoy the noise.
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