10 Ways to Start your Homeschool Year with a Clean Slate

Ahh, the first day of school: the sharpened pencils and the clean desks, the new books and the eager children. Oh, that we could bottle some of it up and open it in January, when we have to fight the gray winter for control of our kids attitudes. 

Having goals as we begin the year is vital and healthy. It means we are striving to do our best at this exciting task God has allowed us to carry out. Going to public school, the first day was filled with newness. Usually, your new teacher didn’t know about your past successes and failures. You had a clean slate to start from.

We all need that once in awhile. You do, your kids do.

As you set your goals for the year and fill in your schedule, keep in mind that this year is new. It is your chance to rid your school of the things that didn’t work and fill it with things that do. You have a clean slate to work from.

Some tips:

1. Outline your “dream” school day. What time would you start, what subject is first? When would you finish? What other things would your day include? I realize this is a pipe dream. In reality, things will always happen that will interrupt your day or throw it off course. But if you don't have an ideal that you are shooting for - what are you aiming at?
2. Clean your desk. Seriously. Take out all things that don’t apply to this year. A clean desk has the magical power of making you feel like you are caught up. Stacks of papers and books have the opposite effect.
3. Clean off your bookshelves. Make a place for library books.  
4. Prepare an inviting place for everyone to work and an organized place to keep their supplies.
5. Evaluate each family member’s commitments.  Just because you have done something in the past, it doesn’t mean it’s a priority for your time now – life changes.
6. Ask your students, “What do you want to learn about this year?” Now you know what books to get from the library. If learning is relevant, it will be exciting. Make it relevant by incorporating their interests.
7. Plan for variety. Book learning, reading aloud, videos, inside, outside, at the library, putting on plays, fieldtrips, cooking, service projects, nature walks, and picnics. Try having a morning "opener" at their desk each morning. I have used logic puzzles, riddles, word searches, etc... Anything to fire their brain up and get them to their desk.
8. Ask yourself and your students, “What did you like about school last year?” Plan to do more of THAT this year.
9. Figure out WHY you like those things and incorporate those qualities into other areas of school. Was their favorite thing history lesson? Maybe it was because they love having someone read to them. That is something you can work into other subjects.
10. Guard your clean slate – don’t clutter it up with too much stuff. Having relaxed time as a family is a precious commodity. Remember, you are the calendar guardian. It is up to the parents to say when too much is too much. Guard your family time.  

5 Things That Will Actually Prepare You for Christmas

1. Prioritize

I love the scene in Jerry McGuire where he writes his mission statement…the tears in his eyes as he writes and writes and realizes how far he has strayed from his father’s ideals. How he had been living his life with the wrong priorities. He writes this mission statement outlining what should be important and how he should base his decisions.  It changes his life.
What if you wrote a mission statement for the holidays? If you wrote a simple statement that reminded you what is important and how you should base your decisions, it would provide a plumb line for your holiday decision making. What is your end goal for the holidays? Here's an example:

For our family, the Christmas season is a time to celebrate and strengthen our faith, our family, and our friendships. Equally, it is a time to hone the skill of opening our eyes to the needs of others and obeying God’s command to love others. It is not a time to incur debt, stress, or weight.

With a clear goal in mind, we are better equipped to plan how we will spend our time, our money and our efforts.

Take the time to evaluate the things that you do and see if they really fall in line with the values that you express in your mission statement. For example, should we send Christmas cards this year? Perhaps. It can strengthen friend and family relationships. However, it is an expense. Since so many of the people can be reached on facebook, perhaps we should pick a few people who we know aren’t online or would really be blessed by a card. Maybe send cards to soldiers or write a letter of encouragement to a missionary.

2. Pray

Often times we pray as a last resort. We wait until we hit our breaking point before we hit our knees. Once all our resources are exhausted and we see no way through a situation, then we remember to talk to God about things. Have you ever got to Christmas morning and wondered, in the midst of wrapping paper, sweets, toys and feasting….do your children really get it? Do you really get it? We make our plans, fill our schedule and then ask God to bless it. How are we to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness”?

We can begin by spending some quiet time listening to God and reading His word. No it’s not new, flashy or original, but it is effective. Ask Him to reveal himself to you and to your family this Christmas, and then ask Him to give you His wisdom as you guide the family through the season. Ask Him to show you how to keep it Jesus centered.

As soon as you decide to seek God first at Christmas, you will likely get slammed with a dose of worldly logic like, I can’t let my family down, we’ve done it this way for years, I want my kids to have a magical day…expect it, but quiet it.  

 

3. Plan

Now we plan. Some love it and it energizes them, others dislike it and would rather just go with the flow. If we are going to be intentional with this time of year, we need to plan. Without it, we are caught off guard; end up spending money for last minute things, miss opportunities to meet the needs of others, and our good intentions get lost in the busyness and the demands of the moment.

1)      Start with a blank calendar. Add in the important events that have passed the litmus test of your mission statement. Family parties, concerts, commitments, etc. Don’t forget to put in your regular commitments…this helps you spot days where you have big blocks of time available.

2)      Pencil in decorating day, baking days and shopping days. Strategically block out times so you will have the special things ready when they are needed. Remember to evaluate each thing against your plum line. Does spending an entire day making and decorating sugar cookies line up with your mission statement?

For baking: Plan out what you will make ahead of time. Much can be done in advance and frozen. Also, some cookie doughs can be kept in the fridge and baked when needed. I do this with buck-eyes. Keep your pantry stocked. Double or triple recipes so you always have some to share.

For shopping: There are many different philosophies about gift giving at Christmas. There is not one right way to do it – just like there is not one right way to parent children. The important thing is to be both prayerful and intentional. Do the gifts that we buy coincide with our mission statement? Avoid succumbing to the deceptive lure of consumerism. It is helpful to have some universal gifts on hand so you are ready to bless your mailman, babysitter, teacher or hostess. These can be something homemade and economical – making them as a family makes great memories.

3)      Consider advent. In our house, we do an advent reading and activity most nights. When I can, I make the activity go with what we already have going on. For example, on a night we are going to a concert, the activity could be “celebrate Christmas with music”. Or a day after we did baking, the activity could be, “bring bags of treats to a nursing home”.

4. Prepare

This is the meaning of Advent. It’s a time to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Take time each day to prepare your heart and mind – read the Bible and pray. This is a gift to you and to God. Taking the time to quiet your heart enables you to face the activities of each day with patience, kindness and love. Setting that example for our children in invaluable.

5. Play

Have fun, be silly, laugh, and PLAY. Take breaks and play games. Leave room in your schedule to do nothing but be at home as a family. Not just on Christmas and the day after, but throughout the season. Bring joy to your home by giving them a smiling, laughing mother.

Fully be in each moment. As moms and teachers, we are often thinking about the next 5 things we need to do. This creates an urgency that hinders our ability to fully enjoy the moment we are living. Consciously calm your thoughts, take mental pictures of your great family and enjoy this special time of year.

Do I Have To?

I have officially limited my children to only asking me this question once a day. With 4 kids, four times is enough.
"Do I have to do my reading?"
"Do I have to practice piano?"
"Do I have to do my chores?"
and on and on...if I let it.

I once heard you should replace the "have to" with "get to". Then it would be "Do I get to do my chores?" Nice in theory, but if you had that perspective, you wouldn't be asking the question in the first place.

Have I totally missed creating a passion for learning and growth in my children?
Why aren't they jumping out of bed in the morning excited to expand their minds and learn about God's creation? How badly have I messed this homeschooling thing up?

Then I ask myself, what is the heart issue here?
When children ask if they have to do something it is because they would rather do something else. It is because the task seems mundane or meaningless or difficult.
Wait a minute...that sounds familar...
"Ugh. Do I have to make dinner?"
"Ugh. Do I have to fold the laundry?"
"Ugh. Do I have to clean the bathrooms?"
Okay, so I don't say these things out loud, but I do think them. I think them, but then I do the tasks because I have to. And on a good day I'll even remember to do it "as serving the Lord rather than men". Those days rock, because then I find the hidden joy in the mundane.

How do I teach my children to find the hidden joy in the mundane? How do I get them out of the "do I have to" mode and into the "this is the day that the Lord has made" mode?

I start most mornings with prayer and the Book, which gets my heart and mind in line for the day. If my children are getting out of bed and getting right into school without taking time to get in the right mindset, it is no wonder they end up with a bad case of the "do I have to"s.
As the provider of their education, I need to make sure it is 1) engaging 2) at their level and 3)meaningful. As their mom, I need to make sure they have the opportunity to start each day by acknowledging and thanking their Lord.

Hopefully, when they dwell in the knowledge that God has given them these opportunities to homeschool and to learn and to develop skills and to contribute to house and home...hopefully, they will embrace the day and find the joy in the mundane.

Let me encourage you to take the time during the first part of your day to read the Bible and pray with your children. Equip and enable older kids to do it on their own. It is the best way I have found to rid my house of the "do I have to" syndrome.

What's Your Superpower?

Currently, my kids are all about The Avengers. They are making up sequels, creating costumes, and constantly debating which character they would most like to be. Some may say that it's a frivolous use of summer hours. Not me. Anything that engages the active imagination and spurs creativity in children is okay in my book. They have made Thor's hammer out of a box and duct tape. Captain Americas shield was created with a plastic lid and paper and markers. They make up endless stories of good conquering evil, of bad guy powers that get overcome by the strength of the heroes. Imaginations are an amazing gift. Sometimes, however, the more reality we have to deal with, the more our creative imagination can get squeezed out. This is true for me. The longer my to-do list is, the less likely I am to sit and help Thor save the Barbies from the evil dragon monster. Even though my things may be urgent and important, so is being a part of my child's world. Note to self: Don't miss out on the real summer fun. Discover your superpower and dive into some play with your kids.

What God has Purposed

Has anyone called you a control freak? I prefer to think of it as being a willing decision maker. Moms make tons of decisions that effect the others in our home all day long. What’s for breakfast, what chores need done, who’s allowed to do what, who gets punished and how…the list goes on and on and on. The important decisions are made with your spouse, and together as a team you have established most of the order of your home. But still, think about how many decisions you make each day for your family. It’s mind blowing. 

Sometimes I think that if I can perfectly control what is in my grasp to control, then God will be able to work out the rest. If I get my kids in the right activities, use the right curriculum, give them the right amount of responsibility…then…then they will walk in God’s will and clearly decipher His plan for their lives. If I can carry out my will, then God will be able to carry out His. Incredibly. Flawed.  Thinking.  

This is the same wrong mindset that let’s us think that one wrong move on our part will forever mess up our kids. Or one wrong curriculum will mess up their education.

No. We cannot mess up what God has purposed. We have nothing to boast about. No decision we make can mess up God’s plan. No decision your husband makes can mess up God’s plan. God always has a back up. He is NOT counting on you. Isn’t that a relief? 

It is for me because, quite frankly, I am full of flaws. If God’s plan really did rest on me, then watch out because I’ve already dropped the ball in a dozen ways since lunch.  

He doesn’t need us. We need Him and THAT is always the order of things.  

But how does that work? Does anything we do have any consequence, any meaning? Of course. Everything we do has consequences (good and bad) – but what we do cannot thwart God’s purpose.  

Our purpose remains the same. Bring glory to God. We were made by Him, for Him. He desires to use you to fulfill His purpose in the lives of those around you. It’s all Him…he enables you, gives you strength and wisdom…you have nothing to boast about. It’s not about you.

And that can be hard for a control freak to remember.

Get Ready for Advent

If you are like me, the advent wreath may seem like a big religious mumbo jumbo mystery.  What do the candles represent? Why are they purple and pink, and why do people light the pink one on the third Sunday? A simple google search can clear up most of those questions, and provide lots of rich history about advent celebrations.

As with many traditions, observing advent is a beautiful opportunity for worship and intimacy with Christ. Fussing about a ritual, and worrying about if you are doing it right, is not what advent is about.

It’s about anticipating the arrival of our Savior.

Unlike past years, I am prepared to start our observance of the advent season on time when it starts this Sunday.
Wreath, check.
Candles, check.
Scripture readings, check.
Children excited about lighting candles, check.

Our advent time will likely happen after dinner and look something like this: Light the candle/s, short prayer, scripture reading, story, prayer. We plan on praying for the families of whatever Christmas cards we receive that day as part of that prayer. Then we will do a family activity. I am making a chain of loops of 28 red an green paper strips. On each one I will write the scripture for the day and the family activity. Each day a child will tear off one of the links and another will read the activity (because I have 4 kids, I need four jobs: lighting the candle, blowing out the candle, tearing the link, and reading the link).  The activities work into our schedule, and many are things we already regularly do this time of year. Doing it this way just makes it more purposeful.

Here are the activities I'm planning on. These are not all my own ideas, they come from lots of discussions with other moms and from looking around online.

Things to do as a family during your time of advent:

1)       Send a package to a military service member

2)       Wrap 24 Christmas books and let your kids choose one to read each night of the Advent.

3)       Have a picnic under the Christmas tree

4)       Make gifts for teachers

5)       Bring a plate of goodies to your local fire station or police station with a thank you note

6)       Make a Christmas tree out of legos

7)       Drive around and see Christmas lights

8)       Put on Christmas music and dance

9)       Have your children box up some toys to give to Goodwill

10)    Find your old coats that still have some wear and donate them to a coat drive or ministry.

11)    Make Christmas ornaments

12)    Find a needy family to bless with 12 days of gifts (anonymously) – or a one time basket of gifts

13)    Ring the bell for the Salvation Army

14)    Watch videos from past Christmases

15)    Stuff a small stocking and drop it off at someone’s door as a surprise

16)    Talk a walk around your neighborhood in the dark.

17)    Write a list of 10 things you are thankful for

18)    Take food to a local food pantry

19)    Make a homemade Christmas card for someone special and send it

20)    Take a special treat to a neighbor

21)    Decorate Christmas cookies

22)    Write a letter or visit grandparents or extended family, tell them of your advent tradition

23)   Take cookies to a nursing home and sing some Christmas carols

24)   Go to a Christmas play

25)   Read the story of “The Christmas Coat” (it’s on beliefnet.com) – not for Santa Claus believers

26)   Read about St. Nicholas, lover of the poor and patron saint of children.

27)   Go sledding together

28)   Shovel/rake an elderly person’s sidewalk/yard

I hope you feel encouraged to observe advent this Christmas season. There is no wrong way to do it , and there are no advent police. It's an opportunity to enjoy the peace that is offered to us through the gift of Christ. May that be the focus of your season.

Remember

At dinner tonight our conversation turned toward 9-11 and what happened 10 years ago. I found myself sharing with my children my memories and emotions of that day. They listened intently as I told them about how that day started as a beautiful September morning. I had been getting Jenna (my three and a half year old) ready for her 1^st day of preschool and feeding her baby brother. I had turned on the TV to hear the weather, and from the next room, noticed confusion and worry in the voice of Katie Couric. I recalled for them the sinking feeling of knowing something was very, very wrong and that the world had changed in a single moment. I told them all I remembered, and they sat captivated.

I told them of the heroes of Flight 93, and how one of them was Todd Beamer, a man we had gone to college with.

We remembered.

I hope you get to remember with your children this weekend.

"The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic, and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom." -Rudolph Giuliani, former mayor of NYC

Taking Away Class Rank?

Yesterday, I read that they are considering removing class ranking from the Wadsworth High School. No valedictorian, only recogognition for being in the top 10% of the class. Proponents claim that the ranking system causes unhealthy competition and makes students who strive for a high rank feel obligated to take honors classes that they aren't really interested in.

There is so much to be said on something like this because it strikes at the heart of a philosophy that has infiltrated our society. This is, in fact, the same philosophy that accounts for talentless people making fools of themselves on "American Idol" and then reacting to the judges harsh critique with indignance.


They have never been told, "Not good. You are going to have to work a lot harder if you want to be good at this."


Don't get me wrong, I am not for crushing the spirit of children. Absolutely not. Young children need to be encouraged, built up and motivated in order to instill in them a "can do" attitude. Children have a small platform of experience to stand on...we should never push them off it with harsh criticism as they are trying to build their skills.


However, as they grow through the "I know it all" tweens and into the "I really know it all" teens, and head toward adulthood, at some point, they need to learn to handle critiques (especially when they are honest and accurate) without their spirits getting crushed. The infiltrating philosophy that I mentioned earlier is this: No one has a right to tell me I'm bad at something. Unfortunately, enforcing this philosophy requires ignoring and not recognizing those who excel, so that those who don't, won't feel badly. It seems to me this philosophy is what fuels the desire to take away class rank.


Some kids are self-motivated learners who will take the honors classes anyway, others students need a carrot dangled in front of them in order to make those challenging classes worth it. Taking away the ranking system is taking away the biggest carrot. The benefits of succeeding in an honors class go on and on, but it is all delayed gratification, which isn't the first choice of most teenagers. Taking away something that helps students choose the difficult route over the easy route is only hurting the students, and ultimately, our country.

Does this relate to homeschooling? Absolutely. Making sure our children have the experiences that teach them to self evaluate AND accept the constructive criticism of others, is a necessary part of their education to prepare them for life beyond graduation. One way I do this is by having my children involved in ACSI events (spelling bees, speech meets, art festivals, etc...) where their efforts are evaluated by a professional, who is not me. The judges are trained to give appropriate feedback based on the age and experience of the students. Other ways include having my kids grade their own math (and fix every mistake) and discuss each others writing assignments, both of which makes my job easier. More importantly, these things make them more willing to see the good and the bad in what they do without getting their spirits crushed.

The Planning Begins...

I'm beginning to work out our school schedule for next year. Sigh. (Didn't summer just start?)


This will be my first year officially teaching all 4 of my children. Years ago, I made a chart that showed what grades I would be teaching thoughout my homeschool years. Out of my possible 21 years of homeschooling, (IF my kids homeschooled through high school), only 5 of those years will incorporate all 4 children. I hate to get nostalgic, but really, only 5 years all together? I need to make the best of this time. These are the years I will want them to remember.

That has to be my first thought as I begin to plan out the logistics of teaching 4 different grades and running a daycare. What do I want them to really remember? What do I want them to learn?

Saxon Math and Apologia Science are great and all, but is that what kids remember about schooling?


Back when I was teaching only my two eldest, we used Konos Character Unit studies. Those two still talk about making a model of an eardrum out of couch cushions and the medieval feast we had for family and friends. Good times.

So what is it that I want them to learn and to keep in their hearts? I want them to remember how exciting it was to learn and figure something out. I want them to remember that, "Hey I can do this!" feeling so they can use it to conquer other things in life. I want them to be amazed and humbled by the complexity and vastness of God's creation. I want them to wonder more about God and try to understand His ways. I want them to be curious.


Yes, I want them to be well educated in the required subjects, but as I plan the year, I need to make sure I include many of those memorable things that will direct them to the track we are aiming for. I'm not yet sure how I will do it; in fact, I'm quite sure that this task is far more than I can handle on my own. But I know I am not on this journey alone and I know God wants His best for my children even more than I do. He will provide the wisdom, strength and the discernment I need to pull together a year that will sharpen the minds and intrigue the souls of my children. It begins with prayer and takes root with lots of planning. It's not easy, but the great things rarely are.


Have fun planning!

Summer School

I understand the benefits of homeschooling through the summer: the kids stay in the routine, math doesn't leak out of their brains, and they get to keep progressing in the required subjects.
I just can't do it.
In our home, June and July are weeks of 4-H projects, sleep away camp, daycamps, swimming, fishing, and outside chores. The learning process doesn't stop, it just jumps to a different track. Instead of math and writing, they are doing 4-H projects: woodworking, muskrat trapping, small engines, quilting and cake decorating. Last summer it was raising a calf, woodworking and vegetable gardening. Useful, important stuff that we would not have time for during the regular school year.
There is also the benefit of how these practical "classes" make my life a little simpler. By next year I will have two young carpenters that can build those shelves I've been wanting. My daughter beautifully decorates all the cakes I make and is teaching me how to use a sewing machine. Plus, my son will be able to trap annoying groundhogs and fix the lawn mower. Yes, I really like 4-H.
For the most part, the kids enjoy our summer schedule. On a typical day, they sleep in, work on 4-H projects for a few hours, do a few chores, read for 30 minutes, then have the rest of the day to themselves. To avoid all those requests for computer, TV and Wii time, I have a peg system. Each child starts the day with two pegs that they can use for 30 minutes of TV, Wii or computer games. However, certain educational websites like Timez Attack or Google Earth are peg-free. They can earn extra pegs by doing chores, or, if they don't use their pegs, they can turn them in at the end of the day for a little money. I am not very strict with this, and often make exceptions, but at least it sends the message that there is a limit to these activities.
For me, it's important that Kingdom Way Academy (the name of our school) take this time in the summer to do different things. It's rejuvinating and gives me the needed mental break before preparation begins for the next school year.

Self-Control - Building Character in your Children

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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…)

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

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.

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