Bible Time

I had planned to read a chapter of Psalms to the children each morning at breakfast during our school year.  I switched it to Proverbs for the month of September after our Pastor suggested to the congregation that we read the Proverb that corresponds to the date (Sept 1st - Proverbs 1, Sept 2nd - Proverbs 2, and so on).  

Today we read Proverbs 5.  It made for some interesting discussion with my boys!  :)  

Do you have a time each day to read the Bible with your children?  If not, carve out a little time somewhere in your day and start reading.  You will love it, I promise.  This one thing makes a big difference in our lives - more so than anything else we do.  I usually read aloud to the kids at breakfast and my husband leads our family Bible time at night.  We aim to start and finish our day in God's word.  

{Deuteronomy 8:3  And He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.}  

None of us get too busy and neglect to feed our kids physical food.  Oh maybe for a brief period - we forget to get lunch ready or something like that - but no mama goes days at a time without feeding her children.  Yet somehow we might go days (or longer) without feeding our children spiritual food.  Children do not live on bread (cereal, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese) alone.  

I've been guilty of rushing through the morning, or allowing too many activities in the evenings, and skipping our Bible time.  I'm always reminded when we do resume how wonderful it is and I'm encouraged and strengthened to live another day in this foreign land.  I can't think of anything better we could serve our children.  

Obedient Octopus

This little idea came from one of my favorite books, 1001 WAYS TO INTRODUCE YOUR CHILD TO GOD by Kathie Reimer.  I've loved this book for many years.  It's chock full of great ideas!

Each time she obeys she will get to put a star on the octopus.  After all of the arms are covered in stars she will get to choose to go out for ice cream or go to the Dollar Tree and pick out a treat.  Such fun, and a helpful way to remind her to obey.

• I obeyed my daddy's words.
• I obeyed my mommy's words.
• I obeyed Jesus by being kind.
• I obeyed Jesus by praying.
• I obeyed Jesus by sharing.
• I obeyed by doing my work.

Ephesians 6:1  Children, obey your parents the way the Lord wants.  This is the right thing to do.

Apples of Gold

I can easily get into a rut with my words.  There are many days when it seems all I do is correct, correct, correct.

"No elbows on the table."
"Don't talk with your mouth full."
"Pick that up."
"Put that away."
"That was unkind."
"Don't be immature."
"Do that over."

I call them "my six little blessings" so I want to make sure I am treating them that way.  You know, treating them like blessings...not bothers.  It's all too easy to get caught up in my daily schedule and to do-lists and spend much of the day barking out commands and correcting behavior.  I've learned this though - you will get much further in training your children if you do more praising than punishing.

All of us would rather receive compliments than criticism, and our children are no different.

This morning my little gal did a "big girl thing" and brought me a cup of coffee.  She knows how much I love a cup of coffee in the morning.  Here's the thing, she dribbled coffee all the way from the kitchen to the couch where I was sitting.  I could have fussed at her for the trail of coffee she left all the way across the room, but I didn't.  I bragged on her for thinking of me and bringing me coffee all on her own.  I told her how thankful I was for the coffee and how impressed I was that she was thinking of me.  Her face lit up and she had a huge smile.  I never mentioned the trail of coffee across the floor.  I can easily grab a towel and wipe that up.  If I had criticized her spilling she would have felt embarrassed and would have been less likely to do things like that in the future.

I'm just learning as I go.  Aren't we all?  What I've learned is messes can be cleaned up and mistakes can be fixed and forgiven.  Our children's hearts are our treasures.  We must handle them with great care.

So how about it?  Why not try to find things all day long that your kids are doing right.  Brag on them, compliment them, and tell them how wonderful they are.  Find more to compliment than you correct and you will find them trying harder to do their best.  (When the time comes, and it will, when you have to correct, do so gently.)

If you send your child to his room to clean it up and upon inspection you find a lot of work undone, start by finding some things he did right and compliment him for those things.  After complimenting him for getting the dirty clothes to the hamper and putting his shoes away, then point out that he still has things under his bed and toys in the floor.  There have been many times I would go into a room like this and start fussing about all of the things he had not done, and would have criticized him for leaving so much mess in a room I told him to clean.  Now I've learned to find as many things as I can that he has done right first and compliment him on those, then gently point out the things that still need to be done.

Notice the times when your children are getting along nicely and are being kind to each other, and brag on them.  Compliment them for helping a sibling, or being thoughtful, or sharing, when you see it.  Try your best to catch them doing the right thing whenever you can.  Children love to be bragged on and they like to be praised.  Your children will want to do more to please you if you compliment more than you correct.  Teens are the same way.  Compliment their appearance and their smart choices every chance you get.  We all know there will be plenty to correct so we must look for that which to compliment and do so as often as we possibly can.

There really is a whole lot our kids are doing right and if we decide to be on the lookout for it we will find it.

Proverbs 25:11  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

To My Child

Just for this morning,
I am going to smile when I see your face and laugh when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning,
I will let you wake up softly, all rumpled in your sheets and I will hold you until you are ready for the day.

Just for this morning,
I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning,
I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning,
I will leave dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon,
I will turn off the phone and computer, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon,
I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon,
I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon,
I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon,
I will take you to McDonalds and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening,
I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born, and how much I love you.

Just for this evening,
I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening,
I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening,
I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV show.

Just for this evening,
When I run my fingers through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

I will think about the mothers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer.

And when I kiss you goodnight,
I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer.

It is then that I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day.

-Author Unknown

Great Poem For Young Children

I want to share a poem I read to our younger children this morning during our Bible time.  We loved it and it opened up some great discussion.  I'm thinking of trying to read a poem each night to the children right before dinner for the entire month of January.  I'm going to start working on finding 31 great poems.  If you have young children you will enjoy reading this poem to them. 

What Shall We Children Bring?

The wise may bring their learning,
The rich may bring their gold;
And some may bring their greatness, 
And glories new and old; 
We too would bring our treasures
To offer to the King.
We have no wealth nor wisdom; 
What shall we children bring?

We'll bring Him hearts that love Him, 
We'll bring Him thankful praise,
And young souls meekly striving
To walk in holy ways.
And these shall be the treasures
We offer to the King,
And these are gifts that even
The poorest child may bring.

We'll bring the little duties,
We have to do each day,
We'll try our best to please Him
At home, at school, at play.
And better are these treasures
To offer to our King,
Than richest gifts without them,
Yet these a child may bring.

(Pathway Publishers,  BUILDING OUR LIVES)