Posts from 2013

• • • • • Parenting Tip December 16, 2013 Caring for Others One of the great ways to help children think of giving instead of just getting at Christmas is to reach out to others you don’t even know. This one activity can do a tremendous amount to help kids focus on others, not just themselves. Here are some ideas: Pray for missionaries in other parts of the world. Create a care package for a family and mail it…

• • • • • Parenting Tip December 11, 2013 Practical Ways to Connect with Your Child’s Heart Here are eleven suggestions to help you find ways to connect with your child’s heart. 1. Talking. Children often like to hear stories from your own childhood. Don’t feel like you have to tie a lesson into the story. Just tell it to them as if you were relating the details to a friend. 2. Listen to your kids. Take an interest…

• • • • • Parenting Tip December 6, 2013 Christmas: A Time to Teach Generosity Christmas is a highlight in the life of most children, but much of the benefit is focused on what they get. Of course one of the blessings of Christmas is giving, so look for ways to teach children generosity this year. Here are some ideas: Involve kids in your gift-giving strategy or help them develop their own. Planning, shopping, and wrapping can each provide…

• • • • • Parenting Tip November 23, 2013 Missed Opportunities Every day parents have opportunities to touch the hearts of their children. Sometimes it’s through a story or a hug, or an apology, but often it’s through the daily correction that children need. Addressing the heart is important. Unfortunately some parents respond to their children in ways that miss the heart. One of the mistakes parents make is that they make excuses for their children. We’ve all heard…

• • • • • Parenting Tip November 20, 2013 The Key to Making Devotions Fun The language of children is activity. When teaching children spiritual truths it’s best to speak in their language.  A family devotion time should be the most fun part of the week. If you use their language they’ll not only enjoy family time but they’ll be eager for more. Here’s one idea: Complaining can be a problem in any family, and not just among children.…

• • • • • Parenting Tip November 14, 2013 The Gratefulness Principle Gratitude increases closeness in relationships. As you parent your children, look for opportunities to take advantage of gratefulness to draw closer to your kids. Give your children small gifts of love day after day. Be careful, though, that you don’t confuse the gratefulness principle with the overindulgence trap. Some parents, wanting their children to like them, recognize giving gifts opens the heart, so they overdo it by…

• • • • • Parenting Tip November 12, 2013 Teaching Children About Anger Anger is a common problem in family life, especially among siblings. Although it’s very frustrating for parents, a wise mom or dad can use anger episodes to teach kids some valuable lessons about anger control and dealing with emotions. First, empathize with your child about the offense. “I can see why you’re upset. That makes sense.” Second, if the offender was wrong, acknowledge that fact. “Your…

• • • • • Parenting Tip November 8, 2013 Honesty Requires Character Lying is a sign of a character weakness. It’s a shortcut. Greed and impulsiveness set a person up for dishonesty. A child who lies sacrifices a clear conscience for some kind of immediate gain. He exchanges godly values for a quick-fix solution. Here are three character qualities foundational for honesty. First, children who succumb to lying often lack contentment. They seem to want more than they have…

• • • • • Parenting Tip November 4, 2013 The Truth about Lying Deception is a term we use to describe a number of kinds of dishonest words or actions. Lying is only one piece of the bigger puzzle. Some people define lying as saying something that is not true, but we believe lying has more to do with the intent of the speaker. The person who reports inaccurate information is just mistaken unless he intends to deceive. We…

• • • • • Parenting Tip October 28, 2013 Should I Change My Mind? When parents say no, sometimes children choose to argue and plead their case. In the interaction parents can learn new information that persuades them to change their minds. Unfortunately during the dialogue children may treat parents with disrespect and be downright mean. Parents then must decide whether to change their mind or not. Changing your mind isn’t always bad but you need to make a…