Today the kids and I visited a church without Lee, who’s working a twelve hour shift today. It was probably the scariest thing I’ve done so far. Everything else basically has taken just a little more time, but once two kids are strapped into the stroller, life is a lot easier. After Sunday school, I [...]
Filed under: In the Car and on the Go, Using Questions
Well, let’s see…. Zoo, science museum, art gallery, botanical garden, several playgrounds, and the Meramac cavern. Baby now waking up twice at night. I’d do something about it, but I’m not keen on disturbing our neighbors in the hotel. I found that putting a pillow between David and Bethel helps quite a bit, but they [...]
Filed under: Introspection
Assertive Discipline for Parents by Lee and Marlene Canter Basic beliefs: unsaved perspective; non spanking; other punitive measures okay. (I see a chart developing in my mind’s eye.) The Canters became well known for the effectiveness of their Assertive Discipline programs for schools. The Review: This is a quick, easy read, appropriate especially for parents [...]
Filed under: Book Reviews
When I was a kid, my brother and I took bowling lessons. The teacher was an old guy who promised you a coke if you got a strike, and he went from lane to lane, watching the kids bowl and correcting their mistakes. There were about a zillion things to remember, and I never remembered [...]
Filed under: Introspection
Why do we misidentify wisdom? I’m trying to figure out how I got into a habit of this. I should know better! Maybe it goes back to childhood. When you sang the “Wise Man and the Foolish Man” as a child, did you understand the point of Jesus’ story? Wasn’t it to build your life [...]
Filed under: Wisdom
Biblical wisdom is not knowing how to potty train your child in a day. It’s not necessarily having eight children sitting quietly during a wait at a doctor’s office. Knowing how to save $50.00 a week at the grocery store is an accomplishment, but it is not wisdom. When I pray for wisdom, I have [...]
Filed under: Wisdom
This morning we went to the zoo. Admission was free, and I found some free parking about a mile away, so we walked! For some reason, my child who normally loves wearing a hat wanted to take hers off. Since she also wanted to walk, I decided a good consequence for taking the hat off [...]
Filed under: In the Car and on the Go, Obedience
Just got into St. Louis, where we’ll be for the next two weeks. A few challenges: David and Bethel sleeping in the same bed, getting them to use an “inside voice” instead of an “outside voice,” balancing the need for discipline but not wanting children to make a lot of noise, staying in someone else’s [...]
Filed under: In the Car and on the Go
One popular author admired by many fundamentalist readers instructs mothers to pick their babies up before they cry. On the surface, that might be good advice. This advice is to prevent a baby from becoming demanding to be held 24/7, and the implication is that a mother should at least be wary of picking up [...]
Filed under: Child Development, Communication and Meaning
A few weeks ago, I noticed with horror that my son and another boy (from music class)were fighting on our front lawn. I had a strong urge to stop the violence, but I checked myself and watched just a bit longer. I noticed they were both equally matched, and both were enjoying themselves immensely. Ahhh, [...]
Filed under: Child Development
