One of the things my mom talks about is the need for parents to think ahead to the skills and knowledge their children will need. Although no parent can see the future, parents do have insight into their child’s personality, strengths and weaknesses, interests, and can make some educated guesses about what their child needs [...]
Filed under: Child Development
I’ve been thinking about when Anger becomes Bitterness, and whether it’s useful to define it for a child. Since I’ve been talking with my four year old about anger and not getting her way, I’ve been prompted to look a little more closely into God’s Words and Ways. This is a project for the next [...]
Filed under: Emotions
I’ve talked before about the emotional tug I feel at times when a cute little baby is being passed around at social functions. What to do with that emotion? I’m coming to the realization of how I can be a blessing to mothers who are in that crazy time of life when they’re not getting [...]
Filed under: Emotions
Stand up straight. Don’t stick your tongue out. Don’t cross your eyes. Look at Mommy. Keep looking at Mommy. Don’t roll your head around. Good.
Filed under: Attention
If you tell a mother of an infant under one that it’s not biblical to be child-centered, she might look at you in disbelief and perhaps amusement instead of reverent awe. Not child centered? Her very waking hours are determined by her child’s wake/sleep cycle. Her biggest spiritual challenge in life might be at that [...]
Filed under: Communication and Meaning
Lately I’ve been thinking about how I teach my children to actually use the Scripture they’ve been memorizing. So I’ve been asking a lot, “How do you do that?” For example, Laurel was devastated when I told her she could not use some particular markers at a particular time. Since I was working on a [...]
Filed under: Communication and Meaning, Discipleship, Wisdom
I can see their eyes glaze over at the moment I’ve talked too long. Sometimes they hint that I’ve gone too long– when they ask an unrelated question. One child has learned the subtle secret of changing the subject by asking a spiritual question. Other times they’re more blunt, “When are you going to be [...]
Filed under: Communication and Meaning
I’ve been dissatisfied with my attempts to respond to my children when they tease. We’ve tried a lot of approaches. I’ve talked about loving. About preferring one another. About the mad man who says “I’m just joking.” I’ve talked about how teasing is only fun when everyone is having fun. (I’ve given that lecture repeatedly.) [...]
Filed under: Child Development, Getting Along
For some people, social situations and verbal navigation are simple and enjoyable. Others with different personalities find those treacherous. I want to think a little bit about how a mom can work on helping a child who finds words difficult navigate the verbal world a little easier. We’ll talk about several things in the next [...]
Filed under: Emotions
In our Sunday school class, we’ve been discussing repentance. And I decided that if we adults sometimes need help defining it biblically (and we do), then it would be worthwhile to share the love and teach these things to our children. Yesterday I read them Psalm 32. I told them that King David sinned. [what [...]
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