I want all these characteristics for my sweet child. But how do I instill them into her heart? It's easier said than done.
For the past several weeks at church we have had a sermon series entitled Destinations. Where are we headed as a family? Are we continuing down the same road (i.e. get up, breakfast, kids to school, work, home, dinner, bed, etc.) or are we going to take our family off cruise control (i.e. serve together as a family, have family devotions/worship time, turn off the TV, etc.)?
I am not super creative on my own. I need some ideas for how to raise my child outside of the box. I hope you find these resources helpful as you take your family off cruise control and raise your children to develop characteristics that are pleasing in the eyes of our Father.
1. Model behavior. Allow your children to observe you spending time in the Word. Family devotions around the dinner table are great. It is a time when the kids are already forced to sit still. Take advantage. We use God and Me: 365 Daily Devotions. Other recommendations from others: God and Me! Devotions for Girls ages 2-5 (there are many books for both genders and all ages in this series),
2. Family Nights. Set a night of the week that is devoted to your family. You can play games, watch a movie, enjoy a picnic in the park to name a few. We have found Family Night Tool Chests to be a great way to have fun while teaching character qualities with our family. There are several books in this series; preschool and up. Click here for a sample to get you started.
3. Scripture. I love the book Praying the Scripture for Your Children by Jodie Berndt. You can read my full review here. There is nothing like praying the Word back to the Father on behalf of our children. Another book that teaches character traits found in scripture is Parenting with Scripture: A Topical Guide for Teachable Moments by Kara Durbin. It is an awesome book to take what our children bring to us from school, the news, or everyday questions they may have and to look at what the Bible says about each situation.
4. Music. We do not have a time of family worship with music in our house. I do make sure that when LilE is within earshot to have praise music playing. I love hearing her sing along with Dave Crowder and the Passion CDs. But her favorite by far is Seeds Family Worship. SFW is scripture put to music (and it is fun upbeat music too-Listen here). It is such a fabulous way for my 4 year old to begin memorizing scripture (and for Mommy and Daddy too). Our family is hooked!
What other resources do you use in your home to train your children?
And don't forget to check back tomorrow for a giveaway from Seeds Family Worship.
Great post!
ReplyDelete