At Least - Like Kids!

You rushed around this morning, making breakfast, gathering up books, making lunch, fixing hair --- and that was just for YOU! After that you woke the kids. And then you started getting them ready for the day. And like a lot of parents out there, you took your youngest child to a day care center. Unlike older kids who are settled into a school routine with certified, highly trained professionals, you don't always have that reassurance of quality-control when it comes to the folks who are caring for your baby or toddler.  Most working moms have daily concerns over their childcare situation and don’t want to chance making a mistake. One thing that you can do to deal with your worries about childcare, is to personally interview the caregiver that will be with your child the majority of the day. Get to know her personally. Does she seem to be easygoing around your child? Does she act as if she really loves kids?  When my daughter was a toddler, I left her at a mother's day out program for one day with a woman who just appeared grouchy. She wasn't friendly to me as I was dropping off my little girl, much less my child. I found out later that this woman had been talked into the job by her mother who needed her help and she hated working at the daycare. My daughter did not have a good experience that day. Needless to say, I pulled my baby girl out of that program pronto! My advice from that experience: it is a requirement that a child's caregiver have a soft heart for children. I mean, really? Taking care of kids and you don’t even like them! Next time I did do a few things differently. I asked for God’s wisdom to find someone really nice to watch my little one. And I asked for some good advice from a wise mom or two. Don’t leave this important decision to chance.

  

School Rocks!

Julie’s mom dropped one more cookie in the container, then sighing softly closed her nine year old’s lunch bag. As a school year began, she was concerned about how her little girl would adjust to a new teacher and moving up a grade. Julie seemed nervous and her mom wasn’t so sure either. She was determined however that Julie start the new school year with a good attitude.

Are your kids ready for a new school year – eager to get started in their new grade with new teachers? Parents, do your kids love to learn and have an enthusiastic interest in life? Child researchers tell us that this may be the most important factor to ensure your child’s success in school. A child who is fully and completely involved in a love of learning is a child who will find school interesting, fun and important. A parent’s attitude about school and about trying new things has an effect on how their child will respond. 

There are some behaviors and attitudes that help to encourage a child's confident excitement and anticipation about school.

1. Focus on positive things about school. Be eager and enthusiastic about each school day.

2.   Help your child to have a positive attitude about homework. When projects are assigned, be enthusiastic about the assignment and help your child to be eager to learn more about it. 

3.  As your child’s parent, you can make a big deal about how fun it is to learn something new. Kids will catch YOUR attitude about learning – if YOU love it and speak enthusiastic and encouraging words about their school – your kids will soon catch on

And remember this: if you dread school, anticipate problems in school, and speak discouraging words about homework and assignments, your kids will learn that attitude.  

Julie's mom was happy she had picked a lunch bag for her daughter which had one of the family's mottos printed on its side: "School Rocks!"

Enthusiasm for learning isn't easily taught – but it can sure be caught! 

Now - Behave Yourself!

You may have seen lots of love and kindness in your home as a kid. Or maybe not. Your parents may have yelled and criticized each other and you.  Perhaps you were physically abused. You may have seen some damaging behavior as you grew up. Let's talk about some good news: God’s grace allows you  to create a different type of family. To start over with your own kids. Regardless of the way that you were raised you can choose to start a new tradition. A new legacy of life. 

Beginning today – you can choose to treat everyone in your home with decency and with kindness. Yelling and swearing, screaming and hitting do not have to be the norm. These behaviors are confusing to children. They create anxiety and insecurity. If you grew up in a home where drama and chaos were a part of your life, you know what I mean. You do not have to allow this behavior to be a part of your own home now. 

Respect for your family and respect from your family is important. Valuing each person in the family can be done with some very simple behaviors: make eye contact, speak gently and kindly, tell each other often what you appreciate and love about  one another. These are all excellent ways to bless your family. These are ways to establish a new way of acting in your home. Try it. You’ll be blessed. And your kids will learn how to behave kindly and respectfully from you.

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8