Articles (Page 4)

• • • • • Parenting Tip February 20, 2015 Understanding Level 2 Thinking The development of the conscience helps children live on two levels of thinking at the same time. Life isn’t only about playing with a toy, eating food, or taking care of oneself. When teaching responsibility, every activity has a second dimension. Children learn to watch the clock, monitor their own fairness, and think about how their current action affects others. We call that level two thinking.…

• • • • • Parenting Tip February 10, 2015 How Can I Get My Children to Take Initiative? Prodding kids along to get things done drains family life. We all know it. If only kids could see what needs to be done and take some initiative! Is it possible to train children to act without the continual pushing and prodding from parents? We say Yes! It is possible but it doesn’t typically happen without some intentional work. In the…

• • • • • Parenting Tip January 9, 2015 A Heart Approach is Different Many parents use a simple behavior modification approach to raise their children. “If you get your homework done, then you can go out and play.” “If you clean your room, then you can watch a video.”?? Unfortunately children trained this way often develop a “What’s in it for me?” mentality. “If I don’t get something out of it, why should I obey?”?? God is concerned…

• • • • • Parenting Tip January 24, 2015 Be Careful of Behavior Modification Sandra is four years old. You can often hear her mom make statements like this. “Sandra, clean up your toys so you can have a snack.” “Finish getting dressed so you can go out and play.” Mom has learned that if she tells Sandra that she’ll get a reward, then Sandra is more likely to do the task. The problem is that Mom is appealing…

• • • • • Parenting Tip January 3, 2015 Be Prepared for Resistance Parents are sometimes surprised when their children resist correction. Some children seem to resent hearing instruction or advice from us. As parents we need to learn to expect some of that resistance and even prepare for it. This may seem obvious, but many parents react with emotion when they don’t get a positive response from their kids. That emotion often intensifies the situation and isn’t helpful.…

• • • • • Parenting Tip December 23, 2014 Christmas, A Time to Practice Saying Thank You Gratefulness is an important life quality because it helps us to be thankful for what we have instead of complaining about what we don’t have. Gratefulness is a lifestyle but it starts by saying “Thank you” to others who bless us. Begin now to prepare your children for receiving gifts. Talk about the importance of the giver, not just the gift. Teach…

Parenting Tip December 15, 2014 Being a Servant at Christmas Sometimes children believe that the whole world revolves around them. Parents, because they enjoy caring for their kids, may at times contribute to a child-centered mentality and further reinforce this misconception. Children can get the impression that parents, siblings, and even the family pets are there simply to make them happy. The result is demandingness and an unpleasant attitude. One of the ways to counteract this tendency is to teach…

• • • • • Parenting Tip December 11, 2014 The Heart of Christmas With so much advertising and emphasis on presents, programs, and parties, take some time to teach your children about the real meaning of Christmas. It’s so easy to get distracted by the celebration that one discussion or Christmas program isn’t enough to help children catch the meaning and significance of what Christmas is really all about. Here are some suggestions. Have a daily or weekly reminder…

• • • • • Parenting Tip December 7, 2014 The Heart is Where We Feel Close As parents, we long to connect with our children in meaningful ways. Those connections often provide opportunities to teach because feeling closeness softens the heart. When children are young, those special feelings of closeness happen regularly, even daily. You read a book to your four-year-old, he leans on your arm, and you cherish the time of connection. You correct your six-year-old, and she…

• • • • • Parenting Tip December 1, 2014 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…