July 6, 2011

• Keep Them Close (Parenting with Purpose)

  For a while now, I've devoted Wednesday's on my blog to parenting.  Being a mom is very important to me.  I have four kiddos with a fifth on the way.  I homeschool them.  I know that my calling in life is to be a wife to my husband and a mother to my children.  God gives me other things to do along the way and I so love those ministry opportunities but the most important focus I have is on my home. 

  Last Wednesday, I shared with you the Raising Godly Tomatoes website.  Her premise is this:  Teach one lesson.  Teach them to obey.  Obedience is the foundation of it all.  If your children learn to obey you, everything else falls in place as it should. 

  I heard from a mom this week that feels as though she is doing everything wrong.  She's not alone.  Lots of moms feel their children are out of control.  They are frustrated.  They just want to sit down in the restaurant as a family and ENJOY dining out or have a conversation with a friend without having to chase down their children.  They want to change things, but don't know how. 

  

  We've all had bad days.  Days where we are just "getting through".  Days where we know that if we just get to bed time with everybody fed and bathed we'll be doing good.  The problem is when the days of just "getting by" are more frequent than the days of "parenting with purpose". 

  So here we have it, my suggestion to begin the process of parenting with purpose and teaching your children to obey and the good news is - it's easy.  Keep your children close to you.  The more time you spend with your children you learn to recognize and understand what is going on inside their little (or maybe not so little) minds. You can not know and train a child if you don't spend lots and lots of time with them. 

  So if you are a working mom, you have to be purposeful in making this time.  It has to be your priority each day to focus on your child.  And for the stay at home mom, be honest.  We aren't always "present" with our children.  We've got to be purposeful too.  It's important to be alert and undistracted.  Include them in the day to day things you do.  Have them with you and helping you.  Correcting bad attitudes and disobedience as you go.  Encourage and reward the positive attributes you see.  Even if you have to look hard.    Our goal should be to praise twice as much as we correct. 

  It's good to seek suggestions from other moms and mentors but always always know that advice is just that.  Advice.  Suggestions.  It is never meant for you to follow strict step-by-step rules.  No one knows the heart of your child like you do.  Spend time watching your child.  Study them.  Pray over them and ask God for the wisdom to parent that child.  He custom made them for your family.  He put in you the skills to raise them. 

  Coming next Wednesday, my suggestion for step 2 of parenting with purpose.   

  • 6:48 am
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