The Character Corner

Raising Godly children with strong Christian Character

A 7 Day Challenge to Connect to Your Child and Win Their Heart

By Leave a Comment

Banner How to Connect to Your Child and Win Their Heart

Are you wondering how to connect to your child and win their heart? Having a strong connection to your children is one of your most powerful tools as a parent! 

Connecting with your children shows them that they are loved, and builds their confidence. 

Every child, regardless of their age, longs to please their parents and have a close relationship with them. 

Kids who spend quality time with their parents act and think differently than those who don’t. They process life in a different way, and relate and respond differently. 

You will find that they are less vulnerable and more stable, and have a good sense of identity.

Wise parents will passionately pursue a close relationship with their kids and intentionally seek to connect.

This will then create strong heart ties that lead to winning and keeping their hearts.

Connect to Your Child and Win Their Heart Challenge The Character Corner

Here are some of the benefits when you connect to your child:

1. Confidence

A strong connection with your children builds their confidence making them feel secure and loved.

2. Happiness

Kids love spending time with their parents, and when the connection is strong it makes for happy children that feel wanted and valued.

3. Cooperation

Rather than being defiant, children want to be cooperative when we keep their love tank full daily they feel and they feel connected to us.

Pam Leo of Connection Parenting describes the power of connection very well:

“Keeping children’s love cup (emotional fuel tank) filled is the key to effective parenting.  When children feel loved and connected, they care about what we need and feel. It is only when children care about what we need and feel that they respond to parental guidance.  When children are low on emotional fuel, they become anxious, stressed, and angry.”

4. Security

Kids who have a good relationship and strong bond with their parents feel secure, viewing their home and family as a safe place.

5. Sense of belonging and feeling loved

There’s nothing better for children than feeling loved by their parents, and having that wonderful feeling that they have a special place where they belong.  It is a great way to boost their confidence and increase their emotional well-being!

While it’s obvious that there are many benefits to having a strong connection with your kids, we live in a society that is becoming more and more disconnected. 

There are many reasons for this, but the important thing is evaluating where your family is in the area of connection, and working on building and keeping a strong connection with your children.  

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best), how would you rate your relationship with your children? 

Was there a time in the past when that number was higher? If so, what happened in your family that made the number lower?

Wondering what you can do to make the number higher?

Join me for a FREE 7-day challenge to connect to your child and win their heart!

Some of the topics that will be included are:

  • Reasons Why Connecting To Your Kids Is So Powerful
  • Habits to Build A Lifelong Connection With Your Child
  • How To Connect When Your Child Pushes Away From You
  • How To Connect With Your Emotional Tween
  • The Best Ways To Connect To Your Teen Child
  • Practical Ways To Connect With Your Adult Child

Sign up below to join me for this challenge, and get a free copy of  35 Ways To Connect To Your Child sent to your inbox.  Starting November 4th, you will get an email daily for the 7 days of the challenge. You won’t want to miss any of them!

Join me now!

Pin With Printable Connect to Your Child and Win Their Heart Challenge

My 7 Favorite Books For Christian Tweens And Teens

By Leave a Comment

Our tweens and teens face many challenges and temptations in today’s world.  We need to give them good Biblical teaching to help them navigate the temptations that they will face, as well as prepare them to handle relationships in a way that is pleasing to God.

Sometimes a good book for your Christian tween or teen can help reinforce the teaching you’ve been doing with them.  I want to share some excellent books we used with our kids during those years.  If you’re wondering, my tweens/teens enjoyed these books and even shared some of them with friends.

That’s what I consider a good book — good Biblical teaching that is appealing to their age group!

Here are My 7 Favorite Books For Christian Tweens And Teens

 The Purity Principle – God’s Safeguards for Life’s Dangerous Trails

Some people have given up on purity. Some have never tried.

Bestselling author Randy Alcorn shows us why, in this culture of impurity, the stakes are so high—and what we can do to experience the freedom of purity. Impurity will always destroy us; purity always leads to higher pleasures! Choose wisely. Let the insights of this amazing book—written for old and young, married and single—help you gain your footing on the path to truly lasting joy.

The Teenage Years of Jesus Christ (a favorite book for Christian tweens or teens)

Have your pre-teens or teens read this book to discover the priorities of Jesus Christ when He was a teenager here on earth.  It will help them to see if they are focusing on the same things and if their priorities are right.

Parents should read this book too! We all follow some pattern when rearing our children. What better master plan than the plan of the Master?

This life-transforming and thought-provoking 126-page book by Pastor Jerry Ross introduces six priorities of the teenage years of Jesus Christ found in Luke 2:52.   It makes for some great discussions with your tweens or teens and gives them some Biblical goals for being like Jesus.

The Twenty One Tenets of Biblical Masculinity

Biblical masculinity has all but disappeared in our modern day culture. Satan has systematically targeted the tenets of Biblical manhood, eliminating them one by one from our society. The void left has been filled with a carnal, corrupt and confusing idea of what true masculinity really is.

The 21 Tenets of Biblical Masculinity presented in this booklet brings scriptural clarity and sound conviction on a subject too long ignored.   -Jerry L. Ross

The Twenty One Tenents of Biblical Feminity

Biblical femininity has all but disappeared in our modern-day culture.  Satan has systematically targeted the tenets of Biblical womanhood, eliminating them one by one from our society.  The void left has been filled with a carnal, corrupt and confusing idea of what true femininity really is.

The 21 Tenets of Biblical femininity presented in this booklet brings scriptural clarity and sound conviction on a subject too long ignored.  -Jerry L. Ross

Love, Honor, & Virtue – Gaining or Regaining a Biblical Attitude Toward Sexuality

Love, Honor, and Virtue: Gaining or Regaining A Biblical Attitude Toward Sexuality is written to and for teens and twenty-something guys.

It’s short, concise, and very direct.

It gives a Biblical perspective to help:

  • Understand God’s design, from biology to morality
  • Prepare to fight temptation
  • Find hope for recovery if they stumble
  • Learn how to have healthy, Christ-honoring relationships with girls

In a world where sin comes looking for you, and the red light district rides in your shirt pocket, you need help engaging the fight as it actually is!

Just Friends: Guarding Your Heart for a Wonderful Someday

What is this thing between guys and girls? Do we call it Dating? Attraction? Interest?

We all know it’s there, but no one really knows what to call it, and for some strange reason, everyone is afraid to talk about it! So what do you call it?

You’ve probably said it. ‘We’re just friends!’ Sometimes you mean it; sometimes you mean something a little stronger, but a bit harder to define.

Whatever you call it, it’s time to understand a reasonable and biblical approach to guy/girl relationships.

This book will help you protect your heart as you journey through the dangerous minefields of young emotions and early attractions. And it will help you understand the biblical principles that will ultimately lead you to true love and a ‘wonderful someday.

Stay in the Castle!

STAY IN THE CASTLE is the story of a young lady who finds herself at a crossroads. One road is marked, “My will”. The other, “God’s will”.

An inspirational true story of one teenager’s struggle to wait for the one God had created for her.

There you have it Mom! Your tween or teen doesn’t have to take only your word on these subjects, they can learn to navigate this season well with a little backup from one of these books. I highly recommend getting them some help from any of these 7 Favorite Books For Christian Tweens And Teens!

GRAB THIS FREE ENCOURAGING EBOOK:

30 DAYS OF TWEEN PARENTING ENCOURAGEMENT

7 Ways To Stay Present As A Parent

By 4 Comments

Are you looking for ways to stay present as a parent? If so, you aren’t alone!  This is a common challenge in our busy society. 

  ways to stay present as a parent

We only have our kids for an average of 18 years, and we need to make the most of that time by being fully present. They need our time, our attention, and our love.  Being present is one of the BEST ways to win and keep your kids hearts.

Finding ways to be a present parent is a common problem for most parents today.  So many things are calling for our attention that we have to be very careful and purposeful about being present with our children and giving them our focus.

Here are 7 simple ways to stay present as a parent:

1.  Determine to focus your energy and attention on what is eternal.

Often we get so caught up in the busyness of life that we forget what is truly important.  We rush here and there from one activity to the next, often tuning out what is going on with the kids.

RELATED: 7 SIGNS THAT YOU ARE TOO BUSY

We let those things that are urgent take precedence over what is eternal.

We need to be aware of  what our kids are doing and saying, and look for opportunities to take time to train their hearts.  This requires being close to them AND paying attention to what is going on, rather than tuning them out.

We need to keep in mind the important responsibility we have to disciple our children, as this is what will count for eternity.

2.  Take advantage of travel time.

Engage your kids in conversation when you are driving to the store, or an activity.

Play word games or talk about things they enjoy talking about, and make it a fun time for them. 

They will enjoy having your attention, and will look forward to future outings.

3.  Slow down.

Don’t fill up every moment of every day, or you end up stressed and short with the kids.

Leave margin, and remember to “take time to smell the roses.”  

When your day is too packed, you tend to rush right past those moments when you can be fully present and enjoy the time with your children.

4.  Put your phone away.

There’s no greater way to make your child feel insignificant than for you to always be looking at your phone when they are with you.

Have set times daily when your kids are playing on their own or doing chores, to check your email, Facebook, or Pinterest.

5 pillars of Biblical Parenting

5.  Have dinner together as a family, and make that time count.

A meal together is one of the best ways to create a family bond, and is something you should make a priority.

During dinner take time to ask each of the kids about their day, or how something is going that they are interested in and excited about. 

Let each of them have a turn to talk and share.

6.  Stop what you are doing and look at your child when he talks to you. 

We taught our kids that part of being attentive is listening with their ears and eyes.

When your child asks you a question, look at them and listen to their words.

If by chance you are in the middle of something that can’t wait, let them know that you really want to hear what they have to say, and will sit and listen to them as soon as you finish.

Giving your children your undivided attention and really listening to their words is a great way to win their hearts!

7.  Set aside some time daily just for them.

While it is important to be aware throughout the day of what is going on, it’s also good to have a set time daily where you stop everything you are doing, and do something with them.

During this time be intentional about giving them your full attention.

If  you make this part of your daily routine, you will plan on it and will be able to focus fully on that time with them, rather than thinking of all the other things you could or should be doing.

Be fully engaged and focused during this time.

Remember that being present intentionally so you can disciple your children is more important than anything else on your to-do list.

What are some of your favorite ways to stay present as a parent today?

Need some ideas to help you win your child’s heart? Grab our FREE list below!
20 Ways To Win Your Child's Heart

Tips For Affording a Large Family

By 2 Comments

We have heard it many, many times: “You have EIGHT kids?! How do you afford it?”  Others add comments about how they can’t afford the 2 or 3 they have.   I’m going to share 8 tips for affording a large family that were helpful to us, as well as how we learned to trust God to provide.

Practical tips for affording a large famiy,. Remember that God is faithful to provide

My husband and I decided when we had our first little one, that I would stay home to care for her, and any children that came after.

We didn’t have much at the time, but we knew we had a God who promised to supply our needs, and we could trust Him. 

I will say there were many times when things were tight and we had to scrimp, but we always had our needs met!

God does promise to provide, but He also expects us to be good stewards of the money He has given us.  We need to be wise and careful in how we use it.

Tips For Affording A Large Family

1. Be in agreement with your spouse.

It’s very important to sit down with your spouse, and set up a budget that you can both agree on.

A married couple is supposed to be a team, and it won’t work if one of you is off doing your own thing financially.

Once you agree on the budget, you both need to follow it.

2. Always tithe.

No matter HOW tight the budget is, this is a Bible principle that we need to obey.  If you get into the habit of tithing, you don’t even really think about it.  And God promises to bless you when you are faithful in tithing. (Malachi 3:10)

3. Don’t go into debt!

The biggest thing that gets families into debt is the use of credit cards.

We agreed to have a credit card for certain things like booking a motel, or emergency car repairs.  However, we agreed that we would ALWAYS, ALWAYS pay the bill in full the next month, so we never incur any finance charges.

If you don’t have the self-discipline for this, it’s better to get rid of the cards, and use a cash envelope system.

4. Plan ahead and save regularly for big ticket items you are going to need, or want.

For example, if you know your washer is nearing the end, start saving for a new one.  When you reach the goal and can buy the items you’ve saved for, you really appreciate them more.

5. Don’t overspend on gifts.

As Christians we aren’t supposed to be materialistic, and if we don’t start buying our kids lots of stuff, they won’t expect it.  Instead, they will appreciate it more when they do get things.

Decide on a reasonable amount that you are going to spend for birthdays and Christmas, then stick to that amount.

When our kids were young, I got most of their toys from garage sales.  You can find many nice toys, almost like new, at garage sales for a fraction of the original cost.  Second hand shops are great too.

The same thing goes for kids clothes.  They outgrow them so fast that you can buy them used, but like new, and save a lot of money.

6. Make a menu, and stick to it.

Write a grocery list to include what is needed for the menu, and buy only what is on the list.

When shopping without a list you automatically end up spending more, as you pick up an extra thing here and there.

Also, try to shop where prices are lowest.  For many years when the kids were young, my husband went to Aldi and bought almost all of our groceries there.

We were able to spend a surprisingly small amount on groceries, compared to what most families spend.

Another things that helped us save on groceries: we never bought junk food.  We didn’t buy sugary cereals, chips, or pop when the kids were young.  That alone cut quite a bit off our grocery bill.

I would bake once a week, and that was a treat we all looked forward to.

7. Combine trips, and shop online.

With a big family, going to the store for frequent, leisurely shopping trips is impossible, not to mention that it wastes time and money.  Before going out on errands, make a list of all the places you need to go, the things to look for or buy, and do it all at once.

When you focus like this, you can get a lot done in a short time, AND you don’t just randomly go spend money on things. 

Buying things online is also a money and time saver.

8. Learn to pray and trust God.

I can look back at so many times when we had to pray and trust that God would supply certain needs.  Over time we learned to leave the need with Him, sit back, and watch to see what He would do.

What are some of your tips for affording a large family? Share them in the comments!

GRAB OUR FREE GROCERY LIST & MENU PLAN TO HELP YOU STICK TO YOUR GROCERY BUDGET!

How To Have Simple And Fun Family Devotions

By Leave a Comment

Do you struggle with consistently having family devotions?  Have you tried different things, and gotten discouraged because the kids didn’t seem interested, and acted up during that time?  Or maybe you just don’t know what to do for devotions with different ages of kids, and you wonder how to have simple and fun family devotions.

I will admit, it can be challenging!

However, this is something that is worth fighting for and worth the effort. 

What better way is there to point our kids to God, than to regularly share time together around His Word, and in prayer?

simple family devotions

How To Have Simple And Fun Family Devotions

1. Choose a time that works for your family.

Many families have devotions after breakfast or supper. Attaching it to something like this that you already do regularly, will help you make it into a regular habit.  Other families find just before bed time works well.

Whatever time you choose, be sure that the whole family can be together on a regular basis. Consistency is important because it shows our kids that time with God is a high priority.

2.  Keep it short.

This is especially important if you have young kids, as they don’t have a long attention span.  However, even the older ones will enjoy this time more if they don’t feel like it is going to last forever.

3.  Keep it simple.

Probably one of the biggest reasons that folks neglect having  family devotions, is because they don’t know what to do!

When your kids are young, you can simply tell them Bible stories.  Act them out, and use lots of expression to make them interesting.

There are MANY Bible stories that your kids will love hearing, and then you can simply apply a thought from the story.  (For example, you can tell the story of Jonah, and end with the thought about how we need to obey what God tells us to do.)

As the kids get a little older, you can read through Proverbs together.

Have the kids take turns reading verses out loud to keep them involved.  After each verse or group of verses, stop and talk about what they mean, and how they can apply it to their lives.

Make the Bible practical for your kids!

After Proverbs, you can choose different books of the Bible to read through.  I suggest choosing ones that are more understandable for kids, as well as ones that lead to good discussion and application.

4.  Keep it fun.

How you do this will vary based on the ages of your kids.

I’ve been impressed with how my son has family devotions with his wife and two kids, a three-year old and five-year old. 

They sing a couple of songs together.

I have heard them sing God is so God, and I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.

To keep them involved, he will sometimes let one of them stand up and “lead” the others in the song.

Other times, he will use his phone and record the kids singing.  This encourages them to do their best, and they love being recorded.

They play a quick game like Simon Says.

He tells a Bible story, then applies it.

As I mentioned above, you can make these very interesting by acting them out, using different voices for the characters, etc.  Kids LOVE stories!

Because he makes this time fun for the kids, I have never yet heard them moan or groan when he tells them that it’s time to come in the other room for devotions.  They enjoy this time, and look forward to it.

Don’t make family devotions harder than you need to.  Choose a time, choose the Bible passage, and keep it short, simple, and fun.

GET YOUR KIDS READING GOD’S WORD WITH THESE FREE BIBLE READING PLANS YOUR CHILDREN WILL ENJOY!
Sign up to get these Children's Bible Reading Plans Instantly!

3 Tips for The FRAZZLED FATIGUED Mom

By 6 Comments

Are you a frazzled, fatigued mom?  Those two words often go with motherhood, don’t they?

Fatigue is a normal part of parenting.  Sometimes we just get tired of all the duties we have as a mother.  Other times, we are physically fatigued from being up with little ones at night, or long busy days of caring for kids and our home.

When we are worn to a frazzle it’s so easy to get grouchy.  If we aren’t careful, we end up taking that grouchiness out on our kids, or our husband!

frazzled, fatigued mom

 

I remember the time my sister came to visit after I’d just come home from the hospital after the birth of our 4th child.  I was tired and overwhelmed, and was kind of taking it out on my poor husband.

My sister commented to me about it the next day, mentioning how she could tell I was tired, and he was stressed because he didn’t know how to help me, or what I needed.

The truth is, my husband got the brunt of my fatigue in the form of my grouchiness, and he didn’t deserve it.  It would have been much better if I had communicated to him that I needed him to help with laundry, or take care of the kids so I could take a quick nap, etc.

3TIPS FOR THE FRAZZLED, FATIGUED MOM

1.  Take a break, and SLOW DOWN to avoid becoming a fatigued mom.

When you’re ready to snap, stop and ask yourself what really HAS to be done, and what can wait.  Sometimes we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves, and end up frazzled as a result. 

Do you really HAVE to sweep the floor right now, or can it wait?  Realize that when you are a mom with little ones, your house is going to have toys on the floor, books out, etc.

I’d rather my kids remember me as a mom who was happy, and spent time playing with them, than as a crabby mom who always had to have a clean house.

RELATED:  7 SIGNS THAT YOU’RE TOO BUSY

2.  Communicate your needs to your husband and kids before you are a frazzled mom.

Being snappy, and expecting your husband or kids to just SEE what the problem is and pitch in to help, is NOT realistic or fair to them.

When I was feeling overwhelmed, my husband was willing to help.   For him to do that though, I needed to express how he could help me.

My kids were usually willing to help also, when they knew I wasn’t feeling well, was tired, or just needed help.  But I had to ask them, and give some guidance.

The key is to tell them how you feel, and say it with a kind tone.

“Mommy is really tired right now, and I need you to help me.  I’m going to give each of you a job to do, and let’s see how quickly you can do it.”  Or, “Mommy is tired, and needs a nap.  I want you to play quietly in your rooms, and after I rest, we will have a snack, and read a story together.”

This doesn’t mean your kids will always be helpful and cooperative, but it’s better than yelling and being impatient with them, when they have no idea why.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed, tell your husband, and explain what things are overwhelming you.

Whenever I did that with my husband two things happened:

  • First, I felt better just by expressing it and talking about it.
  • Second, he usually had practical suggestions, like “Don’t worry about that right now.  It can wait.”  Or, “Why don’t you try doing it this way?” 

He was good at helping me put things in perspective.  He also would then ask how he could help.

3. Let go of your expectations.

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall not be disappointed.”

Sometimes I would expect the older kids to see the need to clean up, and when I went in the kitchen and saw a mess had been left, I’d be upset.  I’d start mumbling under my breath, and slamming pans around.

Yes, they should have had initiative and cleaned up, but the fact that I’m feeling tired and out of sorts, doesn’t give me the right to take it out on them.

RELATED:  4 REASONS TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED IN HOMESCHOOLING

I realized that I needed to communicate to them in situations like that, and do some training.  I learned to call them into the kitchen, and explain that it upset me when I came home from the grocery store and found a mess in the kitchen, because they didn’t clean up after themselves.

Overcoming anger God's Way

Our kids and our husband can’t read our minds, and we shouldn’t just expect them to know when we are feeling frazzled, and expect them to come to our rescue.

Rather than giving in to your emotions when you’re tired and feel like you’re losing it, remember to slow down and re-evaluate, communicate your needs, and give your expectations to God.  If possible, try to sneak a nap in too!

How do you handle your emotions and responses when feeling llike a frazzled, fatigued mom?

Need some tips on character training?  Grab our FREE ebook!

Grab our free ebook!

 

 

Save

The 10 Best Books For Help With Christian Parenting

By 4 Comments

Who doesn’t want to do their best as a Christian parent?  We all long to be the best parent we can be, and one of the ways to do that is to keep learning and growing.  Books full of help with Christian parenting tips are a great way to learn, grow, and be encouraged!

My favorite books for Christian parenting are the ones that gave us Biblical help and encouragement as we raised our 8 children.

The 10 Best Books For Help With Christian Parenting

10 Best Books to Help With Chrisitan Parenting

1.  Child Training Tips – What I Wish I Knew When My Children Were Young

I love the practical teaching that Reb Bradley gives in this book and the many chapters that consist of symptoms that identify behavior problems and expose trouble spots in parenting.

As an example, here are a few of them:

  • Parents can tell if they’ve given control of their home to their children.
  • Explain: how can a child be trained to obey quickly when spoken to calmly and only one time?
  • How can appropriate punishments be determined?
  • What are the most subtle signs of rebellion?
  • How do parents accidentally train their children to disobey them?
  • What can be expected of children at what ages?

2. Good & Angry – Exchanging Character For Frustration in You and Your Kids!

Parents often feel angry when their children do the wrong things. But responding to children in anger rarely brings about the desired result and can even have a damaging effect instead.

Yet anger doesn’t have to be the enemy. It can be a trigger that makes parents even more effective. Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller show you how in this book.

In Good and Angry, moms and dads will come to understand anger’s true purpose and how they can use it successfully in their day-to-day parenting. They will also learn new approaches that will solve many common problems and, in the process, help both them and their children grow closer to God.

3. Say Goodbye To Whining, Complaining, & Bad Attitudes in You and Your Kids  

Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller teach the importance of establishing honor as a basis of family life — not just children honoring parents, but parents respecting children and children honoring each other.

Even if honor seems a long way off in your household, you will find practical suggestions here to bring that goal a little closer — suggestions for kids of all ages.

Honor is the biblical value that will bring about good behavior. It’s more than just changing what kids do; it’s changing the deeper issues of the heart that triggered the behavior.

I love the series of little lessons on honor that are included at the back of the book, for you to do with your children while teaching the importance of this concept.

4. Parenting is Heart Work

In this book, Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN, reveal how you can learn to truly reach your child’s heart to teach, train, and build a tremendous relationship.

Parenting is Heart Work gives you the practical tools and easy-to-follow steps that will change how you:

  • Turn Correction times into learning experiences
  • Equip your children to accept responsibility for their mistakes and meditate on the right things
  • Influence and adjust the values and beliefs your children hold
  • Maintain a relationship with your children through love and emotional connection

5. Passionate Parenting – Enjoying The Journey of Parenting Teens 

Passionate Parenting is about pursuing the heart of your teenager and helping that heart fall in love with the heart of God.

It all begins with examining your own heart as a parent. It begins with being passionate about your own relationship with Jesus Christ and His will for your life. 

If you long to enjoy the teen years, and you’re ready for some tough but rewarding work–then you will love this book by Cary Schmidt!  It is packed with wisdom to help you in parenting your teens and pursuing their hearts.

6. The Power of A Praying Parent 

I love the many ways that Stormie Omartian helps us pray for our kids in many different areas, such as: 

  • safety
  • character development
  • adolescence
  • peer pressure
  • school experiences
  • friends
  • relationship with God

This resource will help you to be an amazing praying parent whether your kids are three or thirty-three. 

If you’re not already praying for your kids regularly, this will help you get started! If you are a faithful prayer warrior already, this will help you pray with more power.

7. Training Your Children To Turn Out Right -A Biblical Guide for Christian Parents 

In this book by David Sorenson, parents are brought back to what our main goal of Christian parenting should be. God’s goal isn’t for our children to just stay out of trouble.

The emphasis in Scripture is to train our children to serve the Lord. We are to train them on purpose to be righteous; to train them specifically to be Godly, disciplined, to do the things they ought to do; and to train them to walk in the spirit.

What a great reminder with practical tips as well, that the goal of every Christian parent ought to be that his children grow up to be Godly, not just good.

8. Teach Them Diligently: How To Use The Scriptures In Child Training

Most of today’s Christian parenting resources fail to emphasize what is perhaps the most important aspect of true biblical parenting:  how to relate the Bible to the raising of our children in actual, practical ways.

Whatever else you are doing to equip your children, do you really know how to use the Bible for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness with your children?

In Teach Them Diligently Lou Priolo has given a tool that will strengthen you in this vital area, and help you bring God’s Word into your parenting and child training.

9. Pitchin’ A Fit: Overcoming Angry and Stressed-Out Parenting 

ANGER DESTROYS FAMILIES. You don’t have to let it destroy yours.

Parenting comes with stresses that can make the most laid-back among us feel irritable, frustrated, and angry. Even parents who sincerely love their children sometimes use the wrong methods of anger and frustration in an attempt to control their children.

But angry parenting doesn’t just weaken relationships between parents and their children; it can, over time, destroy them.

Few parents set out to become yelling meanies who no longer enjoy their children.

If anger is in your home even in small ways this book is for you.

It is time to replace that anger with something more powerful: patience and peace. Israel and Brook share candidly from their experience as parents.

10. Solving A Crisis in Christian Parenting: Why So Many Prodigals?  

Research indicates that more Christian kids are going prodigal than at any time in church history. The problem is common to dedicated homeschoolers, as well as public and private school parents.

Why are so many earnest young people growing up and forsaking the faith?

Some speculate that the problem is caused by the corrupting influences found in modern entertainment. Others insist that it is rooted in education and friendships.

It is the conviction of author Reb Bradley that the problem is primarily caused by a breakdown of the relationship between parents and children.

In this book Reb exposes seven blind spots in parenting that increase prodigal tendencies in children. Every dedicated parent needs to read this book, whether they are seasoned veterans or are just starting out.

What are your favorite books for help with Christian parenting?  Leave a comment and share what books have helped encourage you the most!

GRAB OUR FREE LIST OF 20 WAYS TO WIN YOUR CHILD’S HEART!
20 Ways To Win Your Child's Heart

 

4 Important Things To Teach Your Kids About Purity

By 4 Comments

I’d like to share 4 important things  to teach your kids about purity from the time they are young, to help keep them pure in mind and body.

This is a follow-up to my  post  Keeping Your Kids Pure, which shares the importance of  teaching our kids WHY they should keep themselves pure.

things to teach your kids about purity

4 Important Things To Teach Your Kids About Purity

1.  PHYSICAL PURITY IN RELATIONSHIPS

We need to start teaching our kids from a young age the importance of not touching/no physical contact with the opposite gender.  Teach them that other than hugging and kissing their parents, they should save their hugs and kisses for the person they are going to marry.  Those are privileges of marriage and reserved for your spouse.

“It is impossible to maintain a pure mind without maintaining a high standard of physical restraint.  In USA Today – 85% of single 17 year-olds admitted to having already lost their purity.  If Christian young people insist on following the dating standards of the world, then they will live with the results of those standards.  On the other hand, 100% of young people who institute a personal no-touch rule and enfore it arrive at the marriage altar morally pure.  100%!      ~7 Royal Laws of Courtship

2.  EMOTIONAL PURITY IN RELATIONSHIPS

Parents should start planting little seeds when their kids are young.    Mention often that God has a special person for them, and encourage them to save their heart for that person.

As they get a little older, encourage them to be emotionally faithful to their future spouse by saving their emotions for that person.

“I saw that I had been involved in the dating scene for purely selfish reasons, without at all considering my future husband or my boyfriends’ future wives.  By flirting and spending time with boys, and thus drawing their attention and affections to me, I was actually giving away something meant only for my husband.  I had upheld a commitment to abstinence, but I had not understood true purity.  I began to see that true purity was rooted in the heart; it meant that every thought, attitude, or emotion I allowed in must be honoring to my future husband and pleasing to God.” -Leslie Ludy

It is very important that you start teaching both aspects of purity in relationships when your kids are young.

You want them to understand this before emotional attachments or physical involvement take place.

3.  Purity in dress

We need to teach our daughters to dress modestly, so as not to cause young men to have impure thoughts.

“Parents need to screen their children’s clothing.  Men are responsible to help their wives and daughters understand why this is so important.”  – The Purity Principle

Along with this we need to teach our boys to turn their gaze away when they see inappropriate things.

We taught our kids that they couldn’t always control what came into their sight.  They could however, look away rather than continue to gaze, or look back at it again.

4.  Purity of Mind

We need to guard what goes into our children’s minds through their eyes and ears.

The battle for purity is fought in our minds, and what we are taking into our brains. 

What’s in our brains is what we allow in through our senses.  Images and words will be in our minds from what we see and hear.

Be aware of what your kids are watching on TV, what they are doing on the internet, and what they are reading. 

Set safeguards and boundaries, and give lots of instruction in this area.

Parents, the battle is real.  These 4 important things to teach your kids about purity will  take some time and effort on your part, but protecting their purity is worth it!

Grab our free ebook!

 

How To Establish An Effective Chore Routine

By Leave a Comment

When you establish an effective chore routine you will find it is much easier to keep on top of the housework. 

You will find that by creating a system for the household cleaning, you’ll always know what needs to be done.

It will take the guesswork out of things, and give you a solid plan to get the jobs done regularly.

Before getting started on  your chore routine, you might want to read the post on 5 Things That Characterize A Good Homemaker!

You will also find that it’s MUCH easier to keep your house clean and organized if you declutter things!  If you have too much stuff, why not join our 30 Day Declutter Challenge?!

Establish an effective chore routine

 

HOW TO ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE CHORE ROUTINE

 

1. Write everything down

This is going to take a little while, but it’s totally worth it.

Go room to room and make a list of all the chores that need to be done in your home.

Write down everything from wiping the walls and cleaning carpets to organizing the pantry and scrubbing tubs.

Work on it for a few days, then look back and see if there is something you might have missed.

Once you have everything written down, go through and mark how often it should be done.

• (D) daily
• (W) weekly
• (M) monthly
• (A) annually

This first step will be the most time consuming part of the project.  You might be tempted to whiz through the part, but take your time.

It will be worth it in the long run.

2. Make a List of Daily Chores

You’re list is probably pretty long, right? Don’t worry, we’ll break it down and make it manageable.

Take all your daily chores and put them on a new list. These are all the things you believe are
important to be done each and every day.

Some of these might include feeding animals, wiping the bathroom, and doing the dishes. Undoubtedly, your list contains a few more items than that, but you get the idea.

As you write these down, put the initial of the person who is responsible for the chore.

Be sure you include your children. They are the mess makers after all, right?

Giving them jobs keeps them busy, builds character, teaches responsibility, and helps you out at home.

3. Make a List of Weekly Chores

Now that you’ve got the daily chores done, make a separate list for the weekly chores, but with one difference.

Put them in category by room. And next to the chore, write how often you need it done.

For example, if you need the bathroom trash emptied twice a week, then write a 2 next to that chore.

A sample weekly chores list for the kitchen might include:

• Wipe out microwave
• Mop floors
• Organize pantry
• Clean stove
• Wipe outside cabinets
• Wipe out refrigerator

Remember that this is a work in progress and you’ll likely discover you’ve forgotten to add
something.

Just keeping adding to your lists.

4. Assign your chores

Now that you have your weekly chore list done, you are going to decide which chores should be done on which days.

Take a look at your calendar or your weekly commitments, you’ll see that it makes sense to do
certain things on certain days.

If you’re going to be out of the house most of the day on Thursdays, then don’t put huge chores down for that day. Maybe make that the day you clean the bathrooms and dust.

You’ll likely have to assign more than one room per day, depending on the size of your house.

Arrange the chores according to the demands of your current season of life.

5. List Your Monthly Chores

Now it’s time to work on your monthly chores.

Some sample monthly chores might include:

• Wash bedding
• Wipe fan blades
• Clean the oven
• Organize freezers
• Wiping the washer and dryer

Typically, you have four weeks in a month. Divide up the chores by week.  If you have 16 monthly chores, simply put four chores Week 1, Week 2 . . . etc.

Try to group similar chores together.

Once you have this done, assign the chores with an initial like you did with the above weekly chores.

6. List Annual Chores

Annual chores can be done on that random fifth week we get about every three months.

Divide the number of annual chores you have by four, and every time that extra week comes around, commit to get one set of your annual chores done.

As you work through your rough drafts and find a routine that works for you and your family, type them up.

Print your lists so they are stored somewhere (on the cloud) that won’t get lost.

You’ll find that if you keep up with your chore routine, there will be no need to spring clean because your house will always be clean.

The initial set up can be time consuming, but the end result is so worth it!

After you establish an effective chore routine, be sure to  communicate with your children.  Let them know the plan and your expectations, then work together to follow the new routine!

DOWNLOAD OUR BUILD A CHORE ROUTINE BUNDLE TO HELP YOU GET STARTED! 

(Sign up below to get it sent to your inbox)

Help And Hope For The Angry Mom

By Leave a Comment

A question I get asked often at conferences is this: Is there help and hope for the angry mom?  

Many moms have come to me in tears admitting they are really having a hard time with their anger, and they feel guilty because no matter how many times they determine to not let it happen again, it does.

As parents who are striving hard to raise our children for God, anger can be the biggest obstacle that stands in our way.

Anger damages relationships, and lessens our opportunity to influence the hearts of our children.  To protect themselves from our anger, they put up walls around their hearts and shut us out.

Help and Hope for the Angry Mom on The Character Corner

WHY IS ANGER SO DAMAGING?

  • It is one of the biggest causes of rebellion in our children
  • It causes our children to harbor hurt that can turn to bitterness
  • It causes us to lose their hearts, and no longer have  influence with them
  • Anger doesn’t address the heart issue and focuses more on changing behavior
  • Anger is catchy.  If one or both parents have an angry spirit, there’s a good chance that the kids will too.

However, there IS help and hope for the angry mom! 

The Bible tells us “Be ye angry and sin not,” so the anger itself isn’t the issue.

It’s how we respond to that anger. 

By recognizing that we tend to sin in our anger, finding our triggers, pausing to calm ourselves, and then planning a better way than yelling or exploding, we CAN overcome anger God’s way!  

Sound Impossible??? It’s Not!

With my course, Overcoming Anger God’s Way you will get Biblical help for your anger.

  • If you find yourself yelling at your kids, and realize you have turned into an angry mom.
  • Or you know “angry mom” is not who you want to be, but don’t know where to begin to stop it.
  • Maybe you’re aware that anger damages relationships with your children, and often leads them to rebellion but you keep on anyways.
  • Or if you feel guilty about the Mom anger, but don’t know how to break the habits….

Mom, This course is for you!  You CAN have a peaceful home and be a calm mom!

Overcoming anger God's way, Biblical help for moms

This online course includes:

  • 7 VIDEOS – Each video averages between 5 and 15 minutes
  • A PDF file with a transcript of each video for those who prefer to read it
  • A workbook to go with the course, and help you map out an action plan for success
  • Scripture verse cards on anger to post around your house to help you stay calm
  • Biblical Anger Management

If you struggle with anger and are ready to find Biblical answers and help, I’d like to encourage you to join me for a 7-week course: 

Biblical took pack for the angry mom

The tools in this 20-page printable set are designed to help you become more aware of your anger while recognizing what triggers it. You will learn how to calm yourself, speak God’s truth to yourself,  and control your responses in a better way. With these tools, you will find yourself gaining strength from God’s Word to help you on your journey to overcoming anger Biblically.

OVERCOMING ANGER GOD’S WAY – Biblical Help For Moms

Get help now and become the joyful, calm mom you want your kids to remember!

Click the image below to learn more.

overcoming anger

PIN THIS FOR LATER!!

help and hope for the angry mom

Save