10 Ways to love your kids Rachel Jankovic

I am adding this to my blog so I can remember this:




1) Eagerly, humbly submit to the Word of God.
When you sin in front of your children, confess it. When you assert your authority over them, your children should clearly see the authority that you are submitting to. Your submission to God is your qualification to teach them. Let them see it, and they will know that you aren’t a petty tyrant.



2) Don’t pigeonhole your children.
Seemingly harmless things like calling your children “the artistic one,” “the athletic one,” or “the loving one” can make your children feel like their value to you is tied up in one characteristic. It can further invite sibling rivalry and resentments. Moreover, sets you up to stop trying to learn about them, as you begin to interpret everything through that expectation and sets them up to think that that's the only part of them you appreciate.



3) Discipline biblically.
When you discipline, make sure it has a biblical category. A godly parent can't discipline for “being annoying,” “making a mess,” or “squirming.” Instead, look to correct disobeying, lying, or something that you can support with Scripture, Proverbs and Ephesians in particular. If there isn’t a biblical principle and name behind it, don’t discipline for it.



4) Set clear expectations.
Explain to your children in advance what you expect from them and what they can expect from you. Make sure they understand. This will greatly aid you in #3, as well as giving them the security of knowing what you want.



5) Recognize obedience.
Talk to your children when you aren’t correcting them. Talk about the things they do right. Tell them about specific things that you love about them. Let them know that you know them, that you think of them, and that you enjoy them.



6) Listen to the whole story first.
With little kids you actually might have to take some time to get the story out. Don’t try to hustle past your children in an effort to quickly discipline them. The discipline is for their benefit, not yours. Make sure that they understand and that they know you are interacting with them.



7) Honor your spouse in front of them.
Show love to each other in front of your children. Don't be short, snarky, or snide with each other in their presence (or out of it for that matter). Children need to see Mom and Dad as one. Parents in fellowship with each other is one of the most basic elements for a secure home.



8) Don’t change your behavior toward your children in public.
Don’t correct them for things just because someone is watching. Security for a child means knowing that their parent is for them, and that when one of them corrects the child, it is for his or her benefit, and not so that others will think the parents have it all together.



9) Don’t take your children’s sins as a personal insult.
Never discipline with a break in fellowship. Don’t be “mad” at your children. Be anxious to have things reconciled.



10) Forgive. For real.
If breaking the window has been forgiven, act like it. Forget it. Do not hold past incidents over your children, especially if you've told them you've forgiven them. Let it go all the way, every time, “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12).

Sweet Friends

Jan 28 2012

We love when we get to spend time with the Barbers' but tonight was a real treat having the Del Ben's too. And baby Titus.

Mr. Fix it

Jan 28 2012

The other day the dishwasher was acting up. Well it was probably was my fault (I tend to think that it is the diswashers job to wash the dishes, so why prewash them before putting them in there). They don't always get clean that is why!!!! Lesson learned. I have been doing better. Well Drew was cleaning out the bottom and unscrewed the filter to wash it out. The next thing we both knew. Noah had decided to "work" with Daddy. But instead of just going and getting his screwdriver from his tools, he came out of his room dragging his whole workbench. SO precious. He and daddy worked for a good long while getting that dishwasher back to working order. I might have to forget to prewash those dishes again just to let them have some Daddy/Son "working" time again.

Distraction

Jan 27 2012

How do you manage??? How do you manage to get things done around the house? Cook? Laundry? SHOWER everyday? With a little guy who has become attached to this Momma, just mobile enough to spin himself on the floor enough times to eventually get to where he wants to go but to wear you don't want him to be. Well this is my solution. DISTRACTION. I try to distract and speed shower. This is today's success. A pillow perfectly placed, a puzzle acceptably nawable for this little teether and voila. Enough time to shower.

Peanut Butter Birdseed Feeder

Dipping in the birdseed box

Doesn't he look so proud.


Getting ready to put it on the fence.









Noah got birdseed all in the peanut butter jar, so this is designated as the birds' peanut butter from now on.

Making another one. He gets so w excited now anytime the toliet paper, or paper towel rolls are almost finished. He knows he gets to make another one.

Just playing now.





Jan 26 2012

Sometimes when it rains we are at a loss as to what to do. We can not play outside (well techinically we could as I was reminded by some friends, to let them get dirty and play in the rain/ although this is a stretch for this Momma who doesn't really like dirt), and I really didn't want to let Noah watch TV all day. So I asked for suggestions. And this idea was my favorite. One because Noah loves feeding the birds and refilling the bird feeders we have anyway. I tell him that God uses us to feed the birds, it reminds me of that verse:

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
Matthew 6:25-27

And when he looks out the window and sees them eating he says "Thank you Noah." That is what I tell him the birds are thinking as they eat their lunch. I love how the Lord provides for the birds and for us daily. This afternoon, the sun came out, we got to making bird feeders, after they were set out Noah played in the yard, Luke in his exersaucer (nawing away), and Momma got to soak up the warmth of the sun after the storm and take some pictures. Today was a good day.

Looking good

Jan 23 2012

I love Sunday mornings where I can dress Luke in his cute clothes and see the little gentleman that he is growing to be. He bucks at the idea of putting on shoes but is sure wanting to stand up and have you hold him these days. I just love a sweater vest on a baby boy. Especially mine.

Friday at the Park

Jan 21 2012

We spent the morning at park with our boys letting them play and soaking up the time that we get to spend together. I love these moments in life when you can not think of anything better. I love these boys that God has given me and am so proud to be their Momma.