Tag Archives: Parents

Go play outside: 9 keys to raising nature-loving kids

| | Posted in Parents of infants, Parents of toddlers, Parents of young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Go play outside: 9 keys to raising nature-loving kidsMy parents likely didn’t set out to raise a kid who wanted to be outdoors – it just came natural for them. My dad had a garden, and my mom “put up” everything that was harvested. I, of course, was expected to help, not only with the garden but with the beehives on our property near the adjacent cotton fields in rural Tennessee. We were outside a lot.

Those are fond memories, of course, even though I didn’t particularly enjoy the humid days in the South. But somewhere along there, I learned to enjoy being outside.

I’m now a father, and I’m trying to instill into my three children an even greater love for nature – God’s creation – than I had at their age.

But these are challenging times. A British survey showed that children today spend 10 times more hours watching TV than they do playing outdoors. Another poll showed that only 40 percent of children would rather play outside than inside.

Video games and electronics are a big culprit. Another is decreased open space in urban areas. I’ve begun reading Richard Louv’s 2005 book “Last Child In The Woods,” which examines how we can save our children from what he calls “Nature Deficit Disorder.” His book has me wondering: What can we as parents do to keep our children from becoming indoor hermits?

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‘Dad, what’s the Trinity?’ – 6 resources for kids’ Bible questions

| | Posted in Parents of young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

‘Dad, what’s the Trinity?’ – 6 resources for kids’ Bible questionsOne night I was putting my 5 year old to bed when he threw me a curve ball.

“Dad, will my teddy bear be in heaven?”

Without thinking much about his emotions or the way he might react, I quickly told him, “No, he won’t. We don’t get to take any of our stuff to heaven.”

I thought I had handled that one just fine – until my son started crying. I soon realized that to him, heaven wasn’t sounding so great after all. I cleaned up the mess, explaining to him how wonderful heaven was and how everything in heaven was going to be much greater than what we have here.

Honestly, I’m still trying to figure out the best way to answer that one.

Other times, though, the answers are much easier. Like the other night, when, for his bedtime, we had a discussion about the deity of Christ and the Trinity. Continue reading →

4 great ways to encourage your children

| | Posted in Parents of toddlers, Parents of young children | Tagged , , , , , ,

4 great ways to encourage your childrenAs a parent, have you ever been home and not really home? That is, have you ever been surrounded by your children, but so distracted by the things of this world – your job, hobbies, friends – that you’re really on another planet?

Pastor David Jeremiah asked those questions in a two-part Focus on the Family podcast, and then suggested four ways that parents can improve in their God-given roles of loving their children. He calls them the four ways to encourage your children. I enjoyed it and would encourage you to listen, too, here and here. (If you have an iPhone, download the Focus on the Family app. The broadcasts were on Sept. 23-24. There also is an Android app.)

Parents, he said, should give their children:

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Bad idea: Kids’ football league issues $200 fine if score gets out of hand

| | Posted in Parents of young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Bad idea: Kids' football league issues $200 fine if score gets out of handIf your child is playing in a football league and the other team is winning big, do you want the opposing players to lay down and let your kid’s team score? What about fining the other team $200 if the opposing coach does not cooperate?

That’s exactly what’s happening in the Northern California Federation Youth Football League, where a league for children 7 to 13 year olds is now suspending the coach for one week and handing the team a $200 fine it wins by 35 points or more. It’s called the “mercy rule.” The league’s deputy commissioner says the rule teaches compassion and sportsmanship.

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5 ways parenting makes us less selfish – and why I’m thankful for the lesson

| | Posted in Parents of infants, Parents of toddlers, Parents of young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

5 ways parenting makes us less selfish – and why I’m thankful for the lessonRemember those times in elementary school when you wanted that yummy pie on your friend’s plate?

“You gonna eat that?” you might say, putting your finger smack-dab in the middle of it.

“Well, not anymore,” they’d reply.

Or maybe you were on the receiving end of such silly antics, frustrated at your friend’s selfishness. Of course, very few of us looked at that delicious pie and wanted to give it to someone. No way. That was our pie.

I remember those days very well. I also remember the day, about four years ago, when I was eating dinner and had some food on my plate that was seconds away from being devoured. But my first child, my then-1-year-old son, had been eyeing it, and he wanted it, too. You see, there were no leftovers on the table. If I ate it, he would not get any more food. But if he ate it, I would not get any more.

What do you think I did? I gave it to him, without hesitation.

Throughout Scripture, God commands us to avoid selfishness, and for good reason; we all struggle with it. Paul tells us to do “nothing from selfish ambition” (Philippians 2:3). Peter tells us to humble ourselves (1 Peter 5:6). Jesus Himself tells us to deny ourselves and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). But it’s hard, isn’t it?

Nothing wipes selfishness out of your life like parenting. I didn’t think I was a selfish person as a bachelor, but in hindsight, I probably was. And I still am – we all are, to some degree — but I’m further along in my goal of selflessness than I was.

I’m thankful for what God’s taught me about selfishness. Here are 5 specific lessons I’ve learned:

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