Real Men Eat Suckers

This is a reposting of an article Linda wrote for the KV Wesleyan Blog last week. Enjoy!

Those kids are all the same!

When I saw these two toddlers chatting at the fridge I could easily picture my grown kids chatting and laughing it up in my kitchen today...

As your child grows and matures, so will her questions and doubts about who she is and whether or not she is likeable and acceptable in her world.

When our kids were young we made it our business to seek out and enjoy the unique ways of each of them. Those magical years of innocence and openness before they hit the Middle School years are a gold mine of treasure that you can store up for the future.

What I mean is that there will come a time when they are in the midst of the "mask wearing, image worshipping, head games playing" teenage years when they will need you to remind them of what makes them so unique and such a gift from God to you and to the world.

One of your main jobs is to discern how God has shaped your child. I found some great suggestions in the following article by "Julianna Lawson":

Where Does your Child Shine?

Are you unsure of your child's strengths? Consider these ideas to discover his or her talents.

1. Observe your child during his free time. What kind of activities grab his attention? Does he pick up a pencil to sketch? Perhaps she finds a favorite book and curls up on a couch. Does she enjoy recording the days events in a diary? Does he volunteer to bake a batch of cookies for the family?

2. Observe how your child interacts with siblings and peers. Perhaps he is a leader who enjoys organizing a group of kids to get a game going. Maybe he encourages a child who is feeling left out. Is she the one to suggest putting on a show at a family gathering?

3. Visit with your child's teacher to find out which subjects hold his interest. When is he most likely to raise his hand in class or volunteer for a project? Which assignments have been thoroughly completed with special attention to detail?

Use these clues to match your child's interests with activities happening at school or church., in your neighborhood or in your family. It may take a few tries to make a successful connection, but when it happens, you will know because your child will become more confident in his identity.

Be Adventurous!

I came across this quote on a website called Be the Dad Today.com. It says “Strong relationships are built by lots of short fun times, not rare big times.” You can check it out at this link: http://www.bethedadtoday.com. I loved what he had to say about how kids will create their own adventure, if we don’t provide it for them. How true is that? Sometimes that “adventure” is a BIG mess, a unique experiment that only they could come up with. I have witnessed my share of spontaneous outbreaks of adventure in our house. Usually it involved my husband Dan, chasing the kids around the house with a pull-up on his head! I wish I had a picture to show you of that! Really funny, somewhat adventurous, and very memorable.

Our kids are looking for a chance to have fun, laugh and be crazy together. Those times can’t be planned, or scheduled in your daily planner. They just happen. Sometimes our opportunity happens, when we can’t afford to take the time to stop, and make a memory. But when we do stop, and take advantage of a great moment to connect with our kids, we never know how important that memory will be. Being adventurous doesn’t have to be a BIG, planned, expensive event. Besides, it is the little moments, that happen more frequently, that have the most impact on our children. They are the opportunities, that give us the chance to “show them God in as many ways as possible”.

“Do you see? The calling of a father to lead His children toward Godly Adventure is more than just about being a “fun Dad” – it is about drawing them toward God and the Adventure that awaits a life lived well. It is about the Adventure of being a dad who is the Dad Today, and not just on those “Big Adventures” a few times a year – but everyday asking, “How can I make TODAY an Adventure for my son or daughter? Are you up for the Adventure, Dad?”
Pull ups anyone?

Blessings,
Linda

Buried Treasure

Linda and I are pumped about launching our new blog dedicated to changing the world by rediscovering and releasing the wonder of family life. Both of us will be adding daily content and sharing our hearts about struggles, wins, losses and valuable parenting lessons we have learned along the way. Can't wait!!

We believe that every family has unlimited potential to join God in changing our world.

Many of us seek God regularly to raise up a new generation of Jesus followers who will burn with love for Him and will release His kingdom in a way that we have never seen before.

Well, its time for us to discover that the answer is sleeping in our house every night! God is answering our prayer through the children He has given us to raise. They are His plan to release His presence in the world through their everyday ordinary lives!

Hope you will join us on this amazing journey of discovery and encouragement as we run the race and gain the prize!

To get started, here is a list of awesome mealtime questions for you to choose from!