Spring is just around the corner and it's the perfect time to begin planning to create some fun, new traditions for your family!
April: Heritage of Faith
One of the most important habits or tradition we hold to is getting into God's Word daily. We do a devotional in the morning and read through a chapter of the Bible in the evening together.
Sarah's chapter for April on A Heritage of Faith is so crucial to the foundation of everything else we do.
Spring is a season of renewal and new birth. It's such an ideal time to revisit or begin the journey of building up faith in our children. Oftentimes, I think we overcomplicate this and believe we have to do some elaborate things, and because that seems overwhelming, we can tend to do nothing. Don't fall into this trap.
Building up faith in our children only requires we be intentional and maybe a little creative.
I am very particular about what Bible study tools and devotionals I use with my children and I just rotate through them.
Along with breakfast devotions and evening Bible reading, you can involve your children in whatever ministry you are involved in. For 10 years, my husband and I were youth pastors/leaders and we simply brought our children along in what we did.
Building a foundation of faith doesn't mean you or your children will never stumble. This is the whole purpose of the Gospel and how we help our children understand it!
Teaching our children to be loving doesn't mean they will always be loving. Making the tradition of praying together doesn't mean you won't ever miss a day or that missing a day makes you a failure. Not at all! We keep running the race everyday!
Sarah shares some of the traditions they made in their own home and while you don't have to adopt them exactly, they are a great starting point and you can adapt them as you see fit for your own family.
The truth of the matter is that no matter how far along the path of faith we walk, the reality of fallen human nature will always get in the way of perfection. -Sarah Clarkson
May: Days to Commemorate
It's so fun to be able to celebrate special days and milestones within families. And of course they can be as simple as making and sharing a special meal or giving a gift. If you have children in sports or dance or other recreation, celebrating their accomplishments helps them build confidence, encourages and honors them.
Of course, your children don't need to be gifted in the arts! There are all kinds of areas our children can be celebrated. Maybe they are a profound speaker or builder or writer. How can we, as parents, encourage, support, and celebrate them in their areas of giftedness?
These journey markers reminded them to walk in His ways and to be faithful to His role in their lives. Stopping our normal activities of life to commemorate a special day or person can play the same role in our lives. It brings honor to the person or event and highlights significant accomplishments. It also reminds us of the many ways God has guided and helped us and of our responsibility to both live for Him and uphold others as they try to do the same. -Sally Clarkson
June: Times of Delight
Play, valuable play, can often be overlooked as a time waster. I assure you, play is invaluable for children. Make believe, fort building, dolls, trains, Legos...these are all excellent ways to help children's brains develop and also helps them relieve stress.
Play is the way children learn. By setting the narrative of life in the relatively safe world of play, they discover how to interact in real-life situations and embody character qualities fitting for great people. In the process, they expand their palettes of imagination, curiosity, and intuition. -Sally Clarkson
Living in the age of technology has actually robbed our children of creative play. When television and video games and the Internet bring such instant gratification without having to make the brain work, children struggle to learn how to really play.
That's not to say these things can't have any place in a home, but they should definitely be limited.
I've found that when we keep TV and games limited to the weekends, it helps my children focus better on their school work. This evidence has been proven over and over again in my own home (with seven children).
So, if you find your children are struggling with focus and concentration, it may be time to scale back on the television and electronics and encourage more creative play. With the warmer weather approaching, outdoor activities are great for exercising the body and freeing the mind. Endorphins work wonders!
Instead of an evening movie one night, try a family board game or card game.
Remember, play is productive!!
What did you gain from these last few chapters? What will you add or change in your own home this spring?
