Kindness Consequences

Love to me is kind, gentle, sweet, caring and happy. ~ Mischka, age 7

Training a child is a constant state of reminding that there are 
consequences (both positive and negative) for choices made. It is easy in parenting to focus too heavily on the negative consequences and not 
reward positive choices.

One place that we can reward is kindness in the home.  For some 
reason our homes seems to be the place where kindness is especially lacking, this is the most important training ground.  We can watch carefully and wait to catch our children being kind to other members 
of our household. By constantly uplifting those choices, whether it is immediate or at the dinner table, we can create an environment that 
will breed more and more kindness to others.  You can even make a game of catching your children being kind.  Give points for varying degrees of kindness and reward the winner.  Teaching sibling to treat each other with kindness is a very important life skill.  Take time this weekend to catch your children being kind to one another!

The Family Missions Trip

Breaks can be a wonderful time to accomplish things as a family, but that doesn’t always have to mean work.  Consider spending a day doing a mini missions trip as a family.  Many churches use breaks to offer international missions trips but a family missions trip doesn’t have to leave the city around you.   There are many opportunities to teach your kids to be selfless right in your back yard.  What a good tradition to start teaching that every break from school, at least one day will be given to help those around us in need.

You could take your family to volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.  Nursing facilities are also a wonderful place to give of your time.  Older people love to see children and many of them don’t have family close to visit.  You can also check with your church to see if there are any people who need a meal taken to them or their house cleaned.  You can spend the day cooking with your kids making and delivering a meal.  Creating this experience for your children may take some time to plan but it is a lesson worth teaching.  You can even get your children involved in ideas and planning to get them even more excited about it.  Spend some time around the table tonight bouncing ideas off your children, You may be surprised at how creative they can be. Remember that excitement is contagious so if you want your kids to be excited about helping others you have to communicate your excitement!!

Let us know what ideas you come up with, your creativity may help spark ideas for another family!

Kindness Lived Out

Love to me means sharing my gospel with Haiti. ~ Carolina age 7

Kindness is not only lived out to the immediate people around us, but everyone in need.

We have currently been given a situation in which to live out loud the verses below, and a great opportunity in teaching kindness to our children, by supporting those who were devastated by the earthquake in Haiti. This is a great teaching tool as you get the whole family excited to help because the needs are so great everyone can do something.

Children seem to learn best when they have a hands on experience. In this situation the whole family can go through their out grown clothes, or take a trip to the store for water or food supplies. This learning experience can be made into something fun the family can do together.

Matthew 25:35-40
35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’  37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?  38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?  39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’
40 And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’