apPARENTly blogging

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

apparentlyblogging — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:34:00 GMT

One of the goals of our HomeBase program is encouraging parents to schedule a specific night for a family activity. Now, a survey (published in the February 09 issue of Ladies Home Journal) reports that 45% of the people questioned state that playing a game together is the best way for a family to bond.

Studying God's Word together will strengthen that bond even more. In fact, have you checked out our Family Team Time Cards which give you the schedule for a three-part evening? The nights are divided into three: a family game or special event, time for parents to help children/teens with their handbooks/manuals and suggestions for a family devotional. Check the Awana Ministry Catalog or online store to order your cards.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT ...

apparentlyblogging — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:52:00 GMT

Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. ~Charles R. Swindoll, The Strong Family

THE DAD BOOK

apparentlyblogging — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:42:00 GMT

The pastor at church yesterday shared an interesting Christmas tradition they do at their house and I thought I'd pass it along.

Every Christmas, he buys a special book for each of his kids - but it's not the book itself that's so important. Inside the front cover of the "Dad Book," he writes a letter to the child. The letter not only focuses on the memories of the year, but also encourages them to do their best. He concudes with a verse.

The pastor said he plans to continue this even as his children enter adulthood - and the kids will have a collection of books AND letters written to them by their father.

I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH

apparentlyblogging — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:52:00 GMT

I'm telling you the truth - a new survey is frightening.

The Josephson Institute an ethics organizaton in Los Angeles, interviewed almost 30,000 students at high schools across the country.

This is what they discovered:

*64% said they cheated on a test in the past year.

*36% cheated two or more times.

*36% plagiarized an assignment from the internet.

*42% said they would lie to get money/save money.

Yet ...

93% said they were satisfied with their personal moral standard

77% said they were better than most of their friends

Some educators feel that kids lie to survive in today's busy and stressful environment.

But here is the saddest part of all. Josephson stated, "Adults are not taking this very seriously. The schools are not doing even the most moderate thing ... They don't want to know. There's a pervasive apathy."

A superintendent of one of the schools said, "Parents and school officials need to be more diligent - for example, emphasizing to students the distinctions between original and borrowed work."

I say, could one of the problem be that children and teens are not given a solid, unmoving moral standard to follow - the Word of God?

When people have no standard, they have nothing by which to measure.

We have a job to do. We need to teach our kids that there IS a solid foundation. There IS a reason to do the right thing.

A FUN THANKSGIVING TRADITION

apparentlyblogging — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 21:58:00 GMT

On the way to work this morning I was listening to a talkshow host inviting listeners to phone in with their thanksgiving traditions. One listener shared a great idea.

As your guests arrive at the house for Thanksgiving Dinner, give them a piece of paper and ask them to write down three things for which they're thankful. Tell them to stay away from the general responses such as family, friends, the Bible and instead be more specific. Invite the little kids and the great-great grandparents to participate. When the person has completed his response, have him drop it in a container such as a bowl or small bag.

Before you enjoy the turkey, someone pulls out the responses and reads them to the group. Others must guess the owner of the list.

Even if you don't do this at thanksgiving - you could use it to begin a Bible study on thankfulness (or if you have a small T&T group - you could do it before the large group lesson).

THE MASTERPIECE

apparentlyblogging — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:37:00 GMT

I enlisted the help of my local four-year-old for a demonstration.

1. Take one boy with an empty sheet of paper. What to do that's new and creative?

2. Well, you put down some newspaper and get some paint, but alas, no paintbrush. So still perplexed!

3. But hey, creativity is the name of the game. Pick up the car. Put car in paint and make a masterpiece.

Actually, driving cars through paint and creating masterpieces, is something we often did with the kids back when I taught preschool. If you decide to do it with YOUR kids, I'd suggest you use old cars. You don't want to use good or expensive toy cars because the paint can get in the wheels and inside the car.

What's super fun is combining two or three cars/trucks with different wheel patterns. (The one we used tonight, didn't have treads.)

Have fun!

MIX THE MAGNETS

apparentlyblogging — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:25:00 GMT

The kids in my family enjoy playing with the word magnets on the refrigerator. They often come up with sentences that say things such as "My brother eats hot dogs on the floor" or "Once upon a time the princess runs in the cornfield."

Though there are a lot of word magnets in those store-bought sets - why not make your own word magnets? Buy strips of adhesive-backed magnets at your local hobby store. Write (or have your child write) the words of the verses on a paper and cut into pieces - one word on a piece. Cut a small square of magnet, attach to the back and put on the refrigerator. Mix them up on the front of your refrigerator and encourage your child to put them in correct order. You could continue to do this with several verses. You will probably be using many of the words over and over again.

SOUS CHEF COMMUNICATION

apparentlyblogging — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:44:00 GMT

One mom takes turns appointing a kid sous chef to help with supper.

The child has the opportunity to help choose and make the meal - and to have a good time of one-on-one conversation with Mom. (Though Dad could do this, too!)

Other children are NOT ALLOWED in the kitchen during supper preparation time - so the conversation is truly private. Doing something with your children while you talk, often encourages more personal conversation than you would get otherwise - because you aren't simply sitting at a table staring at each other.

This one-on-one time while making supper can be particularly rewarding with kids going through adolescence.

SOMETHING FOR EVERY DAY

apparentlyblogging — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:03:00 GMT

Are you looking for an activity to do with your child EVERYDAY of the week?

Check out the new Day Light Calendar.

This is a new feature on the HomeBase portion of our Website, providing fun ways to learn about God's Word and enjoy life together as a family.

The November calendar is already posted and the December calendar should be up in the next couple days.

EZRA, ESTHER, EPHESIANS

apparentlyblogging — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:20:00 GMT

Is your child having difficulty learning the books of the Bible?

Do you have a lot of unused books at your house - perhaps an old set of encyclopedias that aren't used anymore?

Put your child to work, labeling (on the spine) each encyclopedia volume as a different Bible book.

When you have a complete set of 66 (or you could separate Old and New Testaments), mix them up and allow your child to stack them in proper sequence.

After your child learns the order and you know longer need the game - donate it to your Awana Club. (But recognize that not all clubs will have a place to store so many books.)

REPEAT ... REPEAT ... REPEAT ...

apparentlyblogging — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:18:00 GMT

We know that repetition is the best way to teach a child (or an adult) - but sometimes we forget and don't take advantage of what we can do through repetition.

If you're teaching your child a verse, look for ways to apply the concept during the day. For instance, if you are teaching your child Genesis 1:1, keep repeating the words as you see different instances of God's creation.

At the breakfast table as you serve an apple or scrambled eggs - "In the beginning God created ..."

As you walk outside and see the multi-colored leaves - "In the beginning God created ..."

As you spot a tiny bug or a fluttering butterfly - "In the beginning God created ..."

After you do this several times, start the verse, but allow the child to finish it ...

Of course, Genesis 1:1 is an easy verse to apply, but what about more difficult verses?

_____________

Let's look at Ephesians 6:18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

As you say grace at breakfast - As your child leaves for school - "I'll pray for you today because "Praying always with all prayer and supplication ..."

On a note in a child's lunchbox - "Praying always with all prayer and supplication ..."

___________________

Use your imagine. Make it a fun activity. You may be surprised how quickly your child can repeat the verse back to you.

ALMOST NOVEMBER

apparentlyblogging — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 20:40:00 GMT

How are your kids doing in their books? Hopefully, they're still experiencing that beginning-of-the-year enthusiasm for learning God's Word.

Encourage them to pass sections now before the holiday slow down.

Some ideas for encouraging verse memory -

*Write down the first letter of each word in the verse on a review sheet.

*Listen to the verses on CD as you drive your child to school, the grocery story or Grandma's.

*Make cupcakes/cookies. Write each word of the verse on a cookie/cupcake and put them in correct order. (When your child eats that cupcake/cookie, he'll need to remember that word.)

A GREAT MEMORY TIP FOR YOUR CHILD

apparentlyblogging — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:32:00 GMT

Kids enjoy writing on chalkboards - or on sidewalks with sidewalk chalk.

Why not purchase an indoor sidewalk - an indoor/outdoor carpet mat? These can be found fairly inexpensively at home improvement stores. Give your kids some chalk and let them write out the verse. (You could also have them illustrate the words.) Let them have fun AND learn the words as they're writing them.

When your children are done - simply vacumn up the chalk and they're ready to go with the next verse.

A MEMORY TIP

apparentlyblogging — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:11:00 GMT

Is your child having difficulty learning a verse? Here's a memory tip that may help.

1. Ask your child to write each word of the verse on a separate piece of paper or card (this is a good use for the back of junk mail).

2. Instruct your child to put the papers in different papers around the house. But, put the verse in order. Perhaps word #1 would be on the couch, word#2 on the rocking chair, word#3 on the dining room table, #4 attached to the refrigerator, #5 IN the refrigerator, etc.

3. Next, guide your child in walking around the house, reading the words of the verse. Have him do this several times - and then say the verse without looking at the words.

Leave the words in place as long as it's convenient. Your child will begin to associate the words with the location and eventually be able to say the verse. Or, if he forgets a word of the verse, he can think of the location and perhaps pull the word to mind.

(Here at Headquarters we know this works. We're required to learn specific passages of Scripture each year and many of us do our memory work during our commute or while walking. We can tell you exactly what house we were walking by or what stoplight we were at when learning a particular phrase or word.)

TAKING TIME

apparentlyblogging — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:19:00 GMT

Recently I had opportunity to talk with a family therapist. This lady wasn't a Christian (or at least gave no indication of being one), but she is extremely concerned about families.

When a child is in a lot of trouble and has totally frustrated the school system and the next step is foster care - the courts call her. She is the family's last hope. If the kids/parents don't listen to her and get back on track, the children are taken away from their homes.

She mentioned how disappointing it is to travel maybe a hundred miles to meet with parents - only to have them NOT be there because they "forgot." (Even though this could be a life-changing visit for the children.)

But I thought the most interesting thing she said was "I have never seen a family get to this point IF the parents spend time with their kids."

Time.

Time is free. (None of us pay for time.)

Time is equal. (We all have the same amount of time.)

Time is can be used wisely or foolishly.

How much time do you spend with your kids each day?

How much time do you spend listening to their chatter (and granted, sometimes that chatter is silly)?

How much time do you spend helping them with a homework problem or showing them how to bake cupcakes or build a birdhouse?

How much time do you spend helping your child learn a verse?

Give your child the gift of time.