On Sundays… Remember that if you don’t get rid of garbage from your past, it’s going to stink up your present. So seek God’s help for resolving resentment, hurt, and anger over past experiences. Insight isn’t enough. Negative feelings and attitudes don’t disappear just by realizing they are damaging. It takes God’s help to get rid of garbage: to face it, feel it, forgive it and allow God to fill the emptied space with love, joy, peace…all His spiritual fruit..
On Mondays…keep in mind that consistency is the toughest part of parenting. Everyone has to work at it. If you can be very consistent with a new routine for six weeks, however, it usually becomes set enough to survive inevitable slack periods.
On Tuesdays… try to calm down the family atmosphere by reducing stress from background noise. When the family is in the car, turn off the radio and talk. At home, turn off the TV and talk.
On Wednesdays…remember that children will do better in school if you train them to develop good work habits at home. So limit screen time, teach children to do regular chores, and set a regular routine for schoolwork, meals and bedtime.
On Thursdays… save yourself laundry by making sure children have enough space to put away their clothes. If clothes are left on top of a drawer in a stack, they fall on the floor, get trampled on, and wind up back in the dirty clothes hamper during pick up time, all without ever being worn.
On Fridays…ask yourself if your children have lots of informal (nonprofessional) contact with good adult role models. Positive social development depends more on adult contact and less on contact with other children than previously thought. Children learn social skills through imitation. So spend time with your children and encourage them to develop friendships with good adult role models through family, church, and neighborhood connections. Children develop maturity by being around mature people.
On Saturdays… work on developing the art of recognizing teachable moments. For example, if your child makes a remark about a field of cows as you drive by, stop the car. Take time to observe, to count, to sketch. Whenever you can, grab the teachable moments to keep children’s love of learning alive.
© Becky Cerling Powers 2021 Reprint with attribution only
Becky Cerling Powers is a veteran homeschool grandma and the author of Sticky Fingers, Sticky Minds: quick reads for helping kids thrive and Laura’s Children: the hidden story of a Chinese orphanage. She also compiled and edited the faith based stories in My Roots Go Back to Loving and other stories from Year of the Family. She blogs at www.beckypowers.com You can find her books on her website and at Amazon.
Anxiety List Prayer: reflections on spiritual warfare
Becky Cerling Powers
1/8/2023
Dad's Problem Solution Method
Becky Cerling Powers with Bob Cerling
1/1/2023
Insights & Reflections for Parents in December: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
12/1/2022
Best Toys This Season are Simple: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
11/25/2022
Gimme a Little Kiss: reflections on spiritual warfare
Becky Cerling Powers
11/5/2022
Insights & Reflections for Parents in November: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
11/1/2022
Are Parents Sculptors or Gardeners? Insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
10/15/2022
Insights & Reflections for Parents in October: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
10/2/2022
Insights & Reflections for Parents in September: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
9/1/2022
Figuring Out a Child's Learning Style: insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
8/20/2022
Insights & Reflections for Parents in August: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
8/1/2022
Insights and Reflections for Parents in July: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
7/2/2022
Insights and Reflections for Parents in June: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
6/1/2022
Insights and Reflections for Parents in May: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
5/1/2022
Toddlers Helping: insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
3/21/2022
Lament - Complaining as Worship: reflections on spiritual warfare in grief & anger
Becky Cerling Powers
3/16/2022
A Dream That Changed Me: reflections on spiritual warfare
Becky Cerling Powers
3/9/2022
Insights and Reflections for Parents in March: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
3/1/2022
Preventing Parent Burnout: insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
2/7/2022
Playing Games with Kids: insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
2/6/2022
Insights and Reflections for Parents in February: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
2/1/2022
Insights & Reflections for Parents in January: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
1/1/2022
Christmas Contentment: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
12/11/2021
Insights & Reflections for Parents in December: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
12/1/2021
Pied Piper Dad: memorial and parenting reflections from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
11/22/2021
Golden Rule Respect: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
11/12/2021
Insights & Reflections for Parents in November: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
11/4/2021
Enjoying Money Without Spending it: insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
10/14/2021
Insights & Reflections for Parents in October: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
10/1/2021
Yes Means Yes, No Means No: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
9/26/2021
The Tire 'Em Out Principle for Long Trips and Schoolwork: insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
9/18/2021
Insights & Reflections for Parents in September: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
9/1/2021
The Handy Dandy Adaptable Review Game, Cooperation Concentration: Parent Powerline insights
Becky Cerling Powers
8/2/2021
Insights & Reflections for Parents in August: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
7/30/2021
Camping with Kids: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
7/28/2021
Insights & Reflections for Parents in July: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
7/1/2021
Why Smart Kids Can't All Read by Age 6: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
6/10/2021
Insights & Reflections for Parents in June: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
5/31/2021
Home Style Secrets of Kids' Learning Success: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
5/24/2021
The Balances of Parenting: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
5/18/2021
Letting Daughters Grow: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
5/8/2021
Insights & Reflections for Parents in May: from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
5/1/2021
Reading Lots of Easy Books Produces Fluent Readers: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
4/22/2021
Reflections for Parents in April, Week Two: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
4/12/2021
Helping Kids with Math: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
4/5/2021
Reflections for Parents in April, Week One: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
4/1/2021
Watching for the Positives: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
3/21/2021
Give Your Children Sticky Minds: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
3/15/2021
Being a Better Parent...One Week at a Time...in March
Becky Cerling Powers
2/28/2021
Preparing to Raise Teens: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
2/18/2021
Reading to Babies: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
2/5/2021
Being a Better Parent....One Week at a Time...in February 2021
Becky Cerling Powers
2/1/2021
Hooray for Mother Goose! Parenting Insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
1/5/2021
Being a Better Parent....One Week at a Time...in January 2021
Becky Cerling Powers
1/2/2021
Working With -- Not Against -- Life Seasons: parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
12/28/2020
Why Play With the Kids? parenting insights from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
12/21/2020
In Praise of Naps: tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
9/28/2020
Music Enriches the Family: tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
9/10/2020
Pre-School at Home During Covid-19: tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
8/21/2020
Parenting in the Mess: Tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
8/16/2020
TALK: A Simple Way to Help Kids with School: tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
7/21/2020
Raising Fluent Readers: tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
5/29/2020
Family Funnies: Tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
5/22/2020
Let Kids Cure Their Own Boredom: Tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
4/15/2020
The Hundred Chart: math lesson tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
4/8/2020
Household Management During COVID-19 Time: tips from the Parent Powerline
Becky Cerling Powers
3/23/2020
The Love & Diaper (Nappy) Connection
Becky Cerling Powers
10/25/2019
