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Insights & Reflections for Parents in January: from the Parent Powerline
Saturday, January 1, 2022 by Becky Cerling Powers

 

On Sundays…it’s helpful to paste or print out a picture of each person in your family and write a scripture-based blessing or prayer on the picture to pray throughout the year. The book of Psalms is a good place to find prayers and blessings. For example, Psalm 37:4, “May (Name) find delight in You, O Lord, and may You give her the desires of her heart.”

On Mondays…it’s important to understand that the key to children’s sense of security and intellectual development is a warmly responsive adult. Nothing stimulates children’s minds or builds good social behavior like a consistently affectionate parent, grandparent, or other committed adult who responds to kids’ daily needs, encourages creative efforts, sets healthy limits, provides calm order and is readily available for conversation.

On Tuesdays… it helps to be aware that reading at home is the simplest way to enhance children’s academic performance and encourage their intellectual development. Bedtime is a good time to include reading aloud in the family routine even if kids can read well themselves. Parents can talk about the stories and relate them to things that happen at home.

On Wednesdays…it’s important (but countercultural) to recognize that children learn social skills best by observing and imitating people who are more socially mature than they are. Preschoolers learn sharing and social tasks best when they have only one or two other children to relate to at a time, and when the group is supervised by an adult who is a good model.

On Thursdays… it makes a huge difference when you purposely develop the habit of savoring and appreciating what you have at the moment. When you feed discontentment by focusing on what you don’t have, you discourage everyone in the family, including yourself. It’s best to look for your blessings, thank God for your blessings, and let your children hear you thank Him.

On Fridays… since games, and craft and project books stimulate creativity, it’s important to try to keep them handy, where children can easily find and use them. Parents’ encouragement helps children try new activities, discover new interests and develop their natural talents.

On Saturdays…it’s good to remind yourself that family annoyances and problems are natural – to be expected. And that when they come along, the big temptation adults need to avoid is doing what’s most convenient for themselves instead of what’s best for the children.

© Becky Cerling Powers 2021 All Rights Reserved – print 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 blogs at www.beckypowers.com

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