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Wow, was May full!
With graduation parties and birthday parties and picnics and fun, we have had late nights (and still early mornings), changes in routine, lots of sugar — and tons of arguing.
I continue to lament to others that I don’t know what (!!!) is going on in our home, but really, our short-tempered, impatient, selfish attitudes are a result of “all of the above” with a full cup of our old sin-nature stirred right into the mix.
You may have had weeks like that, too: bickering among the children and between the parents, short fuses all around, and a helplessness to get things back on track. I default to my search for a formula to fix things, but I know that these behaviors are all evidence of a heart issue, and to resolve surface issues, we have to look to the roots.
My first stop? Prayer. I’m planning to write much more on this in the coming weeks (super excited about some things I have planned!!), but for now, I can’t remind myself enough that any success in my home comes only from Jesus and His grace.
I can implement great systems and consistent discipline. I can train my kids all day long, but it is the Lord who works in their hearts. So I’m turning to Him earnestly, faithfully, and humbly asking for His insight, wisdom, discernment and creativity as we love and train our children.
Another action? Going back to the basics. I’ll be sharing more on that, too, but one of the resources I’m using is the National Center for Biblical Parenting. I’ve had my eye on their Biblical Parenting University classes, and we finally jumped in and purchased the 101 class: Developing Responsibility and Cooperation in Children.
The class includes 4 one-hour long lessons, but one of the features I really appreciate is that each of the one hour lessons is broken down into 5-7 minute sections. This makes it super convenient to watch in bite-sized chunks if needed and pick up right where you left off.
Plus, each course includes bonus content! I am really looking forward to one of the hour-long webinars all about two-year olds (a result of a reader question) that is included. Talk about applicable!! I should mention that this course is not just geared toward parents of preschoolers but is created for elementary and older children as well. In fact, one of the bonus webinars is geared specifically to parents of teenagers. We’re just not in that season yet!
Will you join me?
I want go through this class with you!
My plan is to begin watching the videos this coming week and tackle a one-hour lesson each week for the next 4 weeks. Yes, we have a baby on the way, but the ability to watch in small portions makes it easy to break up each lesson’s content throughout the week.
Then we’ll take the conversation over to a private Facebook group so we can take the information even deeper – asking questions, encouraging one another, sharing ideas, and praying for each other.
Here’s a rough schedule:
Week of June 8: Lesson 1 – Tightening Your Action Point
Week of June 15: Lesson 2 – Teaching Kids to Listen and Follow Instructions
Week of June 22: Lesson 3 – Developing Convictions
Week of June 29: Lesson 4 – Practical Responsibility
You can watch the lesson segments at any time and jump into the Facebook discussion as it fits your schedule.
I am really excited about getting back to the basics, having a fresh start (especially with the craziness of summer and altered schedules on our doorstep!), and moving ahead with healthy patterns, and I’m even more excited about the opportunity to learn together with you!
How to Join
Request to join our private Facebook group where we can talk about the lessons, share practical ideas, and encourage one another!
Any questions? Let me know! Also, if the cost is a challenge for you, please, please please e-mail me!
Flickr Photo Credit: wolfgangfoto
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