2. Our home environment
• make your home a place that your children want to come back to, where:
• they are free to be individuals not in a straightjacket of conformity
• there are boundaries but not legalism
• there is discipline but not authoritarianism
• there is more encouragement than criticism
• there is plenty of fun and laughter
• there is more gratitude than complaining and blaming
• there are apologies and forgiveness and the opportunity for fresh starts
• faith is more easily caught than taught
o children initially form their picture of God from the way their parents treat them show unconditional love
3. Involving other people
• the wider family
• other role models
4. Passing on our values about money
• pressures on children and parents from advertising and the celebrity culture
• give them choices with money - choosing how much to save, spend, and give away
• teach generosity, good management, and honesty
• help them learn the value of experiencing delayed gratification
• model a healthy attitude towards possessions
marriage more established having weathered tough times
may be teenagers in the house
emotionally the most exhausting stage of parenting
the greatest need is to support and encourage each other
Winter
empty-nest stage for many
probably fewer demands with an opportunity for more time together
can be the most exciting stage of marriage
the greatest needs are shared interests and good communication
Reflect on what you’ve heard so far. If you are in one of these seasons, talk together about the pressures you’ve worked through until now in your relationship, and the pressures you’re currently facing. If you’re not here yet, what do you think it will be like?
