• value of laughter
• plan special family times
• make sure the time is clear of any other commitments for every member of the family
• prevent interruptions from the telephone or other people (unless they are invited with the understanding that it is family time
Suggested routine for family times
• try to make it the same time each week
• spend at least an hour and a half having fun
• take turns choosing what activity you do (See worksheet)
• have it coincide with a meal
• get each family member in turn to choose their favorite menu • when they are old enough, use it as an opportunity to teach them to cook their choice of food
• make sure conversation and activities are at the level of the children
• if it is a week night, work out when to fit in homework, music practice, etc. (before or after depending on the age of the children)
• turn off the TV, or limit it to one program or DVD that you can watch together
• children learn about good and bad behavior from their family
they learn values such as:
• thinking about others
• taking responsibility
• helping around the house
Question: How can you plan a focused time of play with your child(ren) this week? Spend some time thinking about your moral compass – where does it point? Why?
never too soon to start (see the account of John the Baptist in the womb in Luke 1:44, The Bible)
never too late to start (see the Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15: 11-24, The Bible)
turn fears and longings into prayers
when to pray:
with them before they go to sleep
teaching them to pray (thank you, sorry, please)
on our own
with others
in traffic jams or when cleaning up or ironing
when prompted (often at moments of potential danger or temptation for our child)
everyday
what to pray for:
friendships
schools
their health
their safety
their marriage partner (most children will marry one day and their marriage partner may well already be alive somewhere)
their response to God’s love
their characters – use the fruit of the Spirit as a list to pray through: love. joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5: 22-23, The Bible)
pray with them, particularly at bedtime
pray for yourselves as parents
Take some time to pray for your child(ren), and plan to make it a regular routine. Our Christianity 101 Course may help you explore the topic of prayer, God and Christianity in more depth.
