May 24th, 2013
Going on a road trip this Memorial Day?
Here’s my annual posting of road trip activities.
Please add any ideas you do with yourfamily.
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Road trips equal suitcase-squished clothes, supper around a campfire and memories for a lifetime.
Here are some great (already- put-to-the-test) road trip activities.
1. The Trip Journal. OK, I can hear you thinking, “My five-year-old keeping a journal? No way!” But wait! I’m not talking about pages of flowery description – only the basics. Buy a small notebook and a pencil for each of your kids. As you travel, write down which restaurants or parks you stopped at and where you stayed at night. Supply younger children with colored pencils and have them draw what they see – and then label the picture. “This is Old Faithful,” or “Here is Joey’s impression of the St. Louis Arch.” After you arrive home, put the journals in a safe place to give back to your kids when they’re older. I did this on a few trips when I was young and have found it fun to go back and see where we stopped for lunch, etc. as I took a trip to the same place with my own kids, as an adult.
2. Chenille Wires (formerly known as pipe cleaners). Give your kids a supply of colorful wires and challenge them to make an animal, a flower, a unique invention or spell a word.
3. License Plate Game. This, of course, is an old favorite. Give your kids a list of the states (and provinces) and have them keep track of those you spot. This also gives you an excuse to walk around parking lots when you stop for a break – to get out extra wiggles of young children as you check the cars! I still remember the year I got them all. I was taking a walk with my Dad around the campground at Crater Lake and I found Hawaii! I remember Dad telling the owner of the car why I was excited and standing there visiting for awhile.
4. Dry Erase Boards. Buy a small dry erase board for each of your kids. Supply them with dry erase markers and eraser and let them have fun drawing.
5. Twenty Questions. Someone thinks of something – anything. And the others have twenty questions to guess what it is. I remember playing this as we laid in our tent at night, but my grandchildren enjoy it just as much as I did. In fact, just last weekend, the 8yo asked if we could play “Twenty-five questions,” much to the amusement of his older sisters.
6. Spelling Game. One person names a letter. The next person (with an actual word in mind) says a second letter. The object is to keep from adding the last letter of a word. (Words must be longer than 3 letters.) For instance: lst person “P.” 2nd person “A.” 3rd person “R.” Now, the fourth person would be out if he said “k” or “t,” so instead he says “m.” because he thinks of the word “parmesan.” Only count familiar words, not some obscure dictionary word that younger kids wouldn’t know. Also, a player can be challenged at any time to name the word she is spelling, so players can’t use random letters to spell a non-existent word.
7. Verse Game. Learn a verse together. Or teach your kids the books of the Bible in a fun way. (Looking for a CD with a books of the Bible song? Purchase Sing the Awana Way or Sing It, Tell it, Whisper It, Yell It. ”The Perfect Book,” a song with the books of the Bible are on both those CDs. These Cds are also downloadable from iTunes.) Not only will your kids be learning something worthwhile, but you’ll be giving them a head start in Awana next year. (You could also learn other Bible facts together: the fruit of the Spirit, the Kings of Israel, etc.)
8. Alphabet Game. Another old favorite. One team takes one side of the road. The other team takes the other. (Words on cars or trucks don’t count). First you need to find an “A” on your side of the road, then a “B,” etc. The first team to find all 26 letters wins.
9. Tape and Paper. I drove an 8yo on a 10 hour road trip home from camp. Because I was a camp speaker, I had a box of blank paper, markers and tape in the back. I allowed her to use anything in the box and the tape, paper and markers literally kept her occupied the entire 10 hours. So, yes, the back of your car might get a little messy, but it’s a fun, creative way to pass the time.
10. Radio Game. Everyone in the family chooses a noun or a verb. Then turn the radio on and see who hears their word first!
In our family, to make the games even more exciting, we stopped for a special treat when we had a winner!
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May 22nd, 2013
We want our kids to enjoy church. We like being together as a family. But let’s be honest. Sometimes kids have a difficult time sitting still during an entire service.
So here are some church activities for you and your child.
1. Check out whether or not the church offers a children’s bulletin. If the church doesn’t, suggest that they do so (or offer to design one yourself).
2. Supply your child with a church notebook. Tell him to list the songs that you sing. Then have him write down his favorite of the songs. Next, ask him to write down what song he wishes they would’ve chosen. (If the song is appropriate for church you might ask the music director if it would be possible to include it in an upcoming Sunday).
3. Have her look up every reference the pastor mentions. (Good practice.)
4. Challenge him to write down five statements the pastor says.
5. Tell him to draw a picture of what the pastor is saying.
6. Ask him to pretend he is a newspaper reporter “reporting” on the church service. What would he write?
7. Encourage him to write down any words used from the pulpit that he doesn’t know.
8. Challenge him to listen for verses in the sermon that he has learned in Awana. (One club does this. The pastor purposely uses at least one verse from an Awana handbook each week and kids that “catch” it, receive extra team points or a small reward.)
9. Suggest he make a quiz of what the pastor is saying. On the way home, have him ask the questions and see if others can answer.
10. Ask if he has any questions about what was said. Answer, but also encourage him to talk to the pastor. (That will help him become friends with the pastor – and the closer he feels to the pastor, as he gets older, the more likely he will be to not walk away from the church.)
11. Oh – and an extra one. Take notes on the sermon yourself. You just might find your child copying you.
Posted in Bible Study, Church, Critical Thinking, Discipline, Encouraging Kids | No Comments »
May 20th, 2013
PEW research did a study on parents and libraries.
Here’s what they discovered.
*94% (of parents) said libraries are important.
*84% say because libraries help children develop a love of books and reading.
*81% say because libraries have information you can’t get at home.
*71% say because they are a safe place.
Why do children go to libraries?
*87% to borrow books
*55% to do schoolwork.
*46% to borrow DVDs or CDs.
*37% to use the internet.
*37% to socialize.
*32% to attend a club or program.
Parents also use libraries more than adults without minor children.
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May 17th, 2013
You will need a mixture to combine the ingredients.
Put all the ingredients into a blender. If you like your drinks frosty, don’t blend too long – but if you like them smooth, you will need to blend until you reach the desired consistency.
My posts have been rather serious lately and it’s been awhile since I’ve done a recipe – so I thought (since the weather is getting warmer) I’d share one of my very favorite refreshing summer drinks – Orange Julius. (This would be a great treat for your leaders during that club evaluation meeting coming up!)
You need -
1 cup water
1 cup milk
6oz. orange juice (frozen concentrate)
1 tsp vanilla
4 T. sugar
10-12 ice cubes
1. Put all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour into a glass – it should be kind of foamy on top.
This is most delicious if enjoyed right away.
(If you’ve never tried Orange Julius before – and decide to do so, let us know whether or not you like it.)
Enjoy.
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May 15th, 2013
I will start this post with a disclaimer. I am not against family ministry. Not at all.
I didn’t write the book on family ministry, but I did write one of the books on family ministry: How to Raise a Modern-Day Joseph.
And, my husband and I were dedicated to the spiritual training in our own family. That was a priority. We didn’t want others taking over the responsibility. Still, our kids were immersed in church ministry and we were always willing to pick up their unchurched friends to come along with us to Awana or VBS or anywhere else.
But I think there is a troubling trend in many churches today. Some are focusing on family ministry to the extent that those children and youth who aren’t part of a family feel isolated and as “they” say – therein lies the problem.
I’m not primarily talking about children who are physically parentless (that’s a whole other post), but those who are spiritually parentless. These kids might even come from fairly stable (howbeit not Christ-centered) homes, but no email, phone call, visit or promise of cake and punch will entice them to set foot inside your church. Or, they might come from homes where both Dad and Mom say they’re Christians, but work and golf and the gym and scrapbooking and getting their nails done are all more important to them than sitting down and spending five minutes going over a verse with their child or taking the time to attend a church parent event.
Truly – you won’t get all the parents.
Be thankful you have the children.
Don’t lose them, too.
The Bible has at least 55 verses on caring for orphans (and why can’t we apply this to spiritual orphans?) and a whole lot more verses on caring for those who have needs.
True case histories.
*Annie was 11 when her father deserted the family. Forced to work two jobs, her mother reacted in bitterness and anger. A friend invited her to church where she met a godly teacher who listened to her pain, encouraged her, loved her and taught her about the Lord. Church friends soon became her best friends. Annie continued attending, ended up marrying a boy she had met in the youth group and the two of them spent their life serving the Lord.
*Dan came from a financially stable, peaceful home. At age 9, he started attending Awana. Although his parents had no interest in the Lord, they allowed Dan to be part of the program. Dan continued through high school and then to Bible College. He is now married, a dad and is the spiritual leader of his home.
*Joe was as messed up as they come. His high school principal, a Christian, encouraged him to visit his own church – which Joe did. There he met guys from Christian homes that were very different from his own chaotic, dysfunctional family. Soon those families began inviting Joe on family outings and over for dinner – giving him a picture of a world he had never seen before. Joe trusted Christ and as he grew older, became more and more involved at church.
The truth is – these kids are everywhere – wanting someone to care, wanting answers to life’s questions, needing good role models.
If every time they walk inside a church, people are divided according to families, they will have nowhere to go. If every time they walk into church the emphasis is on family classes, family Bible studies, family retreats, family game nights, family devotions, family … they will walk right out again. Many are already struggling with feelings of isolation and now the church has added to that “I-don’t-fit-in” feeling.
Where would Annie, Dan and Joe be today if they had not immediately made friends and felt welcomed in their churches?
We need to be very careful. Yes, parents should be the primary spiritual nurturers of their children. Yes, God commands dads to spiritually lead their families. Yes, churches should partner with parents.
But those admonitions are dependent on a Dad and/or Mom who cares.
And sometimes the children/youth who walk into our churches don’t come complete with an interested Dad and Mom.
We need to make them feel welcomed, too.
Do you agree?
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May 13th, 2013
Since we have smart cars, and smart phones and smart white boards, we might as well have smart pajamas. A company has produced PJs with scannable dots. The different configurations (kind of like QR codes) each activate a story on a coordinating app which are then read to the children. With smart pajamas, parents will no longer have to do the reading.
One reports say, that with the smart PJs, your children will be excited about going to bed. But another reports says this is another way to take the parent out of parenting.
I say, interactive pajamas?
I kind of like the old-fashioned interactive parenting.
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May 10th, 2013
This Sunday (as you all know) is Mother’s Day. Here’s a cool craft kids can do for Mom … or on any day just for fun.
1. The child (or teen) will need a glass container. (I bought this one on a craft store clearance table for #1.00.) You will also need acrylic paints. (You can buy these strips which have small amounts of several colors for just a few dollars.) In addition, you will need paper to protect your work surface, a paint brush and a bowl of clean water (to wash out the brush after each color). If the glass will be put to use as a vase, you need to cover with a glaze so the paint won’t wash away during the cleaning process. (However, if your child’s creation is simply decorative and will be sitting on a shelve, you can probably get away without glazing it.) If your child would like to add a tag – you will need additional materials for that.
2. The child (or teen) simply paints a picture on the glass. The munchkin painting in the photo chose to make an underwater scene with goldfish.
3. Let dry. Cover with a glaze (again, found at your local craft store) to keep the paint from washing away.
The good thing about this craft is that it’s fun for any age. Your children can do it … but so can you. You can paint a picture on the glass, personalize it or add a Bible verse (or all three).
Have fun!
Posted in Family Activities, Fun Friday, Holidays | No Comments »
May 8th, 2013
Mother’s Day cards are painted in pastel hues with bucolic scenes of flowery landscapes … or cartoon drawings of mothers having their own temper tantrums. Unfortunately the “mother-out-of-control” cards seem to be gaining in popularity.
Because there’s a new forum out there for moms who are making “true confessions” about their innermost “hate it all” feelings. When you put “hate being a mom or hate my kids” in your search engine you find anywhere from 57,000,000 to 530,000,000 links pop up (depending on how you word your search). Truly. Moms’ complaints go from being frustrated to simply not wanting to spend time with their children – ever. “I leave for work before they’re up and don’t get home until 9:00,” one mom said and she liked it that way. Entire books are being written that focus on the myth of “joyful and loving mothering.”
True, every parent has moments. (And most kids have “moments” with their parents.) All parents have experienced the tired, cranky, runny-nosed mornings that make you feel instantly tired and cranky yourself.
But there’s a big difference between feeling tired and cranky and feeling hateful.
I well remember one of those tired, cranky mornings when my children were preschoolers.. The day was one of those Midwest scorchers and our house (which belonged to the church where my husband served as associate pastor) did not have air conditioning. The kids had spent the morning perfecting the art of non-sharing and whininess, so I sent them to the backyard with specific instructions not to get near the just-dug garden. Within five minutes they had not only gotten near the garden, they were giggling as they walked through the plowed-up dirt. I had two head-to-toe, muddy kids. My daughter’s hair was half in and half out of her pony tail and I was sure no extra-strength detergent would make a dent in my son’s dirty clothes.
I was not a happy mom.
So, I put them in their swim suits and told them they could “swim” in the bathtub for awhile. (I thought that was smart – they’d be cool, clean and contained all at once.) An hour later I took them out, but instead of putting them in clean play clothes, I dressed them in good clothes. I put my son in his catalog-page-cute overalls and my daughter in a frilly dress with matching bows in her braids. And as I looked at their sweet-selves, I realized my attitude had changed. I not only loved my children, I liked my children. The morning’s crankiness disappeared. As my attitude changed, so did the attitude of my children and for the rest of the day we looked for cool (as in temperature cool) things we could do.
Parenting isn’t easy. No one said it was. The Lord says children are a heritage and a reward. (Psalm 127:3-5). He says that when a woman has a baby, she is filled with joy. (John 16:21) But He also tells us that parenting is a process, the process of bringing up our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:3)
And that takes time.
And effort.
And hard work. Very hard work.
And that’s a big responsibility. That’s a responsibility given to us by Christ Himself.
Let’s not get caught in the world’s trap of being whinier than the kids and wishing for that blissful life we had before they were born.
Let’s dedicate ourselves to taking the responsibility of motherhood (parenthood) seriously. With a good attitude. With love.
And let’s have a Happy Mother’s Day!
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May 8th, 2013
HAPPY 95TH BIRTHDAY TO ART RORHEIM.
Mr. Rorheim is co-founder of Awana. He and his pastor, Lance Latham, began a program for neighborhood kids at the Northside Gospel Center near downtown Chicago in 1950. That program has spread to more than 100 countries and reaches nearly two million kids a week.
Today the staff at Headquarters celebrates Art and his faithfulness to the Lord on the occasion of his 95th birthday.
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May 6th, 2013
The Apostle Paul tells us (Ephesians 6:2) that every day is Mother’s Day and Father’s Day because every day is when children are told to honor their parents. But, since Anna Jarvis decided that a special day needed to be set aside just for moms (back in 1908), sons and daughters have bought cards and flowers and made barely recognizable breakfasts for moms on the second Sunday in May.
(This is your off
icial reminder to do something for your own mom.)
So here’s a fun activity. Do the red carpet thing. Buy a package of red crepe paper and unroll it and have mom stroll along it to the kitchen/dining room for her breakfast. Have a “photographer” (one of the kids) ready to take her picture and a “reporter” (another kid) ready with his mic to do the star interview. (Or you could video the interview and make a copy for each of the kids t0 have as a keepsake.)
Here are some questions he/she could ask.
1. What is your favorite food?
2. What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you?
3. What would you have named me if you hadn’t named me __________________? Or, what would you have named me if I had been a boy (or girl)?
4. What is your favorite book (other than the Bible)?
5. Who is your favorite Bible character (other than the Lord)? Why?
6. What is your biggest fear?
7. What is the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
8. How many states/provinces/countries have you traveled to?
9. What’s something you got in trouble for when you were my age?
10. What is your favorite movie?
11. What is your favorite verse?
12. When and where did you trust Christ as your Savior?
13. What is your favorite song?
14. What was your favorite subject/teacher at school?
15. What was your nickname when you were a child?
16. What was your favorite toy?
17. Did you have any pets? What? What were their names?
18. How did you meet Dad?
19. What was the most frightened you’ve ever been?
20. What is one goal you have this year?
Now, your child will probably not be reading this blog, so you will have to print out the questions for him. But it’s good for children to hear about their parents lives once in a while and to learn that you were once a child, too. (If your children are little, you might want to stick to the easily-answered questions so the interview doesn’t take too long. But if your children are older you can adapt to their ages and talk a little longer.)
Another option is to choose 10 or so questions and have the kids write down what they think the answers are – and then compare notes.
Keep a copy of the answers for each of your children – whether this is a DVD or print. Some day these Mother’s Day memories may mean a lot to them.
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