Kid's Day

Saturday was the first annual kid's day in our home. I know many will argue this takes place every single day. My wife and I decided to draw attention to a specific day. This was also their day of recognition for advancing to the next grade in homeschool. The day was packed with activities and we never even left home. Sometimes it seems when we spend less money we often have more fun. This is especially true when we set out to spend time together as a family. It was difficult throughout the day for me to not work on the lawn or clean off the front porch. We decided our chores will still be here another day, but this day was for the children.

The day began with breakfast followed by the promotion ceremony. Each homeschool student received a certificate and individual recognition in front of their siblings. They were very excited and enjoyed the recognition. We then prepared for a water party. This consisted of a three wide slip and slide, a sprinkler spraying up through the trampoline, and a bubble station. After a couple of hours of fun in the sun the kids enjoyed chocolate ice cream with sprinkles on the front porch. We then went in and enjoyed a little AC as mom prepared one of their favorite meals, an entire dinner made up of appetizers. Once dinner was over they played outside as we waited for the sun to go down. The evening was wrapped up with a movie projected on the back of our house followed by some backyard fireworks. It was an exhausting day, but one I wouldn't trade for anything.

I always feel like time spent together as a family is time well spent. We put this day together to let our children know how privileged we are to have them and to emphasize they are a blessing and gift from God. I'm not sure the day had this meaning to the kids. Perhaps it was just a day of fun for them. Maybe all they saw was ice cream and activities. One thing I am sure of is that it allowed us parents an opportunity to pause and really see all we have. We are wealthy with the blessings from the Lord. I encourage all parents to a break from the hustle and bustle. Family is about the relationships. It is about having their hearts and leaving no doubts in the minds of our children that we love them. Our kids are already asking about the next kid's day. I look forward to the 2nd annual event and any other chance to grow as a family.

The Wall Of Protection

In ancient times many cities were surrounded by a wall. Citizens did not feel imprisoned, but rather enjoyed the safety within the wall. The completeness and strength of the wall was important to its ability to protect those inside from the enemy. A gap in the fortress would provide access to those wishing to harm those inside. The same is true for the spiritual wall of protection placed around our children.

Satan is always seeking entrance to a young persons heart. Sometimes it is through the wrong music, TV, Internet, video games, other kids, or a combination of any of these. He has more avenues today than ever. We parents need to stand in the gaps. Just like with the walled cities, it is not about confinement but protection. It is about the necessary safety for these young hearts.

This brings me to another thought. What about those kids that lack the Biblical authority? Who will stand in the gap for them? As difficult as it is for some people to put their own children first, it is even more rare for people to think outside of their own biological family. I am not only referring to foster care. What about our daily opportunities to mentor to young ones we cross paths with? What about the ones in our neighborhood that don't have the ideal home life? As a former bus kid, I have always had a burden for the little ones in Sunday School whose parents won't come to church with them.

We all know how difficult raising kids are in the best circumstances. There are few things as valuable as the investment in the life of a child. A small investment goes a long way for many kids. Imagine the impact when they spend time with a family who prays and opens the Word of God. It could have eternal results. There are so many little ways to make a big difference. You can prepare one extra plate at the dinner table or just spend a little time listening to the concerns of someone that no one else will. It is amazing the instant change when a child picks up on the fact that you really care for them. Christ was drawn to the weak. Shouldn't we be Christ-like?

At the end of the day we need to extend our love and kindness beyond our immediate family. God places other kids in our life for a reason. We are to help be the hedge of safety and stand in the spiritual gaps. The ancient city walls were made up of many stones. The wall of protection for kids today requires the God placed authorities to all do their part for complete protection from the enemy. Are you willing to be part of the much needed protection?

We Fail When They Don't

Spring is in the air. It is such a beautiful time of year. Everybody seems to be spending more time outdoors. There is nothing like the smell of freshly cut grass and hot dogs cooking on the grill. The kids can begin to burn up all the stored energy from a long winter. It's symbolic of a new beginning or a rebirth. God allows us to see so much of his beautiful creation this time of year.

The warm weather ushers in Spring sports. Our children are kicking soccer balls and hitting baseballs. Teamwork is being taught. I can remember playing Teeball as a young boy and how exciting it was to have a uniform and play an organized sport. In the past few years I enjoyed seeing some of my children play soccer.

Youth sports have changed a lot since I was little. It seems some parents are obsessed with their kids winning. You often see the worst in parents on the sideline in how they treat officials, their kids, and other parents. Our kids will learn more from our example than our verbal instruction. In an effort to calm parents, and protect the feelings of kids, some leagues no longer keep score. I find this to be a shame. It is easy to be a winner, but how will our children know how to deal with loss if they never experience it? In a world where all must be fair, they are being short-changed in the long run. How will children be able to one day deal with not receiving a promotion or being rejected in a relationship? It is our job as parents to prepare our kids for adulthood and not some make believe world where they always win? In the end, we fail our children when we don't allow them to fail.

As They Grow

March is a busy month for birthdays in our family. St. Patrick's Day is my twins birthday to cap off 4 celebrations for the month. I feel old as I reflect back on my children growing so fast. Our oldest is ten and will most likely be out of our house within a short decade. There is so much excitement knowing they will one day have their own families-their own babies to ooh and ahh over. It is exciting and also sad. I am in no hurry to be an empty nester.

In today's world we rarely take time to reflect. Why do we no longer see the value of unwinding and considering our completed day or week. There is so much to be learned from what we experience. We allow the "hurry up" attitude of modern day to cheat us out of this time. Time in which we learn to grow as Christians, husbands, and fathers.

As important as reflection can be, there is also a premium on realizing we have a short time to impact our young children. We need to reflect, but not get stuck on yesterday. The truth we teach today will impact generations of our family tree. That is very eye opening. Our roles as parents is an awesome responsibility we should take very seriously. It is not just parents with this influence. Imagine the impact grandparents can have on the values our kids will take forward.

Then There Was Jayna

Here is something from about 4 or 5 years ago. I hope it is enjoyable.

Jayna Grace is our blue-eyed beauty with the platinum blond hair of an angel. That is where the angel comparison stops. She is full of passion and very emotional. There is no slightly upset or somewhat happy with Jayna. We have come to realize that with her drive she will be faithfully serving Christ with everything she has, or a serial killer. She is all about daddy, but tries to deny that when she is alone with mommy. She is the first kid awake in the morning and generally the last to fall asleep. Ms. Gracie has little fear of discipline and periodically test her parents to see what she can get away with. She is also not afraid to love. She loves her family, friends, and Sunday school teachers and will let it be known.

Jayna has done some strange things in the past. There has been times we did not know whether to yell or laugh. I can recall multiple times when one of us would scold her and the other would have to leave the room to avoid cracking up in front of her. One Saturday afternoon I was watching the kids while Amanda was working. Jayna was about 18 months old and was taking her midday nap. I decided to go on the porch and visit with a neighbor. When I returned inside I was greeted by Jayna who was now awake. She had brought one dozen eggs from the refrigerator to the couch and was in the process of cracking the eggs and smearing them into the couch. This also happened to be a relatively new couch. She went through a toilet fascination phase. For a period of time the bathroom door had to be locked from the outside. Jayna has attempted to drink the toilet water with a straw and when a straw was unavailable she would soak a sock in the potty and then straight to her mouth. It is very important that the commode in our house is flushed after every use. It was common to find the plunger stuck to bathroom walls and cabinets.

Our little angel is also famous for stock piling house hold items in her bedroom. It is not unusual to find vacuum cleaner parts under her pillow. Some items found under her bed include toothpaste, deodorant, money, jewelry, fly swatter, bottled water, and many more.

We realize that her potential is unlimited. When describing one of his children, Dave Ramsey said he knew his daughter was going to go off, they just needed to aim her in the right direction. That is definitely the case with Jayna. We understand the importance of good parenting and the actions we take today will affect our kids decision making when they’re away from home. I don’t just want to “hope” my kids turn out right. I want to scratch and claw working hard to give them the spiritual, physical, and emotional guidance they need. I know God honors faithfulness and commitment.

Update:

Jayna is now seven and thriving as a home school student. She loves music and has a beautiful singing voice. She is a leader in our home and is very helpful with the younger children. Her kind helpful heart is on display daily. 

Junk Food Bandit

Here is something I wrote about 5 years ago. I just come across it. Hope you enjoy it.

The Junk Food Bandit

Kendra is our oldest and is a very sweet girl. She is the kind of child that makes you want to keep having children (and so we did). She is often called a “little mommy”. Kendra is very nurturing and cares deeply for her younger siblings. It is hard to believe she is in school. We are very blessed to be able to send her to a Christian school where she has thrived. Kendra has a content spirit and really enjoys life’s simple beauties, such as clouds, stars, and spring colors. While her behavior is normally good, she does seem to find mischief from time to time.

Kendra is a healthy eater and is usually willing to try new foods. She also enjoys sweets which she is only allowed to have occasionally. At times she has attempted to satisfy her craving using a few different methods.

One time when she was around four years old Kendra was moping around the TV room. I believe she was not allowed to play in the toy room from misbehaving. She eventually crawled up in the recliner and buried her head in the cushion. This was not uncommon behavior. After about twenty minutes I went to talk to her and she wouldn’t answer. When I picked her up I discovered that she had been straddling a bag of chocolate chip cookies. In our estimation she must have eaten 12 to 15 cookies. The moment was only lacking a picture. Cheeks full of cookies, eyes bugged out and the most sad expression I’ve ever seen.

From right outside of Kendra’s bedroom there is a set of steps going to the kitchen. The kitchen is connected to a large pantry, which contains some shelves used to store foods including snacks. That kitchen entrance is visible from the living room if you look through the toy room. One night Amanda noticed a pink flash out of the corner of her eye. It was Kendra sneaking to the pantry to get peanut butter crackers. Further investigation revealed this had been going on for a while. Twenty empty wrappers were discovered hidden behind her bed. She was caught probably three or four more times.

We have also had a time keeping her from eating on the school bus. She has learned the fine art of trading healthy snacks for chocolate and bubble gum. Usually the evidence would do her in since she would be wearing most of the snack on clothing.

This seems to be one of the few areas Kendra will defy us. It is sometimes difficult to discipline her for this since most of the time she is very well behaved, although we know it is necessary. I feel her outlook on life will never let her be motivated by money. She will have to do something in life that helps other people and is important to her rather than profitable. We could definitely picture her as a teacher, nurse, or full time mother. She often says she wants to have 20 children. It is funny to us that most people think we are peculiar for having a large family, but to our kids it is perfectly normal.

Update: Kendra is now 10 years old and is doing very well physically, acedemically, emotionally and spiritually. She now has 4 sisters and 2 brothers and excels as a homeschool student.