First Response

By Karen Brown

I woke up to my six year old crying. He had made his way in a sleepy stupor to my bedside to tell me he was sick. He climbed onto the pillow next to me as I asked him what was hurting. It was hard to really make out his words, but I did understand he was in pain and wanted me to snuggle him back to sleep. He told me, “I woke up and I prayed to Jesus to feel better, but it just isn’t working yet.”

In that moment, I wanted to be more like my child. I wanted my faith to be as simple as his. I wanted my first response to be one of turning to my Heavenly Father for comfort and healing. There are so many times, in both distress and in joy that I turn to others first. I turn to my husband or my girlfriends to sympathize with what I am going through, or just to complain. I turn to others to celebrate with me, before giving thanks to God for the blessings He has bestowed on me.

I thank God each day for the joy and privilege it is to be a mom. And today I thanked God for the reminder from a six year old to make Him my first response. 

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you...  Isaiah 66:13 

School for the Arts

By Karen Brown

If you are local to Boston---and looking to get your family more exposure to music---this is for you.

REUNION is kicking off its School for the Arts next week. This is an amazing opportunity for your kids (and you) to take some great classes and workshops at really affordable prices. They are offering private lessons in drum, percussion, violin, acoustic and electric guitar, bass, and piano. And the teachers are top notch...lots of Berklee College of Music grads. My son is taking drum lessons and as excited as I am for him to learn to play an instrument, I am equally as excited for him to spend some time with Christian guys that are fantastic role models---and are men that he really looks up to. They are also offering kids dance, theatre, and preschool music lessons. Adult workshops are coming soon and will be in special interest areas like photography, Photoshop, creative writing, and the like.

You can check out the School for the Arts website for more details and registration information.

No bake energy bites

By Karen Brown

Source: smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com via Karen on Pinterest

 

My kids love sweet treats and most anything we bake together.  I still feel like we are coming off the sugar high of the holiday season though.  One thing we are trying to improve on as a family is fueling our “temples” with healthier food choices.  I found this recipe via Pinterest recently and we have been making these No Bake Energy Bites quite a bit.   The kids really like them and they are super easy!  And since the ingredients aren’t all processed carbs, I don’t feel nearly as guilt dishing these out as after school snacks.  Be warned though, they are completely addicting!

Beanies and Bags

By Karen Brown

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while now, you know how much we love Craft Hope. You can read about previous projects here and here. Craft Hope is all about creating and distributing love and hope in the form of handmade items to those in need.

This next project is for the littlest warriors...kids fighting cancer. Craft Hope is collecting beanie hats and bags for kids to wear and take on hospital visits. Hats to keep their little heads warm and bags to bring goodies in to occupy little ones time during treatments. Any kind of beanie hats and any kind of bags will do. You can get as creative as you want. You can even fill the bags with surprises like stickers and such.



For Christmas, my daughter received an upcycled beanie hat made from old sweaters. She has hardly taken this hat off since she got it. I can imagine that she would really love it if together we could make some more hats like hers for these kids battling for their young lives. I can imagine her picking sweaters that she would love to wear as a hat. (I heard somewhere recently that this is a great time of year to shop thrift stores since many people are cleaning out closets for their new year’s resolutions.) My boys would even like picking fabric for bags to sew up for other little boys and choosing gifts to fill them with.... fun bandaids, Matchbox cars, and stickers. My three year old hardly goes anywhere without a bag or backpack filled with “treasures”!

The deadline for this project is March 12th. You can read more details about where to send gifts here. Drop us a line in the comments if you plan to participate. If you’re in the Boston area and would be interested in getting together with others to create, let us know that too and we’ll put together a party.

A quick Google or Pinterest search should give you some inspiration and tutorials. Here are some of my favorites

via Noodlehead

via I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar

Here’s a no-sew bag embellished with fabric paint and freezer paper stencil, via Twoellie. For instructions on freezer paper stencils, see here.

Via Twoellie

Taking Charge Of Your Toddler’s Words

By Katharine Grubb

It starts off cute. Your three-year-old mimics something slightly inappropriate in a commercial and you and your spouse laugh. Then, of course, because the child received such a positive response, he repeats it and you laugh again. Then he says it for Gramma or your neighbor or the kid next door and the response is the same. He’s so cute. It’s so funny.

Your child has learned that being a show off is fun. He tries other phrases, some that are disrespectful or demeaning or even profane. And if you laugh, show him off or repeat what he’s done, he learns that this behavior is acceptable and a way to get attention. And if you allow him to continue this and develop a bad habit, then you may be sorry later.

If a toddler learns by age three that disrespecting adults is funny, they will continue to smart off to teachers later. Then principals. Then police officers. Disrespect will add more trouble when your child is dealing with correction from adults. Disrespect leads to contempt, and contempt leads to bitterness. You don’t want that for your child. A habit of disrespecting authority will bring unending trouble to their lives.

If a toddler learns that profanity is acceptable, then they will say bad words in inappropriate places. It may be funny in the comfort of your living room, but Mom, do you really want your kid repeating that at church? Or in front of your mother? Or teaching their entire kindergarten class how to say it? A habit of profanity will bring nothing but embarrassment for you.

If a toddler learns that name-calling is okay, then they will call other children around them names. This is not the way to make friends or keep the peace. This is not what you want for your child. You want to have the kid who is well liked, gracious and kind. A habit of name-calling will bring nothing but loneliness.

If a toddler learns that put-downs are acceptable, then they will alienate others around them. A child who feels empowered by putting others down will be insecure and selfish. You do not want to have a kid that other children are wary of, you don’t want your child to be the one that causes heartache. You want the child that others are attracted to and want to be like. A habit of put-downs will cause nothing but pain.

It’s too bad many parents object to this simple correction. They may say, “You’re taking this way too seriously.” Maybe, but the Bible teaches us that we reap what we sow. We should encourage our children to develop good habits so that when they leave us, they are well equipped to handle anything the world gives them. Faithful parents get this and will work hard to stop habits before they rage out of control.

I’ll correct him when he’s older, when it really matters. No - correct it now, when he’s young and easy to teach. Toddlers are way, way easier to instruct than teens. A well-guided toddler will grow up to be a happier, better adjusted, respectful teen. An unrestricted toddler will grow up to be a rebellious, angry teen who will hold you in contempt because you didn’t require respect when he was younger.

But it’s so hard! Yes and no. Parenting is hard. But man up! You must stand your ground now because you are shaping an adult - one who will take with him everything he learned at your knee, the good and the bad. But, then it isn’t that hard. All you have to do when your toddler says something inappropriate is pull him aside. Say, “We don’t talk like that in this household. Those words are not acceptable. Please say you’re sorry. Please don’t talk like that again.” That’s all there is to it. If they don’t heed your instruction, then apply a consistent punishment. The bad habits can stop there for good.

Nobody really cares about stuff like this nowadays. I assure you, every person your child will meet in his future will care. Other parents that meet you care, because if your child says inappropriate things around them, they may not think it’s cute. They may think I’m not sure I want my child to associate with your child. I don’t want those bad habits rubbed off on mine! Unfortunately, Mom, you are judged by your child’s bad behavior. You are doing yourself and your child an injustice by allowing inappropriate words to come out of their mouths.

They’re going to pick it up at school anyway. This attitude is the most destructive attitude of all. It reeks of hopelessness and apathy. By not stepping up to guide your child to speak correctly, you are neglecting them and allowing them to be influenced by undisciplined children. This does not communicate love. This communicates to your child that they are not worth the trouble to correct. Don’t think like this. Be proactive and diligent instead.

Words matter. Little habits can develop into big ones. Parents, take seriously what you are allowing your toddler to talk about.