Raising a Humble Child

Raising a Humble Child - Parenting Like HannahNothing can be cuter than two or three year olds absolutely insisting they know something is right when they have it entirely confused. It doesn’t matter how much evidence you provide that they are wrong, this child (not yours or mine of course) will stubbornly stick to the original statement. Most parents eventually shrug it off and figure over time the child will learn he is incorrect and will change his mind.

Unfortunately, many children never outgrow this habit. They read something somewhere or hear it from someone they admire or sometimes just figure something out independently. No matter what evidence you provide to the contrary, they will not even consider another viewpoint. Throw in a bit of adolescent indestructibility with a dash of “old people are stupid” and you have a recipe for arrogance and pride.

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What Key Lime Lemonade Taught Me About Parenting

What Key Lime Lemonade Taught Me About Parenting - Parenting Like HannahA few weeks ago my favorite deli was testing key lime lemonade. The first time I saw the sign, I had already ordered an iced tea. The next time, I noticed the sign, but wasn’t sure I wanted the calories, so decided to wait until my next visit to splurge. You guessed it. The next time I went in it was gone. I was really disappointed. I am a key lime fan and loved the idea. It was only a test product though and I may never again get the chance to taste that key lime lemonade.

Parenting is a lot like that. There are some opportunities you are given with your child that are one shot deals. You miss your window and the opportunity is gone. The problem is that we usually don’t realize it at the time and pass on the chance figuring it will come again at a more convenient time.

Sometimes those opportunities are an invitation from God to take you on exciting journey serving Him. When our daughter was not quite three years old, we took a family trip to Cancun. Mexico. We had friends who were missionaries on a nearby island. My husband didn’t feel well, but encouraged me to take our daughter to go visit and encourage them since we were so close.

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What Peach Milkshakes Taught Me About Parenting

What Peach Milkshakes Taught Me About Parenting - Parenting Like HannahThere aren’t many foods that I will go out of my way to find and eat. One of them is the Chick Fil A peach milkshake. It’s creamy goodness is enhanced by huge chunks of fresh peaches. I enjoy them so much I limit myself to only two a season to keep me from living on a diet of peach milkshakes for several weeks each year.

The thing about peach milkshakes is they are only available during the height of peach season. Some years the peaches ripen early and I can grab my first shake in May or June. Other years there is a bumper crop and peach milkshakes are still around in September. In bad years, the peach milkshake season can come and go in just a few weeks. Because I limit myself to only two shakes, I plan them carefully. Sometimes I get distracted and pull up for my first peach dream in August when they are already gone for the year. I always cry out, “I thought I had more time before they were gone!”

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Fun Activities for Helping Kids Understand the Bible

Fun Activities For Helping Kids Understand the Bible - Parenting Like Hannah In Helping Kids Understand the Bible, I shared how knowing the various levels of understanding the Bible will help you move your child from someone who is able to repeat Bible facts to someone who is equipped to put godly principles into practice and serve and share their faith in creative ways.

You may be wondering what you as a parent can do to help move your children’s understanding of the Bible from level to level. As with anything in life, this progression is rarely in a straight line. Your child might be able to understand and apply some godly concepts easily and struggle with even remembering others. That’s okay. If you keep talking about all of the Bible stories and godly principles and commands and doing some activities to encourage the higher levels of understanding, it will happen over time.

So what are some fun things you can do with your kids for each level? There are probably lots of things I didn’t even think of, but here are some of my favorites:

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Helping Kids Understand the Bible

Helping Kids Understand the Bible - Parenting Like HannahDo your kids know the basic facts of several Bible stories? Can they win Bible trivia contests at Church? Can they sometimes correct adults on the details of their favorite person in the Bible’s life? If, so they have made a great beginning on understanding the Bible. Unfortunately, that’s where many Bible school classes stop.

Our children may learn lots of Bible facts, but they don’t necessarily know how those stories and people fit into the big picture of God’s Plan. They may have no idea of how God has principles for a godly life He reveals in the Bible or how to put them into practice in their own lives. Sadly, they may not even understand why any of it matters.

Education majors are introduced to Bloom’s Taxonomy. It explains there are actually several layers of understanding needed to thoroughly understand and use new material. It starts with remembering details and ends with having the ability to take the information learned and create something new to put it into practice. With apologies to Bloom, I have adapted his taxonomy to show how it can apply to our children understanding the Bible.

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