Creating Parenting Plans

 

Creating Parenting Plans - Parenting Like Hannah
One of the additions to a recent trip

Part of the fun of a vacation is in the planning. Our family is rather dangerous when it comes to vacations. We usually start out pretty calmly, targeting a particular city. Once the maps come out though, we tend to go a little crazy. We may notice we will be close to the state line of a state we haven’t checked off of our list or maybe we will read an article about a special place a few hours away from our main destination. Our final trip may not end up close to where we originally thought we would go, but because we developed a plan with some flexibility, we have always felt like we had the most amazing vacations we possibly could.

Parenting is a lot like that. You need to target some final destinations you want to make sure you reach with your child before he leaves home. Most likely your list will include some things about education and good habits. I pray your most important goal is to raise a child who is prepared to be an active Christian leader in the Church and in society.

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Toddlers and Chores

Toddlers and Chores - Parenting Like Hannah

I have a confession to make. We put our daughter to work when she was about eighteen months old. Worse yet, I think you should put your child to work, too. Now before you start researching child labor laws, hang with me for a moment.

We don’t talk about it in churches much these days, but God actually has quite a bit to say about work. From the Garden of Eden, when God immediately put Adam to work (Genesis 2:15) to the letters written by Paul, it is obvious God expects us to work. In fact, the most impactful verse may just be in Colossians 3:23, where Paul tells us to work as if we are working for the Lord and not for men.

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Kids, Jesus, and Growing Up

Kids, Jesus, and Growing Up - Parenting Like HannahWe never think about it much, but Jesus can give our kids great tips on how to grow up well. The Bible doesn’t tell us a whole lot about Jesus before he was an adult, but if you combine what it does tell us with what we know about the culture in that time and place, we have a lot of guidance. The best part is Jesus gives your kids the perfect example of how to mature.

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Kids, Consequences, and Anger

Kids Consequences and God - Parenting Like HannahRecently, several parents have mentioned they don’t believe in consequences for young children who disobey. Evidently, everyone under the age of thirty took a vote and decided consequences were old fashioned and made children angry. Unfortunately, they forgot to check the ultimate book of godly wisdom – Proverbs, before voting. I am not referring to the infamous “spare the rod, spoil the child” verse (which by the way is a misquote – see Proverbs 13:24). Even if you ignore that particular verse, Proverbs is filled with admonitions for young people to embrace correction and reproof as a way to grow and become wise and godly.

These young parents are absolutely correct though. Punishment, correction and reproof tends to make people angry. In a very few cases, some people do go overboard, become abusive and encourage rage in their children. I do not think God in any way condones that sort of behavior. There are too many other verses pointing out the amazing love parents have for their children to assume God approves of parents abusing them.

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Kids, Careers, and God

Kids Careers and God - Parenting Like Hannah Just when I think I have heard of every possible career, I see something like this. Who knew there was such a thing as geese police? Part of the fun of having a child is helping them explore all of the possibilities for future careers. Don’t just limit yourselves to the standard doctors, lawyers, business people and teachers. Check out books on fun careers. Read biographies with your children about people with unusual career paths. Take your child to watch people at work in all sorts of places.

Career exploration is important and can be lots of fun for you and your child. Don’t stop there though. If your child chooses a particular career, how could he honor God while he is working? What ways could she point people to God? Would it be possible to share his faith with co-workers or clients?

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