Day Five- How Children Spell Love

How do your kids know that you love them?  Do they know because you work hard every day to make sure their needs (and many of their wants) are met?  Or is it because you clean up countless messes and do never-ending loads of laundry for them?   Do you say “I love you” every night when you tuck them into bed? 

Yes, these are all wonderful ways to show our kids that we love them.  But today I want to share a little secret with you that I actually learned from my mother long before I had children of my own.  What’s the secret? 

Children spell love T-I-M-E.

Our kids really want (and need) our time and attention.  Not a bunch of toys, not over-the-top birthday parties, not a gigantic pile of Christmas presents.  But time with mom and dad. 

Time to play, talk, laugh, cry, and explore.  Time to learn from one another and really experience life together.  My girls’ favorite memories are of times we spent together having adventures (both big and small) as a family.  They remember a few special toys and gifts, but it’s the family times and traditions that hold so much more meaning for them.

Childhood is such a short, precious season.  Instead of spending our days trying to get our kids the right stuff, let’s focus on giving them what they really want and need- time with us!

“Your children need your presence more than your presents.” ~Jesse Jackson

 

31 Days of Organic Parenting- Day One

Welcome to “31 Days of Organic Parenting.”  I’m so excited that you are here!  If this is your first time here, then scroll down to read Day One.  Otherwise, here are the current links to the series: 31 Days of Organic Parenting...  

 Day Two- Get Into Agreement
Day Three- We Are Always Teaching
Day Four- Keep Your Cup Full
Day Five- How Children Spell Love
Day Six- Never Underestimate the Power of Play
Day Seven- Little Ones To Him Belong
Day Eight- Children Crave Routine
Day Nine- Develop Good Habits
Day Ten- Guard Their Hearts
Day Eleven- Dads Are Important, Too!
Day Twelve- Listen to Your Knower
Day Thirteen-Are You Speaking Their Language?
Day Fourteen- Let Them See You Worship
Day Fifteen- Discipline That Makes Sense
Day Sixteen- Attitude of Gratitude
Day Seventeen- Make Good Choices
Day Eighteen- Faith Not Fear
Day Nineteen- Help Them Find Their Purpose
Day Twenty- The Strong-Willed Child
Day Twenty-one- Prayer Changes Everything
Day Twenty-two- Their Education is Your Responsibility
Day Twenty-three- Friends
Day Twenty-four- Model Loving Relationships
Day Twenty-five- Enjoy Every Season
Day Twenty-six- Manners Matter
Day Twenty-seven- Dollars and Sense
Day Twenty-eight- The Word of God is Precious
Day Twenty-nine- The Birds and The Bees
Day Thirty- Love Your Teens
Day Thirty-one- You Are Not Alone

Before we begin, you might be wondering about the title of this series.  Sometimes it is easier to define something by explaining what it is not.  This is not a series about how to feed your family only organic food or use only organic materials in your home.  I happen to like those concepts and they would be very worthwhile to explore, but that is not my focus here.

The word organic is most often defined as: living things developing gradually and naturally without being forced or contrived; fresh, simple, healthful.  As a parent, this falls in line with exactly how I have raised my children.  From the very beginning, I wanted them to grow up gradually and naturally into the individuals that they were created to be.   Nothing artificial in the process, just a simple and healthy approach to nurturing them in the ways of the Lord.

Over the next 31 days I will share with you some of my growing methods.  Hopefully you will find something fresh and practical along the way that will help you grow healthy kids!

 

Day One:  Parenting with Purpose

Congratulations!  You are a parent!  Whether you intentionally planned to become one, or you became one by surprise, you are one now and that comes with tremendous responsibility.  How can one little person have so many needs?

As a young mom, I spent many days feeling completely insecure and overwhelmed.  I read every parenting book and magazine I could get my hands on.  I listened carefully to other moms and I faithfully attended Bible study, desperately hoping that someone would say something that would help me.  I knew that in order to be successful as a mom, I needed to be focused and purposeful with my children.  However, my list of things to focus on and be purposeful about just kept growing and growing until it all felt so incredibly complicated!

Somewhere along the way, I finally figured out that if I just focus on loving my children, the rest all falls into place.  I began to get a revelation of the message of Jesus- God is love and our priorities are to love Him and to love others.  When I spend my days concentrating on loving my kids, taking care of their natural and spiritual needs becomes so much easier.  Dishes, laundry, homework, music practice, even praying for them, is all so much easier to do when my heart is focused on loving them. 

Keep your purpose as a parent simple… simply love your kids!