Excerpts from Ch. 3-Nuggets of Wisdom

*Please read my former posts beginning with, Insights from a novice, before reading this post. All quotes are taken from the book, Launching Your Kids For Life, by Reccord.*

I loved so many things from this chapter...now if I can only make sure our family applies them!
The "nuggets" are in summary:
1.Find a mentor.
2.Be a parent, not your child's friend.
3.Develop a structured method of praying for your child.
4.Model good behavior for your children.
5.Plug into a strong community of faith.

I was challenged by these "nuggets". I feel like I do some well and some I frankly don't do well at all.

First, I have really felt a tug at my heart this year to find a mentor. I feel like I am being led to someone who has already gone through parenthood who can share with me her richest wisdom. I would love to find a couple whose dual mentoring in parenting would be something that Jon and I could both benefit from!

Second, I love what Allan Taylor says, "God doesn't need you to be your child's best friend. Today on earth there are 6.4 billion people who can be your child's friend. But only one person can be their mama, and only one person can be their daddy. Above everything else, you need to be the adult God wants you to be for that child. Because ultimately, God didn't give children to schools or even to churches. He gave them to parents."

Third, Jon and I have seen God move mightly in our lives and family through prayer. We want our home to be a place of prayer. I want our children to know that we pray for them. We join Ansley together every night to pray with her even if it has to be one of us on the phone if we are away for some reason. Now, at 15 months, she will say "amen" when we finish praying with her. I love it. I pray with her but I want to do a better job praying for her in my time alone. I want to order the book, "The Power of a Praying Parent" and take an action step in that direction.

Fourth, I know I could always model better behavior. I think since actions resonate more with children than words this will be very important as our children witness our lives through their little eyes. I am an old fashioned girl in many ways and I want our kids to value manners when our society doesn't and appreciate the simplicity of life.

Finally, Allan Taylor says it best when it comes to plugging into a strong community of faith. "Make sure your children are in God's house. Make sure your kids see you with a Bible in your hand. Make sure they see you on your knees before God. Make sure they see you put your offering in the plate. Make sure they see you singing praises and hymns. It's one thing for us to take our kids to church; it's another thing for them to see us worship at church. And, most of all, make sure you get the Word of God into the hearts of your children. Just as we tenderize a steak, His Word tenderizes the hearts of our children."

Is anyone else challenged?