I obey right away! Re-do

Our family went tent camping this weekend which is always an adventure with three children. It's also one of those areas which can show you if your children have a heart of obedience. There are many times while camping that demand absolute first time obedience. For instance... "Don't touch the fire, actually don't go near the fire, no don't throw anything in the fire. No you may not slide down the giant rock face first. You must stay where Mommy can see you, no you may not feed the wild animal." Scott and I are very grateful that this weekend showed that for the most part our children had a heart of obedience. It was a little wet (okay, a lot wet) and we may need to work on doing everything without whining and complaining but nobody's perfect!

Here's an idea to start your obedience training with your little ones!
Idea one: Read the story of Jonah to your children. (you can also watch a children's video on Jonah) Ask your children if Jonah obeyed right away. He didn't, so what happened to him then? He was swallowed by a whale! God put him in time out in a whale! Point out to you children that God gave Jonah time to think about what he did and that Jonah needed to ask for forgiveness for not obeying right away. When we refuse to obey right away, usually bad things happen, things like time out or getting hurt. Perhaps you can remind your children of times that bad things happened when they didn't obey right away.

Play the obedience game. This is basically hide and go seek where the parent hides and the child seeks you. The rules: You must come right away . Your child must say “Yes, Mommy or Daddy” before they reach you. Oh, and one rule we added after our kids ran over each other, no pushing or shoving. When they reach you can simply give them praise and a hug or reward them with a treat. I think that bad behavior brings bad consequences and good behavior should bring good consequences.

Help your children memorize Eph 6:1 by singing it to the tune of Happy Birthday.
“ Children obey your parents,
Children obey your parents,
children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.” 
Ephesians 6:1
(By the way, this song was not my original idea, I got it from a book teaching scripture memorization)

Make a badge that says “I Obey Right Away” to wear. This is both a good reminder for them and something fun to wear!

Once you've done these things and your children have the concept make sure and follow up every month or so with one of these as reminders. I also have my children recite Rules before we go into a store or a public place and "I obey right away!" is one we repeat often.


See also: parenting

Kitchen Timer - An essential

Have you discovered the usefulness of the kitchen timer? In "Creative Corrections" by Lisa Whelchel she discusses using an egg timer to help your children get things done. I started by using it in the classroom ( "You have 20 minutes to get this assignment done") and now have several stationed around the house. The kitchen timer is really useful for getting the kids dressed and chores done in the morning. I give them 10 minutes to get dressed, teeth brushed and morning chores done. If they do everything in the allotted time, they get 3 "marbles" in their special jar. After they get 20 marbles each we go have a special treat, a trip to Coldstone for icecream or a new book from Borders, something realtively inexpensive but out of the ordinary. If they do not accomplish their tasks in that time frame, I take marbles away each extra minute it takes. I use this with getting ready for bed, cleaning their bedrooms and with anything I need them to do in a reasonable time frame. Try It! I bet you'll become addicted to the egg timer as well.

See also: parenting

I obey right away! II

More ideas on teaching obedience...

Play the obedience game. This is basically hide and go seek where the parent hides and the child seeks you. The rules: You must come right away . Your child must say “Yes, Mommy or Daddy” before they reach you. Oh, and one rule we added after our kids ran over each other, no pushing or shoving. When they reach you can simply give them praise and a hug or reward them with a treat. I think that bad behavior brings bad consequences and good behavior should bring good consequences.

Help your children memorize Eph 6:1 by singing it to the tune of Happy Birthday.
“ Children obey your parents,
Children obey your parents,
children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.”
Ephesians 6:1

(By the way, this song was not my original idea, I got it from a book teaching scripture memorization)

Make a badge that says “I Obey Right Away” to wear. This is both a good reminder for them and something fun to wear!

Once you've done these things and your children have the concept make sure and follow up every month or so with one of these as reminders. I also have my children recite Rules before we go into a store or a public place and "I obey right away!" is one we repeat often.

See also: parenting

A Reason for Obedience

I love to read! Reading takes me away from everyday trials and tribulations as well as frequently giving me new things to think about. This weekend I read, "At the Back of the North Wind" by George MacDonald. George MacDonald was a preacher and writer who lived in the 1800's. He was mentor to such writers as Lewis Carroll and ultimately C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis said about MacDonald,"I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him." MacDonald was a master storyteller of fantasy (as in Phantastes, Lillith and The Princess and Curdie) as well as many moral stories set in England and Scotland where he lived. My favorites are by far, the fantasies, as I know that somewhere in the fantasy are greater truths to be found. I found one such tidbit this weekend on obedience. The main character in "At the Back of the North Wind" is a boy by the name of Diamond who was learning to drive his father's cab. MacDonald says this about Diamond.

"Diamond learned to drive all the sooner that he had been accustomed to do what he was told, and could obey the smallest hint in a moment. Nothing helps one to get on like that. Some people don't know how to do what they are told; they have not been used to it and they neither understand quickly nor are able to turn what they do understand into action quickly. With an obedient mind one learns the rights of things fast enough; for it is the law of the universe, and to obey is to understand."

What a thought! Obedience leads to understanding and then to action! It's our job as parents to not only train our children to obey but to expect obedience from them. More on that later...

Oh by the way, our family listened to the Focus on the Family radio drama of "At the Back of the North Wind" and it was great!

See also: parenting

I don't whine, I shine! II

Make a poster with a large star and Phil. 2:14 on it. Buy star stickers and tell your children that every time you catch them (they shouldn't tell you they did it – you should catch them) doing what they are supposed without arguing, whining and complaining they will receive a star. Make a goal number for them to reach to deserve a reward. Always remember to thank them for their good behavior and for shining like a star. Just so you know, these ideas do work, I've used them on my kids as well as the 2's and 3's class at church. You will need to keep repeating, "I don't whine, I shine" but eventually it makes sense to them. Training takes time but our children are worth it!

See also: parenting

I don't whine, I shine!

Idea two: Have your children memorize Phil. 2:14 I write memory verses on a poster board and work on memory verses for several days in a row. I also make up motions to help kids remember. I abbreviate this verse for my younger two so that it says, “ Do everything without whining and complaining so that you shine like a stars in the heavens.” For a quick motto we say, “I don't whine, I shine!” Say it over several times, louder is always more fun!

Idea three: Spend an evening looking at the stars with your children and talk to them about how the stars light up the sky. Read about stars and tell your children that stars are billions of miles away ( the sun is a star and is approx. 93 million miles away) and yet even being so far away they can brighten the entire sky. When we do everything without complaining, arguing and whining we brighten up everyone around us and shine so that everyone can see the difference that Jesus make in our lives.

See also: parenting