Cell Phone Accountability

Does your child have a cell phone, or are you thinking about getting one for them? Check out this link for a cool idea on how to establish guidelines for phone usage.

http://www.allprodad.com/tools-and-resources/training-tools/cell-phone-contract/

Funny Quote Friday

Time for more fun on ANOTHER rainy Friday. Enjoy!

"A two-year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it."
                      -Jerry Seinfeld

Disqualified Parents

Some days I feel like I am not qualified to be a parent. I worry that my kids will remember the mistakes I make and will even copy that behavior when they are parents themselves! Now there's a worrying thought. If you have ever felt that way, here is something for you. Written by a pastor in Toronto named Carey Nieuwhof, it's a great reminder of how God can use grace in our lives to impact those around us, including and especially our children!
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Because when you find yourself the villain in the story you have written

It’s plain to see

That sometimes the best intentions are in need of redemption

Would you agree?

- Death Cab for Cutie, “You Are a Tourist”

So Death Cab for Cutie is a band –just to be clear–one that’s on my playlist a lot these days. As that song played through my earbuds, it hit me that it describes how I sometimes feel about my parenting.

No new parent begins by saying “I hope I mess up my child’s life.” Who ever sets out to be the villain in the story? But at one point or another, we end up there, don’t we?

You leave for vacation but are yelling at the kids before you’re even out of town.

You’re at home most nights, but you’re far too tired to engage.

Your kids repeated patterns of behavior drive you crazy, and you end up resenting them.

Your date night to nurture your marriage starts with an argument and ends with a meltdown.

You make empty threats to your kids that would make you wince if you heard other parents make them. But you are all out of tricks, so you threaten anyway.

And sometimes the temptation is to think that our failures should disqualify us as a parent. At least as a good parent.. It must certainly disqualify us from being a godly parent.

But when you think that, you would be wrong.

What if that actually puts you in line with a great list of characters God used in significant ways?  What if that actually qualifies you?

Peter was Jesus’ best friend, but Peter betrayed Jesus–badly. You would think that would put you out of the running to be a New Testament hero. But Jesus built the church on Peter anyway.

Moses seemed like a fine fellow until he murdered someone. Shouldn’t that push him off God’s short list?
Apparently not. God made him into one of the greatest leaders in the Old Testament.

Why? Why does God use people as flawed as that?

I think weakness puts us in touch with our need for God. It reminds us that God is God and we are not. That we need help. That there is a power greater than our natural brilliance (or lack of it) at work in the world.

And that grace flows between the cracks in our lives.

God’s strength is most evident when the people He’s working with are weak.

What if the very thing you think is disqualifying you right now is actually qualifying you for a new chapter in your life in Christ? What if your weakness was a portal to new strength?

What if you are a parent turning in a brand new way to Christ’s love and you were able to give your son and daughter a front row seat to the grace of God?

I bet your kids would never forget the change they see in you. And you could one day tell them how it happened.

I Want to Ask You a Favor

Life can be tough when you're a kid.

Like if you get a bad grade on a test or have a mean substitute teacher. When there's a rainy day-because then you don't get any outside recess. Times when bullies pick on kids, or when fights happen. When teachers give you a ton of homework on a busy night-or any night, I guess. When you go outside to play and nobody else is around to do anything with you. Or if you come home to an empty house. It's real tough when your parents go through a divorce, my friends tell me.

Kids hear some rough things, too! Like mean comments about the clothes you wear-because they don't come from popular stores. Rude remarks because you look or sound different. Pressure for you to work faster from a teacher. Sometimes it's hard when the whole class laughs at someone who gives a really wrong answer-or when other dancers make a person feel bad about donig the wrong step. Nobody wants to feel stupid or clumsy. Do you? Some kids feel like their best isn't good enough-according to their parents. And there are times when parents have bad days and then lose patience with their kids. That never happens at my house (ha ha!).

All kids have their ups and downs. Some more than others. So why am I telling you all this?

Well, because I want to ask you a favor-please talk with your kids. Maybe all the stuff that I described doesn't happen every day. But each day has its own challenges; that's for sure. So kids need a person who they can share anything that's on the mind with. They need to hear loving words so they don't believe all the rough stuff that they hear everywhere else. And you are the person who needs to tell them those words. If you're not that person, who is?

So talk with your kids. Tell them the words they need to hear.

*This was written by Erin Staal, age 11-she volunteers at her church as part of a worship team and in the Toddlers room.*                     

                                                    Excerpted from Words Kids Need to Hear by David Staal

Funny Quote Friday

I see the sun! Even if it only peeks out for a moment, I'll take it. With all of the clouds and rain it's time for some fun. So every now and then on Fridays I will post something to lighten your day. Enjoy!

"Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day. It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken." ~Bill Dodds

Bored Kids, Bathtub Scuba and Noah's Ark

So how is everyone doing out there? I ventured out this morning briefly and the water laying everywhere is quite astounding. I wasn't alive for Hurricane Agnes so this is the worst flooding I can remember in my lifetime. And with all of the water came cancellations of school and activities, which means day 2 of being stuck inside with nothing to do! So here are some ideas to make this time fun instead of dreadful-

-kidSPACE activities: pull out your monthly cue cards or Godtime cards and do some of those activities with your kids
-Noah's Ark-perfect time for an in depth study on that story! There's nothing like firsthand experience to make stories come alive for children
-Pitch a Tent: put up an indoor tent or use blankets and sheets to make an indoor fort
-Baking Bonanza: bake cookies or soft pretzels together
-Fitness Fun: bust out a fitness video and do it together
-Balloon Volleyball: blow up some balloons, make a net with string or rope, and play volleyball
-Twenty Questions: one player thinks of a famous person, place or thing and others have 20 questions to guess
-Indoor Scuba Session: get kids in their bathing suits, put lots of water toys in the bathtub and let the fun begin

Have fun and stay safe!