Search Results for: blog children obey your parents

Safe Swimming With Your Toddler

Ah, summertime. There is nothing that calms an overheated and cranky toddler like a dip in the pool, lake, river, ocean, or even the bathtub. It is important to play it safe around water, and most parents know the basics of water safety. Things like supervising your toddler’s watery adventures, making sure your toddler gets out of the water before they get too cold, and teaching your toddler how to be safe in the water are probably second nature to most parents. There are some hazards, though, that you may not necessarily know about. Recently, at least one child that … Continue reading →

Do You Vote the Same as Your Spouse?

Do you vote the same way as your spouse? Does it matter if you don’t? Or is it one of those fundamental differences where you would not even consider marrying someone who had a different political stance? One of the things that interested me in the article recently in Time magazine was it claims that 40 years ago a woman would have most likely voted the same way as her husband. Over the years Mick and I have been married, and it’s over 40, sometimes we have we have voted the same way. Other times we haven’t. What we have … Continue reading →

Does Your Teen Drive to School?

My parents allowed my brothers and I to share a single vehicle while we were in high school. Three teens (and one tween, who insisted on tagging along) sharing one car–definitely not a pretty situation. Still, that one car provided my parents with freedom some moms and dads only dream of. Not only did we use the car to get to and from school (thus, giving my parents a break from taxi duty), but it also transported us to all of our extra-curricular activities. Unfortunately, the car did not escape our teen years without sustaining serious damage (all my older … Continue reading →

Make it Easy for Children to Obey

While there are certainly obstinate children or those who seem to get more out of NOT complying with expectations and parental requests, I believe that sometimes a child’s disobeying is really a “systems” problem. There are too many roadblocks and obstacles that keep the child from being able to obey easily. There are things we can do as parents to build a system that actually makes it more likely that children will do what is expected of them. An organized house, bedroom, bathroom, etc. can make it much easier for children to pick up after themselves. How child-friendly is your … Continue reading →

Extreme Homeschool Objections: Parents with Suspect Motivations

This series of homeschool objections was inspired by a vlog that very calmly and rationally mentioned a objections to homeschools by someone who also had many concerns with schools. His perfect school would be community based, but not home based. I have previously addressed the objection of qualifications. The next objection I would like to address are motivations to homeschool. Apparently, it is a problem that parents who give birth to, clothe, love, and nurse their children should not be able to pass down their values to their children. Individual values should be replaced with teaching kids to be considerate, … Continue reading →

Extreme Homeschool Objections: Parents with Suspect Motivations

This series of homeschool objections was inspired by a vlog that very calmly and rationally mentioned a objections to homeschools by someone who also had many concerns with schools. His perfect school would be community based, but not home based. I have previously addressed the objection of Qualifications. The next objection I would like to address are motivations to homeschool. Apparently, it is a problem that parents who give birth to, clothe, love, and nurse their children should not be able to pass down their values to their children. Individual values should be replaced with teaching kids to be considerate, … Continue reading →

Children Obey Your Parents

As someone who regularly deals with children and their families, I often hear the same complaints: “They don’t listen when I tell them to do something.” “I can’t get them to obey.” “I’m doing everything right–disciplining for disobedience, praising for the good–and still I see no progress.” My disclaimer here is that if you are having trouble with your child–these couple of blogs won’t fix your problems. But I recently went to a parenting seminar and I want to pass along some things that were shared that struck home with me. Ephesians 6:1 “Children obey your parents. . .” One … Continue reading →

Free Agency in Children

I’m in a curious stage in my motherhood. Half my children are old enough to make many of their own choices and to either suffer the consequences or reap the rewards. The other half are still young enough that I need to guide them and flat out make some of their choices for them. It’s difficult when you’re trying to explain to a child why they don’t get to make a certain choice for themselves. They don’t know how much they don’t know, and they get frustrated and sometimes belligerent when they feel you’re running their lives for them. But … Continue reading →

Do You Justify Your Toddler’s Behavior Because of Their Age?

I admit it: my twins throw temper tantrums in public. Few parents I think escape the embarrassment of public temper tantrums. I actually don’t mind them that much. I try to look at it as an opportunity to show my girls that I love them, but that I am mom and what I say goes. It’s an important lesson that all children must learn. It is not a democracy but a monarchy. Soon my twins will learn what their older siblings figured out long ago: it is not my way or the high way. . .it is my way. Sometimes … Continue reading →

Are You Asking Your Kids For Permission?

Have you ever heard a parent (or maybe even yourself) say something to a child like this: “Let’s stop hitting our sister, okay?” or “Would you like to go to bed now?” Maybe seeing it written out can show you that the parent is obviously abdicating authority and responsibility and giving the child an “out.” It is not uncommon for us parents to have an unconscious attitude of “asking” our kids for permission to be the parent in charge… Being the ultimate authority does not have to mean being a tyrant. I think this is where many parents falter and … Continue reading →