For Parents
Current Parenting Tip
Teaching Children to Look for Ways to Help
One of the parts of our honor definition is that we do more than what’s expected. That means seeing what needs to be done and doing it. It means solving problems instead leaving them for others. One family had a sign in their kitchen that read:
If it’s broken, fix it.
If it’s empty, fill it up.
If it’s open, shut it.
If it’s out, put it away.
If it’s messy, clean it up.
If you can’t, then report it.
That’s honor.
Take time to teach children that they don’t have to be asked in order to do a job. Honor means that we’re all contributing to family life. In fact, you may ask a child to go around the house and look for one job that needs to be done and do it, then report back to you.
These kinds of discussions and exercises will help children think outside of their little box and discover that they have a responsibility to the family. They can contribute to family life by just seeing something that needs to be done and doing it.
Of course, that’s what makes a valuable employee too so you can teach your children something more important than just how to get along better in your family. You may be preparing them to be outstanding employees as they get older.
What are some ways that you’ve found helpful to teach your kids to help in the family? Click here to tell us about it.
This parenting tip comes from the book, Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes In You and Your Kids by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.
This tip was used with permission from the National Center for Biblical Parenting.
Visit them at http:www.biblicalparenting.org
Resources:
Focus on the Family:
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting.aspx
The Place for Single Parents and Blended Families:
http://www.biblicalparenting.org/pr-singleparenting.asp
The National Center for Biblical Parenting:
http://www.biblicalparenting.org/
Previous Tips:
Teaching Children to Look for Ways to Help
Overcoming Selfishness with Honor
Some Kids Drain Energy Out Of Family Life
The Real Value Of Learning To Obey
Good Parenting Doesn’t Always Work
When Children React With Anger
The Heart Is A Wrestling Place
Obey First, And Then We’ll Talk About It
Bad Attitudes Come In Three Arenas
The Conscience Needs Training
Understanding Attitudes and How to Change Them