Along with emphasizing how important we teach our children that GOD loves us and wants only the best for each of us, I thought it would be 'fun' to rediscover the 'child' in myself. That's an excellent way to demonstrate to my offspring that I can have fun and be a little crazy (in a good sense) while still following GOD's way. It's also a way to reconnect with the qualities GOD wants me to possess in order to enter HIS eternal Kingdom.
There are numerous methods of achieving this; I've collected a few here to share in the place of ordinary lesson plans and learning strategies as posted earlier.
1. Build a fort - Take time to build something with your kids...a tree house, a backyard tent, or even a living room fort made from couch cushions. There is something about the memory of working together and building something that stays with children.
2. Water fights - When was the last time you asked the children to help wash the car and and everyone ended up in a huge water fight? Is it dumb? A little silly? You BET! And an absolute riot!! The chance for t hem to see their parents have fun WITH THEM makes it memorable.
3. Scavenger hunt - Wake up the kiddos one morning and announce they've got an important task. After breakfast, they will have (include yourself, too) two hours to find everything on a random list (the sillier the better - a red button, a yellow, an Ace from a pack of playing cards, a coin from the 70s, a mattress advertisement, etc) The fun is in the hunt - and in the chance to let everyone tell their stories at the end of the game.
4. Surprise party - Throw a surprise party. Hang decorations; bake a cake; send invitations to friends, but tell them not to tell! Make it truly a surprise - not for any special event such as a birthday or graduation - just a SURPRISE party. Just the thought of you going to all the trouble of creating a surprise will be enough to make i t memorable.
5. Kids-in-Charge night - Put the children "in charge" some Saturday. Let them choose what will be done in the afternoon. Ask them to prepare simple recipes for dinner, set the table, and clean up afterwards. (Use easy menus like pancakes or spaghetti - the lessons learned will be worth the messes created!) After dinner, guide them through the common Saturday evening chores, i.e. washing dishes, sorting laundry, sewing buttons on, emptying trash cans. During these activities discuss the importance of fulfilling responsibilities and obligations.
Have fun! Please send in other ideas that can be passed on to readers. Strengthening family cohesiveness and remembering to nurture the kid in us will help us to remember 'how' to be like the little children that were brought to Jesus!
1 comment:
Oh yes, building forts are done daily in our house!
Last night while I was grocery shopping Caleb and Tim played what Caleb calls "dress up rough play". I had to ask what this was because I had never heard of it before. He said that they dress up in some fighting character - whether a transformer or a GI Joe or whatever and then play rough. Their little imaginations are great!
Caleb in turn often says to GOD while praying, "Thank you for my Daddy who likes to play with me". Very true that those special "silly" games mean so much to them and they will remember them for years to come! :)
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