Giving Reality to our chilren

So far as I can tell, my children want reality. I am glad to give it to them. Children basically want to be like adults (I say basically b/c this attitude can be curbed by a lack of nurturing it). This is a good thing given the following and let us turn them into principles:

1. Be what they ought to be when they become adults.
2. Nurture their own practice of these skills
3. Use reality as much as possible
4. Remember that probably, your taking time with them is more important than the task itself, so let them help.
5. Encourage ALWAYS excellency and correct procedure.
6. THis applies no less to spiritual discipline, service, and worship.

1) By this I mean that practically if a mature child should know how to cook then cook and let them see it. If they should know how to hold and sing to a new born then hold the new born and sing to it letting your child see it. In other words you are being the living lesson for your children.

2) By this I mean that we should take opportunity to encourage them when they try to mimic us. If my son wants to get his tool bag and help fix the door of our house then by all means I want him to fit right in to the schedule. Find a way to make them understand and feel that their interest is both important and good.

3) THis is controversial but I give my children as much of the real thing as I can. Though Landis cannot yet drive a nail he does have a real hammer. Though he cannot finish tightening a bolt he can turn the wrench for a descent amount of time before its too tight. We let our daughter play with toy cooksets until she could play with real one without getting hurt. Now she is big enough (five yrs old) to help in the kitchen.

5) This does not mean being angry when they mess up. It means not being satisfied until they learn the right way. We praise a good effort to make up a bed but then we take the time to show them helpful tips to do it better (how to get the wrinkles out; principles of organization, etc.). Once they know how to do it with excellence, we expect it. Evangeline is to make her bed "pretty" every day.

6) Do family worship daily if possible. We don't let it pass with "Jesus Loves Me" (as helpful as that is) but we sing hardy songs and read the tough passages and we have our children pray (on their knees) and not just any prayer but for such things as is important for the kingdom (they are allowed to add whatever they'd like).

I want them to pray and think and live through a grid of reality. THis does not rob them of childhood but enriches them. It is we who turn them into little cartoons of chaos.