If you are anything like me (which I think you probably are), there have been many times where you thought to yourself, "Nothing I'm doing is working, and I've tried just about everything!".
One of the things that I've discovered is that more times than not, when I don't know what to do, going back to the basics always seems to work.
Here are five things you and I should do everyday with our kids.
PRAY
Don’t just pray for your child each day, but pray with them too. It is a great idea to regularly ask them what you can be praying about for them. Prayer can be so powerful as we as parents humble ourselves, join hands with our child, and ask our Father for help. Say a prayer as you drop them off at school or before bedtime. One of the most powerful things Veronica and I have ever done is pray for our children every night before they go to bed.
SMILE
Smiles lighten things up and brighten up almost any room. So smile! Whether you feel like it or not. Studies have shown that not only are we happier, but so is our family, when we smile!
HUG.
I don’t care if your child is 1 year old or 23 years old, they need hugs! Hug them when they’re happy. Hug them when they are sad. Hug your child every single day. Hug when you feel like it and when you don’t. Hug them when they want one and even when they don! There is so much healing that flows through a simple hug. Through the years with my kids, sometimes they just need a good old fashion hug.
LISTEN
You may think that you have amazing words of wisdom to share with your child, but they will not really hear you until they feel you have heard them first. Here are some tips. Listen. Be patient. Don’t interrupt. Show your child that you’ve heard them by saying something like, “I can understand why you feel this way,” “This must be hard for you,” or “I get what you are saying.” Listening will build strong relational bridges between you and your child, not burn them.
TRAIN
Scripture says, Train up that child in the way they should go and when they are old they will not depart from it. You are your child’s main teacher. Teach them God’s Word daily. It doesn't matter if they are 5 or 25. Teach them about God's creation. Train them in the characteristics of who God is. Teach them about the pitfalls of life. Sure, this is hard work, but don’t get tired of doing the hard things!