It's Just A Phase...Don't Miss It Week #1

There is a clock that started ticking the day your child was born. In fact, there are less than a thousand weeks from the time a child is born until they graduate from High School.

As you count down the weeks you have remaining with your child, here are some general numbers to get started.

1 yr old > 884 weeks, 2 yr old > 832 weeks, 3 yr old >780 weeks, 4 yr old 728 weeks, 

5 yr old > 676 weeks, 6 yr old> 624 weeks, 7 yr old > 572 weeks, 8 yr old > 520 weeks

9 yr old > 468 weeks, 10 yr old >416 weeks, 11 yr old > 364 weeks, 12 yr old > 312 weeks

13 yr old > 260 weeks, 14 yr old > 208 weeks, 15 yr old > 156 weeks

16 yr old > 104 weeks, 17 yr old > 52 weeks 18 yr old > several weeks

EVERY WEEK MATTERS!

 Consider this: The amount of hours of each day a parent has to invest in their kids relationally, reduces drastically with every passing stage. 

You will spend at least 12 hours a day with a preschooler. 6 hours a day with elementary age kids. 4 hours a day with a middle schooler. 2 hours a day with a high schooler.

As you can see, the window of opportunity closes fast.

Let's take a look at parental influence opportunities each day and at each stage.

Preschoolers > 12 Hours > Morning Time, Drive Time, Meal Time, Bath Time, Cuddle Time.

Elementary > 6 Hours > Morning Time, Drive Time, Meal Time, Bed Time

Middle School > 4 Hours> Morning Time, Drive Time, Meal Time

High School > 2 Hours> Morning Time, Meal Time

At some time, each week the opportunity is there to show up and do life with your child.

The best way to shape a child's character + faith is through small consistent deposits. There is no such thing as instant return on faith or character. We keep so busy and never engage in "the parent work" that has lasting impact. We get so preoccupied with what we can measure that we don't give attention to what we can't measure. 

Truth is..you can't monitor emotional growth because it is gradual. That's why showing up each week matters. Keep investing in what you can't see. Being present for what you are not sure is happening, trusting that your investment will ultimately see a return.

If you want your child to grow up with a healthy sense of worth, direction, perspective, belonging, significance and connection, you need to be intentional about what you do over time.

Visualizing time can help you emotionally, mentally and practically, helping to prioritize what really matters. A countdown jar can make a difference. Consider this project.

Using 2 clear vessels fill one up with pennies, marbles or popcorn seeds representing the actual number of weeks you have left with your child. You will need a vessel for each child. Refer to the week chart at the top of this post . Then start a simple ritual: removing one object each week and depositing it into the second vessel. Over time, the practice of taking from one vessel and making deposits to another will remind you to value your time. It will reinforce a simple principle that when you see how much time you have left you tend to do more with the time you have.

Perhaps at the end of the week, a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of family could happen as you move your objects and make deposits.

When the second vessel is full from the weekly deposits, share the process with your child in the form of a letter mentioning that the jar represents weekly morning times, meal times, drive times, bath times, cuddle times and attach it to the vessel. On the child's "leaving" day to wherever it may be, send it with them.

OR......take your CUE every week to stop, look and listen, making your time together with your kids count. Does this mean you have to make each second count? Or turn every minute into a teaching opportunity? NO! However, if you want to build a meaningful history with your kids, you have to be part of what happens during their week.

A peek at next week. >>>> We will explore how to create a weekly rhythm for your family to be intentional about shaping their future. When you connect positively in the Morning time, you can instill purpose and give fuel for their day. 

For digging deeper take a look at www.JustAPhase.com

Happy New Year

Celebrating!Having a party! Fun times and kiddos love them just as much as we adults do. In this post I have included many ideas to use in planning for young children who are hanging around waiting for the ball to drop in Times Square.  For instructions of all projects pictured here and more New Years celebration ideas take a look at my New Years/Epiphany Pinterest Board Link that is posted at the bottom of the page. Happy Planning! Happy Celebrating! Happy New Year!

Party Hats!  I love this paper bowl idea for the little ones.

Photo Both Props. This is one of my favorites. Super easy to create. Insert a party horn and you have the makings for great fun and really cute photos. Link is on the Pinterest Board listed below.

Use glow sticks for indoor/outdoor games.

Offer a craft table with easy, quick activities. Fireworks painting is always fun with toilet tissue rolls. Add a sprinkling of glitter before the paint dries.

Balloon drop. Tape off or tie a plastic tablecloth to the ceiling allowing it to sag so balloons can be placed inside. Hang streamers underneath for decoration.

Balloon pop count down.

Sparkler fun photos. The link for camera settings can be found on the Pinterest board posted at the bottom of this page.

Sparkler Safety. The solo cup works well for the little ones who want to enjoy sparkler fun.

Snow cabin making. Find some discounted gingerbread house making kits and turn them into snow cabins using different sizes of pretzels.







Family Time Capsule. Click HERE for the instructions.

For all of these activities and more, visit the NewYears /Epiphany  Pinterest Board

Click HERE to view the board.

Ring in the New year with prayer.

Dear God, thank you that it is the beginning of a new year. It is the beginning of an exciting new adventure. Give me courage and strength to do your will, because I can not do it alone. Thank you of  your promise to be with me and guide me everyday. Amen!















Advent! A Time of Service.

Advent. It is here! Below are some suggestions of ways to involve children in acts of service, acts of discipleship , helping to keep the focus on Jesus during this time of waiting.

There are many ways children can be taught to develop a servant's heart, a heart for those in need. Somewhere between the ages of 4-6 children are capable of imagining what it feels like to be in another's situation. 

There are many Acts of Kindness calendars around. I like this one from Coffee Cups and Crayons .

Children love being part of nature and helping to take care of the animals. 

Simple peanut butter and birdseed feeders are great projects to hang around the house and parks or the church yard. 

Donating to the local Animal Shelters is another great kid service project. Contact you local shelter to see what the need is. 

No slip socks are great gifts for our friends that are in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living facilities.

Puffy paint and low cut socks  are all you need for this simple but meaningful project. 

Treats for neighbors and community helpers . Mail carries love to get surprises in the mail. 

Visit this site for this free printable to use.

Show those that serve and protect us just how grateful we are. 

Here is the link for this project.

Caroling! "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to here!" A quote from Buddy the Elf.

Find out if your church youth group goes caroling. Organize a neighborhood caroling walking trip. 

Have a Mingle and Jingle party at your home , offering hot cocoa, cider and gathering to sing - a - long with favorite recorded Christmas carols and songs.

Let your light shine so people everywhere may see your good deeds and praise God in heaven because of it. Read more from Matthew 5:14-16

Visit our Pinterest Advent board here for more activities, crafts and projects.

Jesus Listens When I Pray Part 3

This is the third and final post on the series,
 Jesus Listens When I Pray.

The fact that God commands prayer and promises to hear it is all that we need to confidently approach him. It also means that even what seems to be the simplest prayer is just as effective as the most eloquent.

In the past two  blog posts we have learned how to help our children build a relationship with God at an early age with prayer. In this post we can find examples of how parents can pray for their children using visual prayer activities.

A 31 day preprinted prayer calendar can be used
 to pray a specific prayer .
Visual prayer activities can be personal and intentional.

You can find this free printable here.

You can go a step further and create a daily flip calendar using a Rolodex and cards. For this project I took some time and created a page for each day of the month , using scrapbook paper, the daily prayer and labels with the day of the week . I have a Praying and Color cut out that I used to pray a specific prayer . It is paper clipped rather that glued because I want to be able to turn the piece over and document the blessing from my prayer.

This Rolodex will hold my prayers for all of my children and grandchild for a whole year.

Dividers for each month can be made with simple craft supplies. I have placed some of my favorite scriptures on each monthly divider. In addition to daily prayers..... birthdays, baptismal birthdays, anniversaries and any other special days can be recorded on the cards as well.

You can find free scriptures to print to use on your cards here.

I will be keeping my Rolodex in my office at church, taking time to start each work day with Big prayers for my family.

The Pray and Color blocks are copied from my personal book Pray and Color written by Sybil MacBeth. 

You can purchase her book here.

Another way to create a daily prayer calendar is by creating a daily prayer card for each day off the month.

My prayer card calendar is placed on a table that I pass by on the way to my kitchen. The prayer of the day is placed in the holder before I have my breakfast.

Large children's flash cards found at the Dollar Tree are covered with scrapbook paper and other craft supplies.

The dates and scripture for prayers for my children can be found here to print.

In the words of Martin Luther," God commands us to pray". "There is promise that He hears our prayers". "We pray because we or someone we know are in need".

And we pray!! On our knees, in the car, when life is good, when life is not so good.

Pray the Psalms!

A visual reminder created for a day planner.

We pray the BIG prayers because we have a BIG God!

Our children are gifts . Each one, His own special creation. 

Click on the link below for the prayer that Our Lord taught us,
 His prayer in song .

The Lord's Prayer for Kids 

Jesus Listens When I Pray - Part 1

Jesus listens when I pray, when I pray, when I pray. Jesus listens when I pray...every night and every day!  This children's jingle about prayer is a reminder that teaching children how to build a relationship with God at an early age is an important building block of faith development.

There  is a fundamental truth when it comes to faith and spiritual disciplines. Kids will live out what they see lived in front of them. If they see prayer time being modeled in all circumstances, the good- the bad- the ugly, the HOPE will be that our children will pray constantly, talking to God, fighting off the evil that competes 24/7 for their soul.

This blast from the past stock photo is not your typical family in worship in the church of today, however, the importance of meditation, confession and supplication are still the same.

Pray together as a family. Carve out time each evening to talk to God.  For little ones this could part of their bedtime schedule.

Encourage children to have their own time in prayer.

Have a little talk with Jesus!

Praying Dads will raise praying sons!

Teaching that there is power in prayer, anytime and anywhere.

Praying parents grow strong in their faith together and are ready to go to battle each day with the Armor of God!

Children can have a significant prayer life....

....we only need to model it.

Jesus listens when I pray.

And so we teach the next generation to pray Big prayers. In all of our weakness and sins, God works his love in and through us. How blessed are we that, by the Lord's steadfast love, we, too can draw near to Him with our every need.