New Additions
August 25th, 2007
Always use gentle words that give life.
Try new food, we may like it.
As we move along together in shaping our family rhythm, I am finding some things that I need to emphasise. The family rules list has been so helpful as we move through our day. We have it framed and displayed in our kitchen at their level. Our youngest loves to run up to it and remind his siblings of their errors throughout the day.
I am thinking through training children and how intentional you need to be with it. I am developing another piece on it that will be up next week, but I have found 2 things that I want tweak a little on our personal family rules. They have to do with some things that are cropping up that need to be worked on.
One is the way our children speak to each other when they are frustrated. There is way too much yelling, which of course ends up with a domino effect around here. Our oldest is VERY dramatic and we are working on training him to control his outbursts. (Gee I wonder where he gets that?) The very first verse we taught them was “Gentle words give life” in Proverbs, so it seems appropriate that we tweak the “Be Kind” to “Use Gentle words that give life.”
And two, I have not been offering enough variety in what they are eating. I am in a cooking rut and so I am working my way out of it. Firstly we are creating a family recipes cookbook that we work on together using picaboo. I am offering different veggies other than broccoli and raw carrots. Our daughter has become VERY finicky and that is not very becoming in a young woman me thinks, so we will work on it now when she is a wee woman. That is where I came up with “Always try new food. We may like it.”
I am finding that baby steps along the way pay off big in short order. For me I am working on following through…on everything. Like using all the food I buy at the grocery store for each meal I planned to prepare, instead of getting board with one meal left and ether buying different things or going out to eat. Not very disciplined for a middle aged woman me thinks.(Is 33 middle aged? Yikes)
So I am going to work on that too. It all adds up to freedom. Freedom for me, our family, our kids. When we can tell our bodies “no” when we really want to say “yes” we can say “yes” to hard things when we probably would of said “no”. Sounds like a good life skill to have don’t ya think?
Entry Filed under: Training Kids, mommy stuff, Family, Life
6 Comments
Add your own1. chen | August 25th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Buenos Dias, Amber~
I hear you- One thing that has really helped my kids branch out (other than living in a country where chicken soup is served with the chicken’s feet and all, for breakfast!) is giving them the opportunity to choose recipes themselves and then cook them. It would be fun to have each child choose a meal once a week and cook it with as little help from you as possible. I try to make out a menu at the beginning of the week- they all pick out what they are going to cook & then we shop! We have a wonderful cookbook from Sonlight. It is filled with international recipes and so far, every single one has been delicious. I could share some if you’d like. I’d LOVE to share some Peruvian recipes with you too (I’m sure you’ll want the chicken feet soup one!). Seriously, it might be fun to try some out before you all come!
Can’t wait! Chen
2. amanda | August 25th, 2007 at 9:39 am
My favorite cookbook says to add chicken feet if you have them when making chicken stock. The nutritive benefit is wonderful. What would your daughter think of that?
You have some edifying rules. Keep training them well and these rules will become a part of their lives. Our rules have become engrained into my kids, but I have found whenever I act inapropriately, the kids always mimmick it. They make such a good mirror to keep me in line as well.
Neither of my kids were particular about what they ate. I have always taught them that God may make them missionaries one day, and as a missionary, one may have to eat all sorts of strange things. We’d better practice eating and appreciating what we don’t like now to prepare us to be content (when there is chicken feet in our soup).
Have a wonderful weekend!
amanda
3. Betsy | August 25th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Great thought, Amber! You have truly turned a new leaf in the past couple of months and I am sooo proud of you! All of your hard work will certainly pay off in the long run! You are making a believer out of me!
4. admin | August 25th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Gracias m’amigas!
Betsy - I am enjoying the fruit of quiet, still rest. Homeschooling has helped me address some out out of balance issues in my life. Funny how something I thought would define me solely has actually given me roots so I can explore everything else in my life.
Chen - I would love some Peruvian recipes “sans” chicken feet:-) We were just talking about doing a Peruvian meal one week with our church family so send them on. I will post them here to share with the world:-)
Amanda - I agree, your kids are a mirror. It is always horrifying seeing yourself in their behavior. Another reminder to always be submitting yourself to the Master’s training as well.
Peace to you three diva’s:-)
5. Rebekah | August 25th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
One great rule I heard from a preschool teacher today- “Never hurt anyone on the inside or the outside. That is the most important rule.”
6. Jeff Greathouse | August 26th, 2007 at 8:26 am
Another great verse in the Bible on “being kind” comes from Paul when he is writing to the church at Ephesus ..
He say, ” use only words that build one another up, do not use words that will tear one another down ”
eph. 4:29
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