Ten Simple Ways
To Build Relationships with Your Children
1. Take someone with you any time you go out in the car!
This gives you time to talk together. Your children will learn from you while you shop, while you minister, while you drive, and they will learn to serve alongside you.
2. Work together!
Work in the garden, the kitchen, and the house together. Not only will this give you more time to talk and train your children in the tasks you perform, but it will also save you time, leaving you more time to spend with them in other ways.
3. Schedule times to spend with individual children.
· Pray together!
Work together on areas of temptation and sin, communicate that you are on their side, and pray for each other.
· Study the Bible together.
Teach your children how to study the Bible as you study pertinent topics together.
· Read and discuss books together.
Girl Talk, God at Work, Future Men, Tearing Down Strongholds, When You Rise Up, and Thoughts for Y oung Men are a few examples of the books we've read. We also read just-for-fun books together.
· Go for walks together.
We have found this to be especially good with our boys! They talk a lot more on a walk than they do while we're sitting together on the sofa.
· Go out to eat together.
This doesn't have to be fancy - fast food or an ice cream cone can give you just as much time together as a big, expensive meal.
· Have a campout!
When everyone was little we all "camped out" together in the living room every Friday night! I still have campout nights on the floor with individual girls and impromptu summer campouts on the deck. Sometimes I sleep in the girls' room with them. It's amazing how much more the kids talk when we're laying there in the dark!
· Have a monthly "Girls' Afternoon Out" or a "Boys' Afternoon Out."
This is an idea that I was inspired to implement after reading Carolyn Mahaney's fine book, Girl Talk. Once a month the girls and I just go out for the afternoon (or sometimes the whole day) and have fun together! We've gone to tulip and iris farms, rose gardens, tea rooms, bookstores, parks, and more, and we always have a great time!
· Share a regular time to discuss and set goals.
We try to do this at least once a year. It has proven to be a very helpful tradition, and we're always encouraged when we look back and see how many goals have been reached over the course of the previous year.
· Design a plan to help you schedule individual time with your children.
Doorposts' product, Family Circles, can help you with this task.
4. Extend hospitality and socialize together as a family.
Minimize the time your children spend with just children their own age, and spend more time together as a family, in activities together, hosting other families in your home, and welcoming your children's friends into your home.
5. Design projects to share as a family.
Sharing common goals while you work and serve together will draw your family together. Find a way to serve together through your church, minister to shut-ins or retirement home residents together, start a small business together, host events for other families, help grandparents, raise animals, or play music together!
(continued tomorrow)
To Build Relationships with Your Children
1. Take someone with you any time you go out in the car!
This gives you time to talk together. Your children will learn from you while you shop, while you minister, while you drive, and they will learn to serve alongside you.
2. Work together!
Work in the garden, the kitchen, and the house together. Not only will this give you more time to talk and train your children in the tasks you perform, but it will also save you time, leaving you more time to spend with them in other ways.
3. Schedule times to spend with individual children.
· Pray together!
Work together on areas of temptation and sin, communicate that you are on their side, and pray for each other.
· Study the Bible together.
Teach your children how to study the Bible as you study pertinent topics together.
· Read and discuss books together.
Girl Talk, God at Work, Future Men, Tearing Down Strongholds, When You Rise Up, and Thoughts for Y oung Men are a few examples of the books we've read. We also read just-for-fun books together.
· Go for walks together.
We have found this to be especially good with our boys! They talk a lot more on a walk than they do while we're sitting together on the sofa.
· Go out to eat together.
This doesn't have to be fancy - fast food or an ice cream cone can give you just as much time together as a big, expensive meal.
· Have a campout!
When everyone was little we all "camped out" together in the living room every Friday night! I still have campout nights on the floor with individual girls and impromptu summer campouts on the deck. Sometimes I sleep in the girls' room with them. It's amazing how much more the kids talk when we're laying there in the dark!
· Have a monthly "Girls' Afternoon Out" or a "Boys' Afternoon Out."
This is an idea that I was inspired to implement after reading Carolyn Mahaney's fine book, Girl Talk. Once a month the girls and I just go out for the afternoon (or sometimes the whole day) and have fun together! We've gone to tulip and iris farms, rose gardens, tea rooms, bookstores, parks, and more, and we always have a great time!
· Share a regular time to discuss and set goals.
We try to do this at least once a year. It has proven to be a very helpful tradition, and we're always encouraged when we look back and see how many goals have been reached over the course of the previous year.
· Design a plan to help you schedule individual time with your children.
Doorposts' product, Family Circles, can help you with this task.
4. Extend hospitality and socialize together as a family.
Minimize the time your children spend with just children their own age, and spend more time together as a family, in activities together, hosting other families in your home, and welcoming your children's friends into your home.
5. Design projects to share as a family.
Sharing common goals while you work and serve together will draw your family together. Find a way to serve together through your church, minister to shut-ins or retirement home residents together, start a small business together, host events for other families, help grandparents, raise animals, or play music together!
(continued tomorrow)
If you can't wait until part 2 you can see the whole article at, Doorposts
See and print this article online.
