Newsletter #368: Mother's Day - Archived Online. For 32 years The Teaching Home has provided families information, inspiration, and encouragement from a distinctively Christian perspective. Co-Editors: Veteran Home-School Sisters, Sue Welch and Cindy Short |
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 The Girl I Used To Be by Rowena K. Lewis This beautiful poem has been one of our readers' favorites. She came tonight as I sat alone, the girl I used to be. And she gazed at me with her earnest eye, and questioned reproachfully: Have you forgotten the many plans and hopes that I had for you? The great career, the splendid fame, all the wonderful things to do? Where is the mansion of stately height, with all of its gardens rare? The silken robes that I dreamed for you, and the jewels in your hair? And as she spoke, I was very sad, for I wanted her pleased with me. This slender girl from the shadowy past, the girl that I used to be. So gently rising, I took her hand, and guided her up the stair Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay, innocent, sweet, and fair. And I told her that these are my only gems, and precious they are to me; That silken robe is my motherhood, of costly simplicity. And my mansion of stately height is love, and the only career I know Is serving each day in these sheltered walls, for the dear ones who come and go. And as I spoke to my shadowy guest, she smiled through her tears at me. And I saw that the woman that I am now, pleased the girl that I used to be. Copyright 1997 Rowena K. Lewis. Used with permission. Recent Issues Newsletter #367 Newsletter #364 Newsletter #363 Newsletter #362
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Sunnyside Up
A Capital Question
After finishing language arts one morning, our 1st grader was helping me in the kitchen by unloading the dishwasher and putting the silverware away.
The utensil tray in the drawer was close to empty, and he couldn't remember which slot the larger forks went in, so he turned to me and asked, "Mom, where do the upper-case forks go?"
Submitted by Christine C., Virginia.
Send your humorous anecdote to publisher@teachinghome.com.
Peace with God
1. God loves you.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
2. Man is separated from God by sin.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3:23) For the wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23)
3. The death of Jesus Christ in our place is God's only provision for man's sin.
He (Jesus Christ) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25)
4. We must personally receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12)
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. (Eph. 2:8, 9)
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Happy Mother's Day!
 A woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also. - from Proverbs 31 |
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In This Issue
Nurturing Our Children
1. Cherishing Our Children
2. Showing We Care through Closeness
3. Bringing up Our Children for the Lord
See Our Mother's Day Pinterest Board for Craft Ideas.
Sidebar
• News Sources for Christian Homeschoolers
• Freebies: Free Alternatives to Expensive Software
Recommended Resources
• Birch Court Books: Home Economics for Girls and Boys
• Common Sense Press: Wordsmith Writing Curriculum
• Living Books: Charlotte Mason Education; Free Webinar
• State History from a Christian Perspective; 1-Week Sale
Greetings,
As homeschooling mothers, much of our time and attention is spent on the education of our children.
As Christian mothers, our first priority is instruction in righteousness – teaching and showing our children the love of God.
We hope these Mother's Day thoughts will encourage you as you nurture your children for His glory.
May the Lord bless your family with true love, joy and peace that comes only from Him.
Cordially,
The Pat Welch Family, Publishers
Pat, Sue, Heather, Holly, and Brian
The Teaching Home is a homeschool, family-run business operated in our home since 1980.
Great Resources to Teach Home Economics:
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Cherishing Our Children
As mothers, we have cherished the special connection with our children that gave them life and form before they were born and that nourished them as babies.
We held them, soothed them, guided and taught them as toddlers, and delighted in their growth as they began to understand and communicate with us in words.
As Christian mothers, we are in a position to supply the even more essential life-giving Word of God to our children.
And as homeschooling mothers, we have almost unlimited opportunities to communicate our own love and guidance, as well as the Lord’s, as our children grow into adults.
What can we do to preserve and maintain the vital connection with our children that God has ordained to bless them throughout their lives?
This Mother’s Day, let us prayerfully consider ways we can connect one-on-one with each of our children and use that close and positive connection to influence our children for the Lord.
Teach the Art and Craft of Writing
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Showing We Care
through Closeness
1. Talk Together
It’s easy to get so busy meeting physical and academic needs that we forget to communicate the full range of our thoughts and feelings to our children. They begin to see us only as servants, teachers, and bosses, and develop wrong perceptions about our motives.
Yet it is in the context of our lives that our teaching has the most meaning. We must not make the assumption that our children understand who we really are just because they are with us every day.
Words have power; use them well to open the windows of your heart to your children.
Take the opportunity to visit with your children while your are driving, working together, walking ("You shall ... talk of [God's Word] ... when you walk by the way" Deuteronomy 6:7), or just sit down and eat together.
Equally important is the need to listen to our children. You will need to help them express themselves by asking questions that draw them out and by giving them feedback that clarifies their meaning.
2. Work Together
A mother may be able to do all the chores in half the time it takes for her children to do them, but such a policy is self-defeating on several levels.
• Some day she will need help that is already trained and experienced to take her place – even if only for a day or week.
• Her children will need these life skills for themselves as adults.
• Her children will be lacking the sense of accomplishment, habit of contributing to the household, and training in disciplined perseverance at menial tasks that regular chores can give them. ("He must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need." Ecclesiastes 4:28)
• Last, but not least, is the camaraderie and feeling of partnership a mother can have with her children when they work together.
3. Play Together
Find at least one activity that you can enthusiastically enjoy with each of your children and don’t let a week go by without meeting a set quota of fun together.
You might walk with one, drive with another, do puzzles or games, cook or sew or read or sing – it just has to be fun for both parent and child.
Playing together as a family will also bring you all closer to each other. Our family likes Bananagrams, a free-form Scrabble-like game that everyone builds at the same time (no long waits for "turns").
4. Pray Together
Take a few minutes to pray with each child at bedtime, at the beginning of the day, or as you start an activity.
Agree together to take God’s grace for each of your concerns, specifically. In doing so you acknowledge your own understanding and care for your child and your dependence on God's strength and wisdom. This example will influence your child for life.
5. Stay Together
Little spots of friction, hasty words, misunderstandings, disappointments, and conflicts of all kinds can cause your relationship with your children to grow cool and distant. In time, resentment can build a wall between you or lead to all-out war.
To prevent this, keep short accounts on a daily or hourly basis. Be quick to apologize, forgive, and seek reconciliation as soon as you are aware of the need. ("Do not let the sun go down on your anger." Ephesians 4:26)
Even when you must reprove, rebuke, or correct your child, do your best to communicate your lasting love and care for your his wellbeing through all five "love languages" – words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch.
FREE Webinar –
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Bringing up Our Children
for the Lord
A Christian mother recognizes the priorities of spiritual training and character development amid the duties and demands of daily life.
For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you,
which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois
and your mother Eunice,
and I am sure that it is in you as well.
(2 Timothy 1:5)
1. Lead Your Children to Christ
through Knowledge of the Scriptures
• Teach your children the truths of the whole Bible, starting in Genesis with creation and ending in Revelation with the new heaven and earth.
• Introduce your children to the Lord Jesus through His own words and actions in the Gospels so that they may accept His salvation.
And that from childhood
you have known the Holy Scriptures,
which are able to make you wise for salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
(2 Timothy 3:15)
• Pray that you will know when and how to talk to your children about salvation and that they will accept the Lord as their Savior as soon as they are able.
• At the right time, speak to your child about his need of a Savior and how he can personally accept the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Help Your Children
To Develop and Grow the Lord
Teach your children to love and obey the Lord by helping them get to know Him and what He tells them to do in His Word.
• Schedule regular Bible reading and discussion – more than once a day if possible.
For example, read a Psalm at the breakfast table, work on a memory verse after lunch, and have family Bible reading with Father. (See The Teaching Home's Bible Reading Schedule.)
• As soon as your child can read, encourage him to read from God's Word on his own at a certain time each day. You can have him read it aloud to you for a while until he establishes the habit of reading on his own.
• Model Bible reading by letting your children see, or know, when you are reading God's Word.
• Most importantly, show that you love God and desire to know Him better and respond to His message to you. Your attitude will make a life-long impression.
• Pray for your children’s spiritual growth and strength throughout their lives.
Online "Convention" Special!
 State History from a Christian Perspective • All 50 States Available! for Grades 3-12 & Age 3 - Grade 3 Also • Fifty States Under God • Fifty States Under God for Young Learners • Geography of the Fifty States One Week Only: May 13-18
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3. Teach Your Children
To Honor Their Parents
Teach your children to honor and obey their father and mother in obedience to the Lord so that they will receive His blessing of a long and good life.
Children, obey your parents in the Lord,
for this is right.
Honor your father and mother
(which is the first commandment with a promise),
so that it may be well with you,
and that you may live long on the earth.
(Ephesians 6:1-3)
You might be tempted to think that it is self-serving to teach your children to obey and honor you, but it is for their benefit. You do yourself, your children, and their future families a grave disservice if you do not teach and require obedience and respect.
• Teach your child what God says about obeying and honoring their parents. (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-3)
• Have your children memorize pertinent verses. For example, "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord." (Colossians 3:20)
• Discuss ways of honoring parents in word and deed.
• Model honoring your own parents by your actions and words, even if they live far away or are no longer living.
Resources
Doorposts offers For This Is Right and Honor Your Father and Mother (for younger children). Both books contain an evaluation of Scripture and practical applications of the Fifth Commandment, "Honor thy father and thy mother; that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee" (Exodus 20:12). See free "Checklist for Sons and Daughters" and guidelines for parents.
4. Discipline and Train Your Children
The discipline and training of our children is clearly ordained by God as duties of both parents.
My son, observe the commandment of your father
and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
When you walk about, they will guide you;
When you sleep, they will watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.
For the commandment is a lamp
and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life.
(Proverbs 6:20-23)
The rod and reproof give wisdom,
but a child who gets his own way
brings shame to his mother.
(Proverbs 29:15)
• Establish child discipline and training in agreement with your husband.
• Study what God says about requiring obedience, and then present to your children a set of clear rules along with reasons and consequences.
Resources
See Newsletter #45: How To Establish Child Training, Discipline, and Family Responsibilities, which includes "10 Elements of Child Training Child Training" and "7 Ways To Teach Responsibility through Chores."
Read online article, "Teaching and Training Children."
"For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep the way of the Lord." (Genesis 18:19)
