Focus

By Becky Wyand

1. Scripture for Focus

Notice how valuable it is to have you children (yes, teens, too!) trust you – which shows in their respect for you.

Proverbs 10:8 “The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin”.

Proverbs 13:1 “A wise son heeds his fathers instruction, but a mocker doesn’t not listen to rebuke.”

Perhaps you have noticed the value of one child being a positive influence on another.

Proverbs 10:17 “He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads other astray”

If you’ve wondered about building your child’s self esteem here is help:

Proverbs 15: 1, 32 “He who listens to life giving rebuke will be a home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.”

2. Writing Secrets

Some simple steps can help make great writers:

~ Daily practice small amounts of writing daily works wonders for practice. What is a small amount? A sentence building into a paragraph for grades there and four. A paragraph building into an essay for grades five and six.

~ Correction. When the child brings his writing to you seeking help and wanting correction there is greater gain.

~Re explaining. After you have made corrections great gain will be made if the child can explain the correction to the teacher.

3. More on the Tongue

So often the tongue does it’s yell or condemnation or calm sarcasm then we think of what we did and how horrible it was. Personally, I have a strong history of such behavior. However, the truth is ~ before the speech ever crossed my tongue it lurked in my heart.

Therefore, while it may be important to put band-aids on my tongue, I do not want to overlook the work needed on my heart.

A little help on working on your heart and mine:

~ Knowing God is key

~ The word is still our best way to get to know him.

~ I will (must) guard by friendships.

4. Attitude and self esteem

Have you ever noticed how often bad attitude and low self esteem go together. Think  about this: the child (or parents) is comforted with an opportunity to obey. Instead of obeying he develops “a better plan” namely his own idea. He is confronted with his lack of obedience and promptly justifies it ~ usually with a bad attitude. It’s usually down hill form there until he feels very badly about himself or the situation.

Healthy self esteem grown from knowing the rules and choosing to obey them. Knowing the rules is the

parents ‘ job and choosing to obey is the Childs.

5. When training leaders

Consider:

~ Leaders need to know how to follow directions. They need wisdom and good habits in joyful prompt obedience to authority.

Gain this by a continuous study of Biblical authority in two minute sessions. Use biographies, your own experiences, and the Bible.

~ Leaders need opportunity to lead and training to do it Biblically. Gain this through student teaching, pet maintenance, and chores.

6. There’s a genius in the house

Most of our children show genius in one area or another. What do we do with this superiority?

~ Continue to work on the idea that if God gave you a gift He had a reason for doing it.

~ Great joy comes to the one who finds that reason and agrees with it.

~ The bottom line is always that God’s gift to me was for Himself.

~ As you practice your gift you learn many things about the giver and about yourself.

~ Remember that where there is a gift we push for great exercising of it.

7. Enjoy

Take time to enjoy your children. When you must correct your child, again, thank God for the opportunity of being chosen as His instrument for a new generation. Realize that passing the baton includes a smile and a word of encouragement.