Do you know your kids?
Parenting blogs from the Bible? Did parents blog back then?
Well, not really. But sometimes, we can read something and it reads like parenting blogs to us.
We can see “blog posts” here and there in certain chapters of the Bible that challenge and inspire us.
As parents, we all want to know the condition of our kids. We want to know where they are at spiritually, how we can help them and what they need to learn in their faith.
Kids have rough days. Hard moments. Needed growth in specific areas.
Fighting. Arguing. Talking back. Complaining. Whining.
My sweet girls have times where I wonder, “What am I doing?”
Moments that tell me that they are all in stages of growing, learning and testing.
Parenting is not easy and these moments put me on my knees for my girls!
As their mom, I go through seasons of “wow, this is getting easier” and seasons of “ok, what happened to my obedient girls?”
With children that are close in age like mine, it seems reasonable that they would flow through these seasons of growth together. But, wow… it can be hard.
How do I handle it in a godly way as their mother?
How do I teach them, guide them and grow them in the way that God wants me to?
What does the Bible say, where are the parenting blogs, in the Bible?
I found some answers and encouragement in Proverbs 27.
It was one of those spotlight moments where God says, “This verse is for you!”
Proverbs 27:23-24 gives clear wisdom to parents.
In those moments, I know my girls are having issues with certain attitudes and actions. My “flock” is not doing well.
How do I give careful attention to my girls?
Have I given them careful attention?
When I say careful attention, I mean the “get down on the floor with them and figure out why they are doing what they are doing” and “seek God for His wisdom on how to bring about lasting change in their attitudes”.
Because, our kids learn while they play. They learn how to react to others, read a friend’s emotions, share, and problem solve. So much happens while they play! We have a responsibility to use these moments to teach and when we miss it, we will notice it in our kids.
And, not just play time. Do they have your attention at meal time? at bed time? after school? in the car? Are there moments where the cellphone is off? the computer is off? the TV is off?
Do they know they are the highest priority in your day?
Because, we can get busy. If we work at home or outside the home… things ALWAYS need done. The laundry, grocery shopping, phone calls, doctor’s appointments, work, dusting… seriously, I think these jobs are never finished! Cleaning up from one meal leads into snack time which leads to the next meal and on and on it goes. Then, there is checking email and calling my mom and blogging and facebook and babysitting and … we all have our list of things to do.
We need parenting blogs, the advice of others to help us!
Verse 24 puts it all in perspective.
Riches do not last and a crown is not secure. Money comes and goes. It will not endure. A crown, our job, our success, our accomplishments, our clean house… those things are not secure! But, if we know the condition of our flocks and we pay close attention to our herds, these will reap rewards that will last. Pouring daily into our kids will pay off in ways we can’t imagine.
I’m not saying to drop everything. But, God is reminding me to make sure that there are moments every day where my kids know they have my FULL attention. I want them to know that mommy is hearing them, seeing them and loving them.
Do I already know I should do these things? yes. Is it time to refocus? yes.
Time to evaluate my day and schedule in teaching, real and fun moments with my precious, valuable, God-given and beautiful babies.
There are some smart parenting blogs in the Bible. Can you find them?