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Be Intentional

One of the lessons that I learned over my 28 years of parenting was about being intentional. By this I mean that I deliberately made choices in how I would parent the kids God gave to us. 

I came to realize that my kids would not learn manners, or math without me having a plan and doing it.  Having a plan may sound like more than you want to think about this summer, but it can be very simple.





As I may have mentioned a time or two, I don't like things that require prep work.  I want to open a book and get to the science, I don't want to have to pre-read a lesson.

The same is true in my being intentional - I want it to be purposeful but easy.  So I chose a book, a movie, an activity, or just time together with my kids where we could focus on a character trait, or other kind of subject, and then talk about it afterward.

If you want your kids to be kind, then you have to model that and talk to them about being kind, and how to handle it when other people aren't kind to them.  This is one of those lessons that goes on forever!  

If you want your kids to learn to serve others, you talk to them about it and give them opportunities to serve alongside you.  Show them how to do it!

This is the way of discipleship, as you walk along the way, and as you rise up and as you sit down, etc.  You talk to them, always, about stuff.  Our kids don't learn things by chance - someone teaches them what they know.

Being intentional as you go about your day is a natural way to teach your kids the things you want them to know.  You can still accomplish all the daily work that must be done, and you can be building real things into the lives of your children that will benefit them for a lifetime and beyond.


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