The Parent Link A Connection Between Harris Creek Children’s Ministry and Parents ! this issue Discipline: A New Perspective P.1 Positive Guidance P.2 Obedience Parenting Moment P.3 Issue Current Culture and Media P.4 Children’s Ministry Calendar Notes February 19 Elev8 Discipline: A New Perspec6ve What do you think of when you hear the word discipline? I would venture to say February 28 that most of us have a nega:ve reac:on when hearing that word. For some of Parent/Child you, it may bring back memories of geng in trouble at school, or being Dedica:on Class punished for wrongdoing at home. For others, it may cause memories of rigidness and structure in a classroom. Some of you may have even felt crushed at some point in your life because of discipline received from a parent or elder. March 21 Parent/Child Dedica:on I want to challenge you to look at discipline in a new way. Start thinking of Church Bible Drill discipline as a training process and not as punishment. Discipline comes from the La:n root, discipere, which means “to grasp intellectually or analyze March 28 thoroughly” from dis- “apart” + capere- “take.” When parents discipline their kids, they are taking apart a problem in order to thoroughly analyze it. Discipline Regional Bible Drill is meant to prevent future problems, not just solve immediate problems. It teaches, instructs, and trains. Discipline is more about teaching our children Children’s Ministry what to do than about teaching them what not to do. When we discipline them, we show them the beaer way. Contact Informaon Emily Gist Children’s Minister Clothing Drive: Please remember we are collecng [email protected] new or “like new” winter clothing during the month of February! Carol Underwood Ministry Associate We’re on Facebook! Check out the groups Harris [email protected] Creek Children’s Ministry and Harris Creek Mother’s Day Out for pictures, updates, and events! Office Phone: (254) 848-4953 Mother’s Day Out Calendar Notes February 16 Posi6ve Guidance Muffins with Mom March 9 and 11 Each semester we provide training for our Mother’s Day Out staff on a topic pertaining to Early Childhood Educa:on. Later this month our teachers will Spring Break par:cipate in a workshop about Posi:ve Guidance with Children. Using posi:ve guidance with children means focusing on the desirable behaviors you want the child to repeat rather than punishing for the nega:ve behaviors you Ask God: want to end. We use strategies at Harris Creek MDO that you can use at home too. 1. To help your children express their love for God 1. Redirec:on -- when the child is having a problem, encourage the child to by obeying his commands. choose a new place to play. By doing so, the child removes himself/herself from the area of frustra:on, thereby removing the possible source of 2. To strengthen your frustra:on. This step may need to used repeatedly. children’s trust in God’s goodness. 2. Use of choices -- When a child is exhibi:ng nega:ve behavior, give the child appropriate choices to move the preschooler to a more posi:ve behavior. A 3. To give your children commonly used phrase in this situa:on may be, “You may do _______ or obedient atudes toward ______ .” example: “You may clean up the home living center or you may authority. clean up the blocks.” 3. Posi:ve words -- Adult must show an atude of understanding and firmness. Paren6ng Insights Children should be given clear direc:ons and guidance on the child’s level of In With All Their Heart, understanding. Requests should be made in a posi:ve statement. Refrain from Chris:ne Yount Jones shares using the word “no” or “you should not…”. Say “Our feet stay on the floor” some of “the sweet rewards rather than “Don’t climb on that table.” of saying yes to God” and 4. Using words -- When children are upset, encourage them to use their words. lovingly obeying his Children should be supported in their aaempts to verbalize their feelings commands. about the situa:on and their expecta:ons of resolu:on. Adults may need to facilitate this prac:ce by giving the children the words to use. For example, if a The result of obedience is joy. child has been biaen, encourage the child to say to the biter “That hurts. I Obeying God isn’t a burden. don’t like it when you bite me. Please stop.” Instead, it’s uplihing to work 5. Posi:ve reinforcement -- Praise the children spontaneously for the good things in harmony with God rather they do. Smile, hug, or high-five when they exhibit posi:ve behaviors. than fight against him. Obedience brings a promise of blessings. Although we don’t obey just to gain God’s favor, Thou Shalt Remember his Word promises blessings for our reverent obedience • In a survey of 1,000 children in Britain, 28% of kids ages 11 to 16 couldn’t (for example, see name even one of the Ten Commandments. Only 6% of children could Deuteronomy 11:13-15). name all 10. (Chris:an.org.uk) Obedience demonstrates our • Americans didn’t fare any beaer. Out of 1,000 Americans, more people love. Convey to children that knew the ingredients of a Big Mac and the names of the Brady Bunch consequences aren’t the sole children than knew the Ten Commandments. The most-recalled point of rules. Instead, we commandment was “You shall not kill.” should obey as a loving response to God. “Oh, how I love your instruc6ons! I think about them all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide.” Psalm 119:97-98 We ohen think of rules and laws as necessary evils. But Talking about and following God’s commands help children learn about obedience each of God’s commands (read the Scripture in the photo above). Start a conversa6on with these ques6ons: has a purpose, whether it’s to keep us safe or to bring him glory. These laws guide 1. How do rules help us? Why is it important to have rules in a family, in school, our steps each day, like a and in society? trusted, well-worn road map. 2. What makes you want to obey God? What makes you want to obey your parents or teachers? Teachable Moments 3. Why is it some:mes hard to obey? What helps you obey, especially when it’s • The Right Path—Hide a temp:ng not to? Bible and make an easy map so your children can 4. What good things happen when you obey? find the Bible in a few minutes. Give children the map and tell them to search for something Paren6ng Moment: special you’ve hidden. When children find the Encourage Kids to Lovingly Obey Bible, tell them that God’s Word shows us what we February brings lots of talk about love, but love is more need to do to follow him evident through our ac:ons than through our words. on the right path. Then Children show love and respect by obeying parents, and read some “direc:ons” and Chris:ans show love and respect by obeying God’s have children tell you if commands. God gave us his laws because he loves us, they’re from the Bible or and following them helps mold us into his faithful followers. not. For example, “Love your enemies” (yes!); “Lie Love is at the “heart” of all God’s commandments, including his two greatest: “Love the Lord only if you have to” (no!). your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). • Simon Says—With younger children, play Simon Says, The problem is that love and obedience aren’t as easy as they sound. That’s because we’re all giving everyone a chance sinners who put ourselves ahead of others. Having a loving rela:onship with Jesus Christ is the to be Simon. Then discuss only way we can be equipped to obey God and other people. Only through knowing Jesus and what it’s like to give his love does the law lose its sin-causing power over us. Here are some ways to share that direc:ons and be message with your children: “obeyed.” Also talk about • what makes following While sharing that disobedience is serious and has consequences, also emphasize that God instruc:ons easy or offers us his forgiveness—and we should do the same for other people who hurt us. difficult. • As you read and discuss the Bible with children, reflect the bulk of Scripture: God’s rela:onship with his people, who are constantly breaking his rules but then being restored by a loving God. This page is designed to help educaon parents and isn’t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that you’ll make informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and wear. What’s Playing at the Movies Movie: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (Feb. 12) Genre: Fantasy, Adventure Ra6ng: not yet rated Cast: Logan Lerman, Pierce Brosnan, Uma Thurman Synopsis: Chris Columbus directs this adapta:on of the popular children’s Culture & Trends book series. A modern-day teenager learns that his father is the greek god Zeus—and right now the gods are angry. Greek mythology comes to What’s happening right life with Harry PoBer-esque adventure as Percy and his friends solve a now that may affect your powerful mystery.