Parent Newsletter 6

Parent Newsletter 6

2014-2015 GEMS Season

Don’t Forget!

How many times do you review spelling words, a family emergency plan, or after school instructions before you’re confident your child will remember? Does it take once, twice, ten times or more? When the message we communicate to our kids is too important to forget, we repeat, review, and repeat again.

The most important message your child could ever hear is that God loves her, and the best person to remind her of it is you! No pressure there, right? But it’s true! The Bible says parents have the primary responsibility to impress the name of Jesus on the hearts of their children. Of all the places your child can go to read God’s Word and learn about Jesus, your home is best.

So what does that look like? If you’re like most parents, you’re not looking for more to do, especially when it’s a task where you may feel ill equipped. So skip the to-do list and keep it simple.

Love God. Love people. Read your Bible as much as possible, and live it out wherever you go. Then do it again tomorrow and the day after that. God loves your child. He loves you! Don’t forget!

Good News for You!

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up(Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

Did you know?

If your daughter receives SHINEbrightly Magazine, check out the Table Talk section in each month’s Bible Lessons. These faith discussion questions allow girls to ask their parents more about their own faith journey while helping clubs partner with parents—the primary faith nurturers of their girls.

At The Table

Maybe eating at the table feels impossible in your home. You’d have to find the table to eat at it! What’s loading it down today? Are there projects or paperwork, backpacks or bills, dust or dirty dishes? Do not despair! While your meal cooks (or the pizza is making it’s way to the front door) have each person remove what belongs to him, and then return to the table with the needed dishes for your meal. Together you can make this space the most treasured place for your family.

The next time your family gathers around the table, use these theme-related table talk questions to get your family talking about the things of God:

1. What is your favorite aspect of being part of this family?
2. Parents, what could you do to strengthen your relationship with your children? Kids, what could you do to improve your relationship with your parents?
3. The Bible says that it’s important to talk about God with our family. Do you think that’s important, too? Explain.

Family Fun

Glow Stick Games:Purchase plenty of glowsticks and then get creative. When it’s dark, connect the sticks into circles and play ring toss (use paper towel holders or tubes) or toss them back and forth like a frisbee. Ask your kids for other game ideas. End the night with a memorable snack time by eating by the light of glowsticks. Wrap the glowsticks around your plates and/or cups, and prop the rest like candles as a centerpiece.

Volunteer Together: Choose a project that is age-appropriate and ties into something your children love to do. Whether it’s cleaning up roadside ditches or a park, volunteering at a soup kitchen, or delivering handcrafted cards to a nursing home or hospital, you’ll double the fun by serving together.

Compliments to the Cook (and the rest of the family, too!):At your next family meal have each person compliment everyone at the table. Thinking of nice things to say about one another strengthens relationships and keeps table conversation sweet.