How To Weigh Yourself

Just Good Stuff.

I did not write this article. I just thought it had some good points.
This is some great child training advice I read at Raising Godly Tomatoes here.


My Secret
Someone recently asked me what my "secret" was for raising such nice children. My quick, off-the-cuff answer was: "Say what you mean and mean what you say." Yes, I think if I had to put it into one sentence, that would be it. It's old-fashioned, but it works. If I could add just a little more to that, I'd say to keep your children close to you all the time so that you can see what they are doing and understand what they are thinking, and can reward or correct them as needed. I call that tomato staking.

To get a little more specific, here are some things I keep in mind all the time as I am raising my children. There are many more things, but these are what come to mind immediately. Of course they are really no secret, just ancient technics overlooked or forgotten in many homes today.

1. I keep my children close to me and watch them diligently.
2. I focus on their attitude and character more than their actions.
3. I teach them obedience early - beginning before age one.
4. I teach them what the word "No" means and that they must respect my authority to use that word.
5. I am both merciful and just. I praise and reward them when they are being good, yet I correct them faithfully when they are being bad.
6. I expect them to obey the first time I tell them to do or not to do something. I do not "count to three" or give repeated warnings.
7. I correct them with some immediate negative consequence (such as a verbal rebuke or a simple swat on the bottom) whenever possible, rather than a delayed consequence like removing a privilege or an "after-the-fact" spanking.
8. I occasionally do the old fashioned "stand in the corner" or "sit next to me until you can behave", but I never do the modern "time outs".
9. I don't "distract".
10. I never send my children to their rooms as a punishment.
11. I don't lose my temper, nag, whine, yell, beg, bribe, or "reason", to get my children to obey.
12. I keep my children away from negative outside influences as much as possible until they are older and better prepared to resist the temptations they will encounter.

I believe in God and have as my ultimate parenting goal to raise godly children who will in turn raise godly children. I love good and hate evil. I set standards for my children that I believe are appropriate for their age and pleasing to God. I try to determine what constitutes a godly child and aim at that. In order to make this training possible, I try to include my children in all that I am doing and train them as I live my daily life. I seek to have a visible attitude of loving kindness and approval toward my children. We enjoy each other (which is very easy once they have learned to be respectful and obedient).

For all of you Christian ladies with some time on your hands... the winter issue of Crowned with Silver is available FREE online.

http://www.crownedwithsilver.com/winter2007.pdf

It is a magazine for the modern Christian woman with and old-fashioned heart. A magazine with encouraging words on motherhood, marriage, and biblical femininity.

I hope it is as much of a blessing to you as it has been to me.

Burrrrrr! It's cold in Indiana!

The preschool years are not the time to teach reading or math. We should use life's most impressionable years to teach life's most important lesson: how to be happy!

-Richard and Linda Eyre, in "Teaching Children Joy"


Children are given to us - on loan - for a very short period of time. They come to us like flower seeds, with no pictures on the cover, and no guarantees. We don't know what they will look like, be like, act like, or have the potential to become.

-Katherine Kersey, in "Sensitive Parenting"

It is not what is poured into a student but what is planted that counts.
-Hildebrand

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.
-Mark Twain

A Titus 2 Woman?

Titus 2:3 (KJV) The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. ...
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. ...
10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
11 ¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 ¶ These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

How Do I Drink My Water?



Steph at Advenures in Babywearing has tagged me...about my water container!?


At home, I drink from our water cooler, out of a Ball Mason jar, ice cold, no ice. I know, I'm a hillbilly. It makes it easy to keep track of how much I drink (usually 4 quarts a day). I use the Mason jar for several reasons: it's big, it has a lid for transportation purposes, and it's glass.


I drink an enormous amount of water. So do my kids. Ever since we got the water cooler it's become almost fun for the kids to drink water. We NEVER drink the tap water. We live out in the country, and have well-water, so it's almost scary to imagine what's in it (probably lots of fertilizer, and pesticides considering we live surrounded by thousands of acres of corn/bean fields).





I am also careful about the bottled water we drink. I learned about the dangers of fluoride and chlorine in drinking water a couple years ago.





As for bottled water I prefer the taste of Evian. Second would be Dasani.


Head over to Adventures In Babywearing, to see her container and water of choice.

Somehow the image dates on my digital camera got messed up. These were taken yesterday.

Isn't she getting big?

She learned how to read yesterday. (kidding)

All done Mama!!

My Reason for Homeschooling

By Anita Doran

*

I want to be the special potter,

Who molds and shapes my little daughter.

To keep her closely to my side,

To teach her why our Jesus died.

*

I think that she is doing great,

Especially since she's only eight.

She shops, she bakes, she mops the floor,

Has two cats she's responsible for.

*

She can read a product label

To see if it's fit for our table.

I teach her all about life, you see,

As she tags along with me.

*

And no matter where we roam,

We keep on learning, just like home.

We add a little mystery,

By learning our state's history.

*

Although she reads and writes and sings,

She's learning more important things.

Like love and kindness and God's word,

How to be humble, yet still be heard.

*

Sure it's hard and I have doubts,

"Am I doing this right?" "How will she

turn out?"

And my house gets such a mess!

Too many papers strewn, I guess.

*

Sometimes frustration rears it's head,

She didn't do what I said.

Yet, all in all, it is a charm,

To have my daughter on my arm.

*

If I ever have a doubt,

I get our big old Bible out.

In the book, I always see

That's this is how it's meant to be.

*

Side by side, day by day,

Teaching her the Godly way.

This is a poem that I found in my latest issue of NGJ, a FREE magazine. Visit www.nogreaterjoy.org for your FREE subscription.

T.G.I.F.

I am so glad it's finally Friday.

Baby Signing.
I finally got one of the 2 books I ordered, in the mail yesterday. It was Sign with your Baby by Joseph Garcia. My friend Jen, who signs with her baby Ethan recommended it.
I am anxiously awaiting Baby Signs: How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk by Linda Acredolo, Susan Goodwyn, Douglas Abrams that my friend Ashlee , from C.H.O.I.C.E.S. recommended.

I am so excited to get started signing with her. Apparently she is at the perfect age: 7 months.

Some of the benefits of signing with your baby are:

*Signing allows your infant to clearly communicate specific thoughts.

*Signing reduces frustration for your baby and for you.

*Signing won't delay verbal language development; in fact, it may accelerate it! Research shows that babies who sign usually begin to speak sooner and develop larger vocabularies than non-signing babies.

*Signing reinforces verbal language by added visual and kinesthetic emphasis to auditory input.

*Signing children tend to be more interested in books.

*Signing builds on babies' natural tendency to use gestures.

*Signing can help parents and pediatricians identify injuries, pain, and other ailments.

*Signing children can direct parents' attention toward potential dangers or concerns.

*Signing may actually improve a child's IQ!

Have a great weekend everyone! Has anyone seen the snow? It's missing here in Indiana.

Happy Wednesday.

As you may have noticed I have added some new links and blogs to my sidebar. My new favorite is this, Oh! and this!! I hope you enjoy them.

Just remember that all of the content on these sites may not be what I believe or even agree with. But I think we can learn so much from the experience of others. Especially those lives are so very different then ours.

Hope you are having a wonderful week! I am :)

Staci

Happy 2007

I love a fresh start.

I always, informally, make all sorts of New Years resolutions. I told myself that this year I wouldn't. I feel like if I make them, they will inevitably be broken. Well..not this year! DARN IT!

yeah. right.

Lose 15 more lbs. of baby weight

Read thru my bible. Twice.

Be a better wife, and mother.

Be a better testimony for my Lord and Savior.

Stop living beyond our means.

Simplify.

Do not buy things we want, and don't need.

Evaluate: need.

Give away, or throw away everything we don't need.

Improve my family's diet, and mine.

Especially mine.

Learn how to sew

The list just goes on and on. I'm off...to get started. Before I know, it will be time to start Christmas shopping. Again.