Precious Memories

I’ve been packing books, and because they are heavy I have to put a small number of books in each box. We only got through one complete bookshelf today, but that’s still a lot of boxes!

But when I pull together the sides of a box to tape it, I smile every time.

After Christmas when the adults were pulling pictures from my walls, I was putting together boxes to pack them in. Miss Josie, our three year old came up beside me. ‘I help you. I know how to do dis.’ And she did! She held the sides of the boxes together while I taped. I wished she had been here today. That activity seems to need more hands than I have!

Which brings me to the lecture of the day – which I haven’t done in a while. Please pass this hint (aka nag) to parents you may be able to encourage with this advice.

Have your children help you with everyday tasks. They may not be able to do things properly by themselves, but by helping the parent to complete a task, they will learn step by step. In addition to gaining skills, they will feel great pride in their participation in a ‘grown-up’ activity. The parent’s praise and thanks for helping will go a long way to make the child a good worker in the future.

Age-appropriate chores are essential for a child so she will not need an ‘Adulting 101 Basic Skills Class.’ Adult life is easier if one has a clue how to do things around the house and yard to be able to present a neat house, a good meal, or a pleasant outdoor scene. A parent will have to do repeated training sessions and perhaps some nagging – maybe a lot of ‘strongly encouragemental directives.’ Believe me, it will be worth it in the end. A fair amount of nagging with a large dose of supportive praise is a perfect combination. (I hate it when the computer says my words are not real. But I am too tired to think of a real word for ‘encouragemental!’)

Present expectations clearly at the beginning of each assignment. A parent may have to help or stay close to oversee the process for quite some time. Allowing some chores to be done without supervision may end up with imperfections to complete disasters. I always figured as many messes and mess-ups as I make, the kids might be able to do things better than I did! Especially in the kitchen!

I can only smile when I think of times my girls or their children have helped me decorate cookies or make imaginative designs on RiceCrispy treats. Doing things by yourself may be neater and faster, but I guarantee the sweet memories of time and activities with them is worth every mess or added hour. Indeed, very precious memories!!!

Though not exactly on point with my blog, I found an interesting verse about memories.

Proverbs 10:7 ‘The memory of the righteous is a blessing.’

And a few verses that exactly reflect the truth of my blog and tell the most important thing to teach our offspring –

Proverbs 22:6 ‘Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old he will not depart from it.’

Deuteronomy 4:6-7 tells us, ‘The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.’

Isaiah 54:13 has a very comforting truth for parents. We don’t have to parent alone. We have the ultimate Teacher by our side. ‘All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.’

Blessings

Kara Beth

Though the pictures of Josie are posed, they do show her pride in her ability.