How do you tame a kids bad temper???

Oh my goodness I have a child that thinks any time he doesn't get what he wants from another kid he needs to hurt them physically. Oh and please don't think I'm letting him get away with this but my goodness where does that temper come from??? When he was in school he asked a student to see his paper and when the kid said no he scratched him with a pair of scissors. When he gets in trouble if we send him to his room he throws a tantrum and will attempt to destroy the room. I'm being patient and talking to him and making him understand that that's not acceptable behavior but in the mean time it's almost scary that he may really hurt someone. If he keeps it up I think Ritalin is going to be in his future. ;)

Jesus Our Example ( A Childs View)

He… was subject unto [his parents]– Luke 2:51

Young people, you may sometimes feel as though your parents do not understand you. Neither did Jesus’ parents understand him. In fact, the verse before (50) specifically mentions “they did not understand” what Jesus was saying to them.

You may sometimes have difficulty overlooking your parents’ flaws. But imagine what it was like for Jesus, who was absolutely perfect, to have parents who were both sinners! Every day would be an occasion for offense and fault-finding, if Jesus had wanted to criticize His parents.

But here is this remarkable statement about Jesus: “He was subject to his parents.” Regardless of their failures, regardless of their inability to fully understand him, Jesus obeyed and honored his parents!

What about you? Are you listening to your friends, or are you looking at Jesus? Are you following the crowd, or are you respecting your parents?

If Jesus voluntarily submitted himself to the leadership of his flawed and sinful parents, what possible excuse could you give for disregarding your own parents? If Jesus could overlook his parents faults, when he had none himself, how much more should you be able to forgive and look over your parents’ failings, knowing that you too are a sinner.

Forgiving Your Parents

Forgiving our parents is a core task of adulthood, and one of the most crucial kinds of forgiveness. We see our parents in our mates, in our friends, in our bosses, even in our children. When we've felt rejected by a parent and have remained in that state, we will inevitably feel rejected by these important others as well.
 

But letting our parents off the hook, psychologist Robert Karen says, is the first step toward happiness, self-acceptance and maturity. Here are some thoughts to help the healing begin:

Resolve resentment.
Nursing resentments toward a parent does more than keep that parent in the doghouse. We get stuck there, too, forever the child, the victim, the have-not in the realm of love. Strange as it may seem, a grudge is a kind of clinging, a way of not separating, and when we hold a grudge against a parent, we are clinging not just to the parent, but more specifically to the bad part of the parent. It's as if we don't want to live our lives until we have this resolved and feel the security of their unconditional love. We do so for good reasons psychologically. But the result is just the opposite: We stay locked into the badness and we don't grow up.

Develop realistic expectations.
The sins of parents are among the most difficult to forgive. We expect the world of them, and we do not wish to lower our expectations. Decade after decade, we hold out the hope, often unconsciously, that they will finally do right by us. We want them to own up to all their misdeeds, to apologize, to make heartfelt pleas for our forgiveness. We want our parents to embrace us, to tell us they know we were good children, to undo the favoritism they've shown to a brother or sister, to take back their hurtful criticisms, to give us their praise.

Hold on to the good.
Most parents love their children, with surprisingly few exceptions. But no parent is perfect—which means that everyone has childhood wounds. If we're lucky, our parents were good enough for us to be able to hold on to the knowledge of their love for us and our love for them, even in the face of the things they did that hurt us.

Foster true separation.
To forgive is not to condone the bad things our parents have done. It's not to deny their selfishness, their rejections, their meanness, their brutality, or any of the other misdeeds, character flaws, or limitations that may attach to them. It is important to separate from our parents—which is to stop seeing ourselves as children who depend on them for our emotional well-being, to stop being their victims, to recognize that we are adults with some capacity to shape our own lives and the responsibility to do so.

Let your parents back into your heart.
When we do that, we can begin to understand the circumstances and limitations they labored under, recognize the goodness in them that our pain has pushed aside, feel some compassion perhaps, not only for the hard journey they had but also for the pain we have caused them.

Commit to the journey.
Getting to a forgiving place, finding the forgiving self inside us, is a long and complicated journey. We have to be ready to forgive. We have to want to forgive. The deeper the wound, the more difficult the process—which makes forgiving parents especially hard. Along the way, we may have to express our protest, we may have to be angry and resentful, we may even have to punish our parents by holding a grudge. But when we get there, the forgiveness we achieve will be a forgiveness worth having.

From the May 2003 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Raising Teenagers

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

It’s hard not to be exasperated by a teenager and its hard not to exasperate a teenager. For those who think they know everything, it seems impossible to tell them anything. Yet, God gives parents teenagers so they can learn laughter, wisdom, forgiveness, trust and the grace of imposing guidelines. After all, the older a teenager becomes the less a parent can control them—and therefore, the more is the parent’s felt need to give their teenager’s accountability over to the Lord.

Indeed, tension arises in the transition from immaturity to maturity. It’s during this avalanche of emotions that someone has to act like the adult. The parent is positioned by the Lord to be the voice of reason, as the transitioning teenager has yet to qualify. So, persistent prayer, patience and pardon go a long way in promoting peace in the home.
 
“Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.” Genesis 37:2-3

Fathers these passionate pre-adults need your firm and loving leadership as they learn how to manage their freedoms. Mom is the gentle nurturer when they are in grade school, but as they acquire acne you protect your wife from being taken advantage of with your wise and caring leadership. Most of all, remember to be intentional in your relational investment with your young person, as rules without relationship leads to rebellion.

Do you feel taken advantage of, lied to and manipulated? If so, welcome to the world of hormones hijacking the heart of some self absorbed teens. On the other hand, thank the Lord for those young people who, because of God’s grace, have grown in character and their care for others. Make sure to give these models of faithfulness positive feedback. It’s easy to only give attention to the troublemakers and take for granted the good kids.
 
Above all else, pray together as husband and wife for your teenagers to fear God, love Him and obey Christ’s commands. Ask the Lord to fill you with the Holy Spirit, so you can model for them what it means to be a loving disciple of Jesus. Confess your faults to the Lord and your child—and ask for their forgiveness. Teenagers trust transparency. Train and instruct them in worship, Bible study, service, faith, love and grace based living.

Related Readings: Psalm 89:19; Proverbs 23:22; Lamentations 3:26-28; Matthew 18:21-22

I Got Flowers Today

We had our first argument last night, and he said a lot of cruel things that really hurt me. I know he is sorry and didn't mean the things he said, because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today. It wasn't our anniversary or any other special day.

Last night he threw me into a wall and started to choke me. It seemed like a nightmare, I couldn't believe it was real. I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over. I know he must be sorry cause he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today, and it wasn't mother's day or any other special day.

Last night, he beat me up again, it was much worse than all the other times. If I leave him, what will I do? How will I take care of my kids? What about money?
I'm afraid of him and scared to leave. But I know he must be sorry because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today. Today was a very special day. It was the day of my funeral!

Last night, he finally killed me. He beat me to death. If only I had gathered enough courage to leave him, I would not have gotten flowers today.......

PLEASE do not let this be your story or any of your loved ones. If it's your story, know that you are not alone and there is help out there, you just have to reach out. If this is the story of someone you know, don't sit back and feel like it's not your business because one day you could be bringing them flowers...to their funeral. Make the call for them, pull them away, call the police on their behalf when you know what's going on. They will pick up the abuser and the state will press charges.

To the one being abused, I understand it's not easy and it a scary situation but don't make excuses for the abuser (man/woman). Get OUT!!! Find your strength in God and He will make a way for you. God did not intend for us to suffer. We all make mistakes choosing the wrong mate so don't be too ashamed to admit you need out. God is a forgiving God and will show you the path to get out and allow you that open door if you simply call to Him.

Jesus is waiting for you. He wants to comfort you and be your healer. Read these words from the Word of God that describe Him in Isaiah 61:1-2 , "The Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom to the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners."

You wonder if He can be trusted? The answer is found in Romans 8:32 , "He who did not spare His own son but gave him up for us all—how will He not also graciously give us all things." Later in that chapter it says, "Nothing can ever separate us from His love."

Yes, you can trust this one who loved you enough to die for you. He's been waiting for you to turn your life over to Him so He can start the healing process that only He can bring. First you have to tell Him that you're putting your total trust in Him to be your Savior. That word "trust" is a hard one after what you've been through, but you can't just go on hurting, hiding, and feeling alone. You are not alone. Reach out to someone. I know it's scary but there is help out there. Trust God and reach out before it's too late!!


Domestic Violence Hotlines:

(816)461-4673(HOPE), Hope House or (816) HOTLINE, Kansas City Metro; The hotline provides 24-hour crisis intervention and support. Also, the hotline is the appropriate way to make a referral to Hope House or to request a HAP (Healthcare Advocacy Program) advocate meet with a victim at an area hospital.

National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224
Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your internet and/or computer usage might be monitored, please use a safer computer, call your local hotline, and/or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Expression Versus Suppression Could Save Your Life

Written by Jack A. Daniels, Entrepreneur, Author & Counselor
www.press-pause.com

So I'm sitting on the sideline stretching before my next pickup game of basketball when I get the casual handshake and what's up from a friend of a friend. I didn't really know this cat, but he knew who I was and what services I provided. He nervously tried to make small talk before getting to his real questions. He began telling me while shaking his head and laughing nervously, "So my boy told me he went through this program you have that he claimed saved his life." "If exploring and expressing what he was going through at the time saved his life, I guess you can say that." We then commented on someone who just got it handed to them on the court which was followed by 2 minutes of silence. "So if someone is trying to get they life back on track, you saying this program be working?" I could see the pain in this brother's eyes, but decided not to mention it. Instead I told him that, "Life happens and it's sometimes good to be surrounded by other people who have experienced some things also." It was game time. I won 2 and lost the 3rd. On my way out, that same brother stopped me, shook my hand and told me, "I don't know if it would work for me, but I do know what I'm doing now ain't really working." "You think I can sign up?" I smiled, gave him the chest to shoulder hug and told him, "There's always room for one more man."
One of the hardest things for us as men to do is ask for help. I admire and respect every man who is bold enough to raise his hand to say, "I need help." So many stereotypes and stigmatisms have been passed on throughout the years surrounding men and our ability to successfully seek help when we need it. Our ego, pride and programming typically get the best of us. We were taught as children how to suppress and hide our emotions versus expressing them. We were accustomed to phrases such as, "Stop cutting those eyes." "You better get that look off your face" or the infamous, "You better dry up those tears before I give you something to really cry about!" What's problematic is we heard statements like these immediately after being disciplined in some capacity. The reality is that a child has a right to be angry and hurt. If he were smiling about what just happened, I'd professionally suggest that he probably needs to be admitted to therapy! Being taught how to stifle our emotions systemically severs our connection to cognitively communicate what we're truly feeling. Suppression versus expression then becomes the norm. Either way, we have a cycle of subscribing prescriptions of passive principles that prove to be problematic for our personalities and plights as men. Men have higher illnesses, higher levels of stress, anxiety, suicide rates and shorter life spans as a result of repressing, suppressing and not sharing our emotions effectively. We're killing ourselves softly.
Sharing what's on your mind or what you're going through is important. Often times we think we're the only ones going through some mess, but if you look around, you'll find that the ledge you're standing on is so crowded that it's about to crack due to the abundance of folks who you never suspected to see standing next to you. As men we have to realize that we all go through similar situations, sentiments and circumstances. By sharing or expressing your story, you release the tension and pressure of feeling like you're dealing with it alone; you're not. Being vulnerable isn't a bad thing. When emotions are not dealt with in healthy manners or are repressed, denied or discouraged, other unhealthy behaviors begin to manifest. Mismanaged feelings or emotions tend to lead to more severe behaviors such as substance abuse, addictions, compulsions or avoidance behaviors that drive us further away from dealing with our initial problem.
Fellas, women are often quick to say men don't talk, don't have feelings or don't know how to express themselves. Those stereotypes have plagued our society for years. Fortunately, I beg to differ. In fact, men are extremely articulate when it comes to expressing themselves if they are provided the right opportunity, environment and platform. The good news is that it's never too late to begin learning how to share and express yourself. Conquering the fear of swallowing your pride and telling your ego to beat it is easy if you remember that God speaks to you and through you. So holding in your feelings is only blocking the blessings you're supposed to be expressing in hopes of helping yourself and possibly someone else. Real men have no issues with raising their hand and asking for help. If you're struggling with something, be man enough to talk about it in some capacity. You never know how much sharing will benefit you until you try it. Who knows, expression versus suppression could save your life and the life of someone who just heard how hard you thought you had it.

"Keep the faith, keep making it happen and remember to stay out of your own way!"
Jack A. Daniels, Entrepreneur, Author & Counselor

Copycat...

Oh my gosh, I really have to watch what I say because he/she repeats everything they hear!

Do you recall making a statement like that about a little one in your life? They are like little Parakeets when they learn to speak.



Next they want to help with laundry, pump the gas, talk on the phone and do everything they see you do. It's even more if they have older siblings because they really want to do everything they see them do.

I say all of this to remind you that children are watching, repeating and learning from everything you do. We as parents are the first teachers and leaders for our children so if you really love your children and want them to be their best in life it all starts at home! They need to see love, not abuse, healthy communication, not vicious arguments. Just be mindful of what you expose them to.

Daughter beats Father

I need help...I do not believe in a man putting his hands on a woman. I believe that because for the most part men are stronger than women and can find another way to handle the matter. Now I do take into account that sometimes it is the man that is the victim which leads me into my dilemma.

I was watching television last night and there was a man that was arrested for hitting a woman, it was his daughter. Now the twist to the whole story is that she was beating him and he hit her back to get her off of him and his statement to the police was that he doesn't believe in hitting women but he is a man and her father and he would not allow his daughter to disrespect him by putting her hands on him.
So...with all of that said I must ask, If no mother or female adult family member is around or available what should a father do in a situation like this?

A child should in no way feel it's OK to disrespect their parent by putting their hands on them or even raising it as if they're thinking about it for that matter. Please share your insight on this situation????

The Blindfold

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night, he is a man. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him.

Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat there, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man. Finally, after a horrific night, the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

USED vs. LOVED

While a man was polishing his new car, his 4yr old son picked up a stone and scratched lines on the side of the car. In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times, not realizing he was using a wrench.

At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures. When the child saw his father.....with painful eyes he asked 'Dad when will my fingers grow back?'

The man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times. Devastated by his own actions...... sitting in front of that car he looked at the scratches, the child had written 'LOVE YOU DAD'.

The next day that man committed suicide. . .

Anger and Love have no limits.

Choose the latter to have a beautiful and lovely life....

Things are to be used and people are to be loved.


But the problem in today's world is that,


People are Used and Things are Loved...

Aurthor Unknown

Mean Blabbing!

Proverbs 10:12 (Amplified Bible) Hatred stirs up contentions, but love covers all transgressions.

It is wrong to keep bringing up one another's faults or sins, and it is wrong to be so eager to run and tell other people about one another's sins or hang ups just because you have a disagreement, or because you are offended. If you truly love someone you are to cover them and their nakedness. You are to cover their faults, and even their sins.

Proverbs 17:9 (Amplified Bible) He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends. 1 Peter 4:8 (Amplified Bible) Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and [Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.] disregards the offenses of others]. [Prov 10:12 ]

Can You??

Now ladies ...we have to admit the slow to speak part can be very difficult. However, I've found this to be a good practice for every day living. Whether it be with your spouse, children, friends, boss, or co-workers. Your response to things are usually different when you stop to hear the other person and then actually take a moment to think before you speak. It can be hard but it can be done. Can you do this??

James 1:19-20 (New Living Translation)
¹⁹ Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ²⁰ Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.

Raising Unbiased Kids in a Bigoted World

Written By Rev. Alan Riley
His personal blog can be found at www.alansblog.com

I started to title this article "Raising Color Blind Kids" but then I realized that is kind of silly. You can't be color blind, nor would you want to be. When it comes to skin pigment, we are who we are. God made us that way. Just as He filled the world with flowers and creatures of all different colors, He chose to fill the world with people of different colors. When it comes to culture, we also are who we are. We should be proud of our ethnic and cultural heritage. Those are things we celebrate, not things we should pretend don't exist. The problem comes when we start to think we are somehow superior to others because of our skin color, culture, economic status, or some other way in which we measure ourselves against others.

The challenge for us as parents is how do you raise kids who are unbiased in their feelings about and for others when bias and prejudice are so much a part of our society and our history?

Have you ever noticed children playing together? If you observe a group of young children from diverse backgrounds you will rarely if ever see them separate from each other because of race, language or any other of the things that tend to divide adults. It warms your heart when you see it. It also is frightening when you realize that little experiment proves that hate, bias, prejudice and bigotry are not innate human traits but are learned by our life experiences. That means if my children are prejudiced, they most likely learned it from me.

I am profoundly grateful for the legacy my parents left me in so many areas, but none more so than the way they taught me through words and actions to treat all people the way I would want them to treat me, with Christlike kindness and deference.

I am white and of Irish descent. And although I was born and spent the first seven years of my life in New York, I am very much a southerner. In fact, I was a southerner before I ever resided in the south. Both of my parents were from the south, so we were the only folks in our neighborhood in New York who ate grits and greens, said "Yes, ma'am" and even had a vegetable garden in our small back yard. We moved to Georgia when I was seven years old.

I was recently sharing childhood memories with a friend of mine. He is black and I'm white, but our childhood experiences are strikingly similar. I remarked that my father would have worn me out if he had ever heard me utter a racial slur. My friend burst out laughing and said, "Mine, too!"

We both realized that our upbringing and instruction shaped how we relate to people of other races and cultures, and freed us to be able to form genuine friendships.

Here's three suggestions on how you can raise unbiased kids today: Tell them. Be up front with your kids about the subject of race. Never miss an opportunity or let a teachable moment pass you by. Sometimes it can be tough - like when your young son finds a picture in a history book of a lynching and you have to explain why anyone would do something like that to another person. Be frank. Be honest. The famous saying goes that those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Help them to learn from the mistakes of the past and the sins of previous generations. Teach them. There is no way you can justify racism from God's Word. We are told our Heavenly Father is not a respecter of persons, and we are commanded not to be either. The Lord Jesus told His disciples, "I must go through Samaria" and in doing so he embraced the most hated ethnic group of His day and treated them as equals and with love and compassion. His parable of the Good Samaritan flew in the face of racist religious leaders who believed God condoned and encouraged their bigotry. The Apostle Paul braved the condemnation of his people to take the Gospel to another group of ethnic outcasts - gentiles like you and me. You need to teach your children what God's word says about this subject. Show them. Sometimes our actions are so loud they drown out our words, and our kids can spot hypocrisy a mile off. You have to walk the walk, not just talk the talk! You need to model love and acceptance in front of your children, so they will see from your actions that they are to love others as Jesus does. Mother Teresa said it best: "Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary use words." Finally, pray for your children, that God will use them in the days to come to help tear down the strongholds of racism and prejudice. They are your lasting legacy to the world.

Real Men Know How to Show Up

As I was sitting waiting on my meal, I couldn't help but to eavesdrop on the conversation that was occurring between the father and daughter sitting diagonally across from my booth. I found myself extremely curious about the elderly gentlemen's depiction of his life's journey. He spoke about all of the odd jobs he worked throughout his life in order to maintain and provide a living for his family. All the pains, prejudices and stresses he endured and never shared because he wanted to shield his children from those truths. He spoke with such reverence, gratitude, dignity and conviction. He was so grateful that the one of his children who he worked so hard to provide for was appreciative enough to take time out of their busy schedule and spend time with what he deemed, "a feeble, fragile and forgotten about old man." After I finished my breakfast, I went over, firmly shook his hand, introduced myself and thanked him for paving the way for me and countless other brothers of my generation. I went on to tell him, "It's not because you're so big or because you're so small, rather it's because I truly appreciate your presence." "Its folks like you that have sincerely taught us lessons about what it means to show up."

Have you ever looked a real man in the eye and saw the essence of his existence? How many men can you count in your circle of influence who can exude the equivalence of excellence? How many truly live by example and show up everyday despite the discontentment, disappointment and discouragement of their mitigating circumstances? One of my favorite subjects to talk about is courage. It's a rare commodity in today's society because many of us are not bold or daring enough to take on the challenges of what it takes for true bravery. The greatest stories ever told are typically about male heroes who either left, lost or risked everything they had in the name of love. Of course that concept is easy to understand when you're talking about epic blockbuster movies like Star Wars, Superman, Braveheart, Gladiator, etc. However, when you're referring to real life examples that exemplify the mental and moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear or difficulty, our examples become scarce.

Fellas, I assure you that we're in the presence of courageousness and greatness everyday. That greatness I speak of isn't representative of the protagonists that perpetuate the existence of modern day movie heroism, but I assure you they do exist. Similar to my breakfast encounter with Mr. Clayton, there are multiple men and women who should share our celebratory gratitude and acknowledgement of their ability to continue showing up. There are countless courageous elderly individuals who deserve our appreciation for carrying the burdens of bravery on their backs so we could enjoy life as we know it today. The lessons they've vicariously shown us speak volumes about how the simple things throughout our lives' can and do count for something. Their presence gave us the presents of freedom, education, equality, justice and so on. It takes courage to show up everyday and be told you don't count, you're worthless, you're less than a man or you'll never amount to anything. Thank God for the Ralph Ellisons' who told them, "Even an invisible man has a socially responsible role to play." The Maya Angelous' who told them, "we were born with potential." The Du Bois' who told them how to be ready at any moment to be able to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.Fellas I implore and challenge you as real men to now show up for them.Show up by setting good examples for the generations below you.Be men of courage.Show up for fidelity, show up for responsibility, show up for love, honesty, leadership, integrity, show up for your children, show up for education, work, to vote, court, business ownership, family, church...show up for life!So the next time you see one of our common everyday elderly Black heroes who helped pave the way for us to have the opportunity to show up, its your responsibility as a real man to pay homage by introducing yourself, firmly shaking their hand, looking them straight in the eyes and sincerely thanking them for having the audacity, boldness and courage to show up everyday!Show up, show love and show respect to the courageousness that helped catapult and cultivate the culture in which we enjoy today.

Written by Jack A. Daniels: this column & more can be found at For the Fellas

Analysis.....

Mommy – Son

Daddy - Daughter

It’s mommy who teaches the son about women and it’s daddy who teaches daughters about men.

Mothers, what impression are you giving your son’s about women?

Fathers, what impression are you giving your daughters about men?

Statistics show that most children grow up and choose a spouse like their mother/father.

If your son/daughter grew up and chose a mate just like you…would you offer your blessings?

Child Birth

Have you ever wondered how after the excruciating pain a woman may go through during child birth can she do it again, sometimes 3, 4 or even 5 or more times??? Well it's for multiple reasons but one is because even though we know there was pain we don't really remember it vividly and that's all by God's design. He is so amazing!
John 16:21 (KJV) A woman when she is in travail (labour) hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of (has given birth to) the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man (human being) is born into the world.
Just as our monthly cycle is by His design so is the miraculous act of child birth! :)

A Wealth of Information

I was speaking with a family member the other day and she informed me that my 13 year old son had informed her 10 year old son that a woman has her cycle every 28-29 days. WOW!!! I had no idea that he had this information in his head or even sharing it with other children. He and I talk about every and anything under the son that his little head can come up with because I feel that if he can ask the question then there must be some things he needs to know. Please understand I keep answers to a minimum because I have learned you answer their questions but don't give more detail than they ask or may be ready for.

Well due to this I have informed my child that he shouldn't discuss the things we talk about with all children because some parents just aren't ready to have certain discussions with their children. Just as she brought it up to me she also stated for him not to share that information with her son because they don't talk about that yet.

I did find out that my son was talking with some of his older relatives and the 10 year old just happen to be near enough to hear the conversation. I find it all very interesting because it goes to show how our kids pick things up from everywhere. If it's not other family members and friends it's the kids at school or the television. We have to be prepared to make sure we give them the correct information and help them research what we don't know. Knowledge is power!!

Home Schooling

Ok I am not the most informed about this topic so I have a few questions. Please feel free to enlighten me. I do know some benefits to being home schooled. You know youre childs learning ability a little better than the average teacher and the child gets the one on one attention that may not be so much available in the school system. Your child doesn't have to deal with peer pressure so much nor bullies. You can move ahead in certain subjects wher your child seems to excel and still focus on the areas they need more attention in. That's all good but I see a negative side to this as well.

This is my opinion so please feel free to give your thoughts or prove mine wrong. Your child misses out on the interaction with other children and the ability to learn how to deal with different personalities. Life doesn't teach them at their own speed and level so I believe they need to learn to cope with what life dishes us and we as parents at home take the time out to explain, research and direct them. If they are having problems in one area or another we at home make the time to work with them or we get them extra help of some sort.

I do know a parent that teaches her child at home and sends him to preschool/kindergarden part-time and I see the benefit in that because she teaches him way more than he would be learning in school but yet he still attends school with other children so he gets to socialize. I love it! I'm not totally against it or completely for it. I don't know, I guess I just don't have a full understanding of it.

Parenting...

From the time we give birth to our precious little babies until the time they move out of our houses at what point do we cut the cord and let them make their own mistakes without feeling they wronged us with their decision? We do our best to raise our children with good morals and values but as soon as they make a wrong decision we personalize it. Parents, especially mothers, I know we love our children to death and only want the best for them and want them to not have to go through trials we've warned them about but come on....Life is going to happen and at some point they have to walk on their own and we are no longer the director of their lives but we are simply the net in their show. We don't tell them what to do anymore once they've reached somewhere around age 16+. At that point we give advice and hope they draw on what we've taught them and make the right decision and if not we should be there to support them and help them get back on track. Not all of us learn from what we are told or see happen to others. Some have to go out and try it for themselves because they think they can defy the odds. We sometimes wish we could keep them as our little precious babies and cuddle them forever and keep them from harm but that's not life. As the bible tells us if you raise your child up in the way they should go, if they stray they will return. Have faith!

Children and "The Talk"

At what age do you start discussing "the birds & the bees" with your kids? how much do you tell them? When do you feel birth control is necessary?