Mobile phones, computers, TV’s and so many other screens can give our children the impression that we are not available to them. Talking to them while looking at a screen of some sort will only send the wrong message to our precious children. They need eye contact. They need tender touch. They need our full, undivided attention.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. - Deuteronomy 6:6-7
God instructed the Israelites to teach the commandments to their children when they were at home, when they away from their home, when they went to bed and when they woke up in the morning. He was telling them to be available to their children morning, noon, and night! How many of us spend that much time with our children? More importantly, how many of spend that much time teaching our children God’s ways? Not only do we need to be available to our children but we also need to be teaching our children and instructing them in the things that matter.
How to play Angry Bird’s so that they can get to the next level may not be the best use of your time – they can learn that from anyone. However, perhaps you are the only person that will ever bother to take the time to teach them the things of God.
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6
Our responsibility is to train our children well so that it will keep them their entire life. A child taught well from a young age will lead a blessed and fruitful life until the day they are old. There is no point in just leaving your children to fend for themselves in spiritual matters but take good care of their breakfast, lunch and dinner. They won’t die if they miss a meal but they could die if they aren’t given spiritual food when they are little.
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. - Proverbs 1:8-9
It’s wonderful how this verse encourages children to listen to their father’s instruction and mother’s teaching and how it comes with a beautiful promise if they do heed it. However, how can a child hear something that has not been said or not forsake something that he has not been taught? We must take our role as a mother seriously and be available not only for hugs and kisses, playtime and fun but also to teach them the way should go in life. Here are some fun ideas to incorporate scriptures into your daily lives:
Memory Verses
Teach your children to memorise scripture so that when they need help in life they will know what to do. You can stick up verses on the bathroom mirror and even offer little incentives or rewards for remembering the verse. Teach them verses that are relevant to their life and teach them how to apply to verse to their life. Make up riddles, rhymes or songs with memory verses so that it’s fun for them. Children also love poetry, you can use memory verses or the meaning of verses to write beautiful poems with them.
Bible Games
Search the internet, there are plenty of games that use scriptures. If the Bible is fun when they are little then it will remain fun for them when they are older. Bible Man is a fantastic DVD series that teaches children the Bible and so are Max Lucado’s, Hermie and Friends DVD’s. There are many more great games and DVD’s out there for your children, they don’t have to be moulded by Hollywood, you do have a choice.
Bedtime Stories
Read the Bible to your children at bedtime or tell them the stories from memory so that you can say it the way that they best understand. Allow them to fill in the blanks at times making the story time interactive and encourage them to ask questions. Try not to be annoyed by interruptions to the stories but rather value their questions and see them as teaching opportunities.
Real Life
Whenever there is an opportunity, use real life to teach them. Apply to Bible to everyday, ordinary things. Show them how great God is by exploring creation together. Help them to understand that God is their provider at Christmas time rather than Santa. Help them to see how God’s instruction book is to help us have a great life and that it’s not a book of rules.
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. - Psalm 119:11
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. - Deuteronomy 6:6-7
God instructed the Israelites to teach the commandments to their children when they were at home, when they away from their home, when they went to bed and when they woke up in the morning. He was telling them to be available to their children morning, noon, and night! How many of us spend that much time with our children? More importantly, how many of spend that much time teaching our children God’s ways? Not only do we need to be available to our children but we also need to be teaching our children and instructing them in the things that matter.
How to play Angry Bird’s so that they can get to the next level may not be the best use of your time – they can learn that from anyone. However, perhaps you are the only person that will ever bother to take the time to teach them the things of God.
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6
Our responsibility is to train our children well so that it will keep them their entire life. A child taught well from a young age will lead a blessed and fruitful life until the day they are old. There is no point in just leaving your children to fend for themselves in spiritual matters but take good care of their breakfast, lunch and dinner. They won’t die if they miss a meal but they could die if they aren’t given spiritual food when they are little.
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. - Proverbs 1:8-9
It’s wonderful how this verse encourages children to listen to their father’s instruction and mother’s teaching and how it comes with a beautiful promise if they do heed it. However, how can a child hear something that has not been said or not forsake something that he has not been taught? We must take our role as a mother seriously and be available not only for hugs and kisses, playtime and fun but also to teach them the way should go in life. Here are some fun ideas to incorporate scriptures into your daily lives:
Memory Verses
Teach your children to memorise scripture so that when they need help in life they will know what to do. You can stick up verses on the bathroom mirror and even offer little incentives or rewards for remembering the verse. Teach them verses that are relevant to their life and teach them how to apply to verse to their life. Make up riddles, rhymes or songs with memory verses so that it’s fun for them. Children also love poetry, you can use memory verses or the meaning of verses to write beautiful poems with them.
Bible Games
Search the internet, there are plenty of games that use scriptures. If the Bible is fun when they are little then it will remain fun for them when they are older. Bible Man is a fantastic DVD series that teaches children the Bible and so are Max Lucado’s, Hermie and Friends DVD’s. There are many more great games and DVD’s out there for your children, they don’t have to be moulded by Hollywood, you do have a choice.
Bedtime Stories
Read the Bible to your children at bedtime or tell them the stories from memory so that you can say it the way that they best understand. Allow them to fill in the blanks at times making the story time interactive and encourage them to ask questions. Try not to be annoyed by interruptions to the stories but rather value their questions and see them as teaching opportunities.
Real Life
Whenever there is an opportunity, use real life to teach them. Apply to Bible to everyday, ordinary things. Show them how great God is by exploring creation together. Help them to understand that God is their provider at Christmas time rather than Santa. Help them to see how God’s instruction book is to help us have a great life and that it’s not a book of rules.
Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. - Psalm 119:11
Find out more about Being a Mother here or use this material to host your own Girl's Night.
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