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7 Ways to have more Grateful Kids this Christmas

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When children practice the great joy of giving to people —
they get the great joy of becoming grateful people!

1. A “Gifts We Already Have” List

Hang a long paper on a wall or on the fridge or back of door to write down all the things you are grateful for. Fill that list up before Christmas — a list of all the countless ways God blesses you all as a family. The gateways into the holidays [holy-days]?
is always Thanksgiving…  “Enter into His presence through the gate of THANKSGIVING — & in His presence is fullness of JOY” (Ps.100:4, Ps16:11) So when the holidays get hard, for big kids or little kids?  Deep breath & remember how you always get into the holidays & JOY — through that gateway: Thanksgiving.  Hold on through the holidays:
JOY IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE — because there is always, always something to be THANKFUL for!

Parenting Paupers or Princes?

by Ron Huxley, LMFT

There are areas in our parenting where we think like princes or princesses. We are fully confident in our abilities to handle a situation. There are also areas where we think like paupers, poor in attitude and low in confidence. A prince is rich in resources and doesn’t worry about a positive future. They know respect and honor from those around them. A pauper lives by survival skills and manipulation and secrecy is the game of life. A prince feels deserving of worthy and is valued and feels valuable. A pauper feels worthlessness, shame and guilt.

Are you a consciously parenting a prince or a pauper? Do you feel confident and worthy to the task? Are you controlled by guilt, manipulation, and shame? Do you experience respect or disdain from your family members? Is your household ruled by love or fear?

It is possible to think like a prince in some areas of our lives and like a pauper in others at the same time. It may not be all of our parenting that suffers but there may be some key areas that are creating some big trouble. Take time to honestly evaluate where you are thinking like a prince or a pauper. Allow yourself to find new value and think differently about your family relationships. Create a self-care plan. Read, watch, listen or hang out with people who believe they are a prince and princess. They will model how to have a different mindset for parenting and life.

A parenting pauper has few or no tools to build a family of their dreams. A parenting prince or princess has many tools in their parenting toolbox. Get more parenting tools by using our online parenting ecourses in our Family Healer School!

 

I am thankful to God for His unending lovingkindness toward me. I am thankful for my wife who shares this wild, crazy adventure with me. I am thank for each of my children and the gift you are to me. I am thankful for my grandboys that can make me smile even on the toughest day. I am thankful for my daughter-in-law who is an “awesome possum”. I am thankful for my family for your love and tenderness. I am thankful for my many friends around the world who have blessed my life with comfort and challenge. I am thankful for my life and my career to help others find freedom and joy. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Dreaming is difficult when we have had disappointments. We can give up on our dreams for a healthier, happier family because it hurts too much to put our hearts out there again. Living without a dream is a dry, empty place to be as well. What is the answer? Must you take a risk again and be hurt again? That might be the answer for some but not for others. Take a risk to look at the dream itself. What was it that birthed it in the first place? How can you take parts of it and pursue hope in that direction if you feel the direction you have been going is shut? Who can be your audience of appreciation for your efforts and support you in your new journey? Maybe a new dream needs birthing that meets the underlying need of the original dream. The point is, don’t give up dreaming just because one dream, for your family, has stopped. Mourn the loss of it but allow life to bring you a new one…