Helping propel moms & dads of 3 to 13 year-olds to invest in their power-decade of parenting. Father of 3 teenagers and pastor of 20 years turned digital writer.
Family Friday: "Become A Person" Camp
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β β A Single Sentence from a Season Ahead
The inner lives of kids are a lot like a gardenπͺ΄ and with you as their gardener π§βπΎ one of the great things you should hope to see grown in them is gratitude.
β How To Become A Person CampIf summer break hasn't hit your home yet, it's only a few days away. When our kids were at your family stage my emotional state was always a mixed bag heading into summer. Yeah for flexibility and Nah for chaos. My wife and kids made fun of me for years for my big summer plans and goals. June 1st might as well have been January 1st with all the overcommitments and promises I made to myself that fell apart over the summer. A few years ago, way too late for me to use it on my kids, I learned about an idea I wish I had known during our family summers. Enter: "Become a Person" CampWhy do I wish I had known about it? Because it makes a fun game out of growing up. I know in your home right now there are so many things you wish your kids were able to do for themselves. The problem is, kids growth arrives in stages. You also know that someday they are going to need to know a ton of things in order to function as an adult. If you want your kids to gain skills, abilities, and independence, the summer is a great time to level them up. With all the hours and daylight that you have, it's a great way to put some purpose into your days. Calling it Become A Person Camp throughout the summer does several good things:
When it comes to your young kids, they do want to grow up. Often though they want the privileges and freedoms that come with it more than the effort and process to get there. So take them to Person Camp in your home throughout the summer. Tell them you're excited to help them learn about being a big person one day and see how many boxes you can check off before school starts back. β Person Camp Abilities By AgeFeel free to print these off, write them on a whiteboard, turn each into a sticky note to pull off as you complete it, whatever approach you'd like! β
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Power-Decade Parenting
Helping propel moms & dads of 3 to 13 year-olds to invest in their power-decade of parenting. Father of 3 teenagers and pastor of 20 years turned digital writer.
500 Fridays Newsletter - 2.5 min read Season: The Cold Days (6 of 12) Build The Connection The teenage season of parenting gets a ton of bad press. My wife and I were told several narratives by others that proved false in our family. After our power-decade season of parenting had wrapped up, we expected something different, but were surprised by the teenage years. They don't need you anymore...not true. They hardly ever open up and talk about their lives...false. They just want to be with...
500 Fridays Newsletter - 3.5 min read Season: The Cold Days (5 of 12) Hot & Cold It has been a cold, snowy week in my part of the country. Translation: kids have been home from school and out of routine way too long. I've sent a lot of texts to my friends with kids in your 3-13 season, checking in on them. These cold and dark weeks turn hot with tension at home. The house is a wreck.The kids are bored & hungry.The work responsibilities are delayed.The parental patience is at an all-time low....
500 Fridays Newsletter - 2.5 min read Season: The Cold Days (4 of 12) Family Controversy In our family, girls are allowed to get their ears pierced at age 12 and not a moment sooner. Are we crazy? Possibly.Are we an outlier? Likely.Do we have a reason? Definitely. How much thought have you put into the appropriate age for a girl to have her ears pierced? If your answer is not much, then you're in the majority. For most families, there is no thought at all, which is totally fine. I am sure...