His Touch

As they walked across the Lowe's parking lot, he reached for her hand.  Our youngest daughter slipped her hand into his, dancing more than walking as they entered the store.

A couple of nights later, the four of us went to the backyard to admire the girls' latest addition to their nature center.  He put his arm around our older daughter's shoulders and pulled her close as they walked.

My girls need their dad's touch.  They need to know they are loved, not just through words, but by actions - one of which is touch.  A good-bye kiss when he leaves for work and a bedtime hug and kiss are a start.  But the little touches at other times build security and make their relationship stronger.

By laying this foundation of closeness now, we pray that our daughters and their father will go arm-in-arm together through the coming years.

Labor

Thomas Edison said, “Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and it looks like work.”

As parents, it is imperative that we teach our children how to work.  Training them to tackle a job and see it through to the end builds character and develops personal responsibility.  Here are a few ideas to consider. 

• Begin while they are young, capitalizing on the fact that they typically enjoy "helping" us as we work around the house.  At this point, they won't even realize that they are working, but will just enjoy copying Dad or Mom . 

• As they grow, encourage their productivity by assigning age-appropriate chores and instructing your children in the proper way to complete their duty. 

• At the right time, begin to associate work with reward by giving some form of payment for jobs completed. While some tasks are performed simply to help the family, others can be done for money.

• Allow them to see us enjoying our work.  Whether it be housekeeping, mowing the lawn, or fulfilling the obligations of our occupation, it is good for our children to see us enjoying what we do.

• Demonstrate Colossians 3:23.  "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men."  All that we seek to accomplish - including our work - should be done as if we were doing it for Christ.

As our daughters grow older, I'm realizing what a privilege it is to have them work alongside me in our home, whether folding laundry or baking muffins.  Working together gives us time for conversation and builds a sense of camaraderie.

While our children will not always find work to be fun, they can learn that there is satisfaction and fulfillment in a job well done.

How do you teach your children to work?

Saturday Salutes

Amy's Weekends in the Word reminded me that it's not my job, but His.

If you're a homeschooler, you'll find encouragement in The Homeschooling Journey at Heart of the Matter.

Keep an eye on Aurie's Saturday Shout Outs!  Last week she found some wonderful links to share and I look forward to seeing what she posts today.

Renee wrote a lovely Once Upon a Time fairy tale about her daughter's need for a princess dress.

We're planning an "end-of-summer" trip to the beach today.  Hope your Labor Day weekend is a good one!

Homeschooling Highlights

Two weeks into homeschooling, I can say that we're really enjoying this adventure!  We have a good flow to our days and our daughters are doing a great job of staying on task.  We've survived a couple of "moments," but overall it's started out as a wonderful experience. 

While I realize that we have a LONG way to go, there are already some things I'm enjoying about homeschooling.

• Having Bible time together.  We begin each day by practicing a memory verse, discussing portions from a curriculum written for young girls, and praying.
• Increased interest in Science.  While my ten-year-old has long been a history buff, both of our daughters have a new-found attraction to Science. 
• Creative uses of free time.  With more free time in the afternoons, the girls have spent time reading, created a nature corner outside, and put on a talent show for me that included art, piano playing and recitations.
• Reading aloud together.  While we already read aloud together at bedtime, I have added the practice to another part of our day.  I remembered reading that Jessica at Life as Mom reads aloud to her children at lunchtime - after she is done eating and while her children are finishing up.  This has proven to be an entertaining addition to our routine!  For this particular reading time, I am trying to select books that our daughters may not choose for themselves.  We are currently reading through Behind Rebel Lines.
• Serving different lunches.  I can offer a little more variety than just typical lunch box fare and don't have to consider the logistics of keeping food either hot or cold.  On different days we've had homemade pizza, homemade cheese fries, roasted potatoes - and plenty of leftovers!
• Working together on homemaking skills.  Since we are not doing homework in the late afternoon, I have opportunities to let our daughters help me prepare supper or do other kitchen-related tasks.

I'm very thankful that our school year has gotten off to a smooth beginning.  If your children have started school, let me know how it's going so far!