Everybody.
Mommy. Daddy. Kids. Everybody.
I hear myself repeatedly telling my 4 year old to watch her tone of voice with her brother, and as soon as I correct her, I wonder where she learned it from? Mommy, perhaps?
My 2 year old is the greatest fit pitcher there ever was. This kid has always been great at screaming to get what he wants. Even though I don't give into him, he still has to try. Yesterday, he pitched no fewer than 5 fits before naptime. Maybe 6.
Remember this picture?
This fit happened because I had the audacity to put a hat on his head as part of his costume.
My 2 year old is the greatest fit pitcher there ever was. This kid has always been great at screaming to get what he wants. Even though I don't give into him, he still has to try. Yesterday, he pitched no fewer than 5 fits before naptime. Maybe 6.
Remember this picture?
This fit happened because I had the audacity to put a hat on his head as part of his costume.
And sometimes I wonder how much Andrew and I have in common.
Taming the tongue, speaking kindly and honoring God with our speech is something we talk about often here.
"The tongue also is a fire, a word of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." James 3:6
Yikes.
Meanwhile, last week I finally took down our magnetic wall calendar that we'd been using in the kitchen to help Isabelle understand the concept of days, weeks, and months. Our 9 month old is crawling now, and the small magnetic numbers are a choking hazard, so I'm packing it up for a while. As I was taking it down, I noticed the back had a dry erase board.
So I took the magnets off and flipped it over to the dry erase side. Then I pulled out scripture about words and this is what I came up with:
Proverbs 16:24: Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
Sweet to the soul
and healing to the bones.
It's a simple concept, one that tons of moms use. And it's right there in the kitchen. I've printed passages and placed them in the kitchen, but it's so much easier to simply wipe and erase.
We've worked on scripture memory all year with my oldest, through the AWANA program. But this was different. We could focus on one verse as a family over the course of the week, in an area that we've all struggled with lately.
Izzy gets honeycombs. She loves Winnie the Pooh and has enjoyed using honey as a cough syrup because it means she's just like Pooh Bear. So we talk about how kind words make us feel good (sweet to the soul) and can even comfort us when we feel sad (healing to the bones).
And after 3 days of having this up in the kitchen, my 4 year old had it memorized. I even heard her quoting it to her 2 year old brother when he was angry with her. "Andwoo, pleasant words are a honeycomb," she admonished.
Have fun taming his tongue, Izzy. The force is strong with this one.
What are some ways that you work with your little ones on learning and applying scripture?
Such a wonderful post! I love the scripture you used! I have also been struggling with taming my tongue. I plan on using scripture as you have done (finishing Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst) and implementing a yell jar like Tonya has done at 4 Little Fergusons blog. :-) I think I might just have to put this verse up on our fridge. :-) Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI painted the 10 commandments (in kids terms) on their closet doors. When they are struggling with something, sneaking, stealing, etc. I read a scripture verse to them about it and then refer to it over and over. I need to start picking out one scripture a week that we can all memorize as a family. :-) I know in my boys school they break sentences apart and put each word on a card and have the kids place the words in order. I could do this with scripture verses. :-) (Oh now you have my brain gears turning!)
I love the idea of focusing as a family on verse! I think I will have do this well, probably starting now! My munchkin is 10 months old so while she won't be memorizing it, mu husband and I can:)
ReplyDeleteI love this... it's so sweet and smart. The reference to Winnie the Pooh is such a great idea. My son is only 2, and I have been trying to figure out a simple way to start introducing scripture into his life. I will definitely try your approach, and use things he is familiar to help him wrap his mind around it.
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DeleteThis is so neat! I keep intending to start scripture memory with Elias but forgetting so thank for that reminder! and for the reminder to watch my own tongue/attitude. It's amazing how often we see our own shortcomings/sins cropping up in our kiddos! ugh I need to watch my own tongue more as well!
ReplyDeleteWe were on the same wavelength this week, because lately I've been trying harder to watch my tone with my four-year-old, because he's so sensitive to it. Glad I'm not alone! Beautiful scripture, and absolutely adorable to hear the little ones quoting it!
ReplyDeleteWow- this is timely for me. Thanks so much for sharing. It's such a struggle, but definitely a battle worth fighting, to keep after taming the tongue! Love the family verse idea as well!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post!!
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