“Raising a family in this day and age is no joke! There are so many forces trying to tear families apart that we have to be intentional about doing the things which are necessary to raise our children and keep our families close together.
Here are some things you can do with your family that have helped us during our 20 years of parenting:
1. Eat Together
Sharing meals with your kids (especially around a table) opens the door for conversations. This is a great way to build healthy communication within the family.
2. Play Together
Take trips, play sports, go on adventures, discover new activities and places. Having fun and enjoying life with your family brings a balance of joy, laughter, and excitement. Most of all, their youthful energy will rub off on you when yours seems to be slipping away. LOL!
3. Work Together
Working on tasks, projects, or goals whether at home or otherwise teaches the children to not only be consumers but contributors. It’s also a great way to help them in developing their work ethic.
4. Serve Together
Joining together to do something for the benefit of others teaches our children the power of unity and community. It’s important for them to know everything is not about them, and how being positive contributors to society is part of their responsibility.
5. Pray Together
Praying for and with your children helps them to develop an awareness and dependency on God and His Word. It also shows them how their relationship with God is important for the health of their soul. Worshipping with them also encourages them to be thankful and cultivates an attitude of gratitude!
The values and morals we instill in our children will help to shape who they become as adults. Remember, our children will be someone’s student, teammate, neighbor, co-worker, boss, employee, leader, friend, spouse, parent…let’s raise them with this in mind.
These tips don’t suggest a ‘problem-free’ journey, but we’ve found them to be beneficial. I hope this helps someone!”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Shawn and Caleen Howard. You can follow them on Instagram here and here and on Facebook. Submit your own story here and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.
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