Encourage Them?
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The teaching is done. The fighting is done. The correcting is done. The messes are cleaned up ..well, mostly. The constant Mommy, Mama, Mom, Mom, Mom has quieted for the night.
I flop into bed and start to replay the day in my mind and my heart breaks.
#MomGuilt
Did I really just focus on all of the negative things ALL-DAY-LONG?
Was I really that angry, short and frustrated? (which I know is really another word for angry)
Did I even build them up at all today?
Oh Lord, please help!
He begins to pull me out of the self-focused pit. He showers His mercy, grace, and forgiveness on me once again and re-establishes my feet on the rock.
And then something beautiful happens.
He quickly floods my mind with the little, yet amazing things the kids did today– despite my behavior.
Some may seem little to me but are big to them. Some are little beginnings of bigger things and some are simply BIG things.
But since this isn’t the movie Groundhog Day (yes, I’m likely dating myself), and I can’t get a “re-do” what do I do with this?
A No Good Very Bad Day
Out of some of my worst parenting days, God has grown in me a deeper love and passion for encouraging my children. I can see more clearly the eternal impact of building them up as we are called to in scripture.
As a steward of these children given for a time, it is my responsibility to make every effort to do just that….. even on those days when I just want to “make it” to bedtime.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Romans 14:19
Edify- to teach (someone) in a way that improves the mind or character – to build or establish
Grab A Pen 🙂
Over the years we have come to enjoy our “Bedtime Notes”. It’s simple and fast, but it encourages my kiddos in a BIG way. When they are asleep, I tuck a note under their pillow.
It’s seriously my favorite – it makes me smile just typing it!
I write something I want them to know and something I am proud of them for.
Like:
How much I love them.
How much God loves them.
How precious they are to God.
How big of a help they were.
How awesome they did with school.
How proud I was that they didn’t lash out.
How I appreciate how hard it was for them to be diligent.
What a blessing they are to this family.
How thankful I am for them.
And confession time – many days I do the above and I ask for their forgiveness. Taking the time to acknowledge my wrongs, that I may not have earlier.
I realized quickly how much they look forward to these notes. Even the ones that couldn’t read yet on their own!
They share them with each other. They save them in their memory boxes. They look back at them on hard days.
It helps them start their day right and continually builds connectedness within our family.
There are times where I have written the notes nightly and some seasons where it’s a couple of times a week. But at a minimum, once each week I make sure to take this extra step to encourage them in this way and it has been so worth it!
Yes, I still have “those nights” and plenty of #MomGuilt to submit, but what God has brought out of that is something we can cherish for years to come.
Would you like to join me in encouraging your kids this way?
Join our FREEBIES Hub to download one of the note pages I’ve used to write our Bedtime Notes and lots of other resources to build your children up!
Are you looking for other ways to encourage your loved ones?
We’ve also worked on building each other up through the Mums Kids Jesus Cultivate Love Challenge! This resource has 50+ ideas and includes planners and printables to help you cultivate love in your family and it’s totally free! It’s such a blessing to watch our family come together and build each other up in new ways. I encourage you to check it out ?
So now that you’re thinking about it, what’s that thing you do that I really should try?? Please comment below and let me know what’s your favorite way to encourage your child?
Talk to you soon,
Lee
O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul;
You have redeemed my life.
Lamentations 3:58
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Hi Lee! I love the bed time notes idea and will be using it! I wanted to share something we tried last night at dinner. When everyone came to the table, they found a folded slip of paper on their plate that had someone else’s name on it. They kept it a secret until it was their turn to share something positive about that person. Something they’re thankful for about them, one of their best internal qualities, something they’ve noticed the person has been working on, etc. We’re working on digging deeper, and I needed to ask some more specific questions to help guide the little ones, but everyone really enjoyed it.
Thank you so much, I’m glad you liked the idea! I absolutely love that idea for the dinner table. That is a beautiful way to help them to notice and encourage each other. I will be trying your idea for sure, sounds like it would bless everyone involved 🙂 Thanks again!
Thanks so much for sharing The Cultivate Love Challenge! Enjoy it 🙂 I absolutely love your bedtime notes idea. Something I’ve never come across before. Will definitely be using and sharing.
Joanna @ MumsKidsJesus.com recently posted…Choosing a University: Help Your Child Ask the Right Questions (& free University Choice Guide and Application Checklist!)
Thanks Joanna! I’m so glad you liked it. It’s my pleasure to share The Cultivate Love Challenge, it’s a great resource!