"Character is what you are like when only your family is looking!"
Coming up next week: Diving into character training for children! We will go in this order throughout the year, for those wanting a certain topic or age group:
1. General character training—for a month or so
2. Starting Out Right—the Four Essential Qualities for Toddlers
3. Character Qualities for Pre-schoolers
4. Character for Kids—ages 5-8
5. More Character for Kids—ages 6-10
6. Tweens Can Have Good Character!
7. So Can Teens!
Think of it as “Character Training Workshop in Ten or Fifteen Minutes a Day”! Thanks for joining us!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Daily Habit 10: Do a little bit of a big project everyday
In the last post’s exercise confession, I described how I am an “all or nothing type of person.” This, as I stated earlier, can be a real boon or a real detriment.
I have always believed in the concept of “do a little bit of a big project everyday,” but, as is true with all really good things, it is not enough to believe it, you have to do it. And that’s where I break down a little.
Oh, I’ve had varying degrees of success with it—and have always loved the outcome of that success. Many years ago, I made a commitment to write curriculum a few days each week—a little at a time. And thirty thousand pages later (they are not *all* text; some are student “worktexts” with lines for the kids to fill in), I know that “write most days” really worked.
I learned a dozen years ago that organizing experts say that you can maintain an organizational system in twenty minutes per day of maintenance. We have applied this to most of our home’s organizational systems and kept things flowing despite full time jobs, homeschooling, and starting a business/family ministry. A little every day keeps things moving on bigger projects in the same way that a few “dailies” each day keep things moving on a day-by-day basis.
I even taught my kids to do this. I can remember our third child, who is now a disability ministry director and gets tons done every day, announcing near the beginning of high school, that no matter what her days held, she was going to do ten minutes of each subject every school day. Obviously, most subjects required more than that, but her thinking (and it is great thinking) was that if she got out each subject for ten minutes every day, regardless of whether she was working that day or going on a field trip, etc., she would make her way through everything by the end of the year. And it worked.
Last year I set out on a “do a little bit of a big project everyday” as I started Positive Parenting 3*6*5 and committed to write a post every day—365 days in a row, as much as possible. I ended that on December 30th with success—365 parenting blog posts.
I was inspired again to apply this approach to some big projects I am working on right now by the “Git ‘er Done Guy.” This internet self-help guru described how he broke down a big project (an upcoming book) into twenty minute increments every day. I am doing the same this year with my outlines and presentation materials, as well as with our parenting blog and our Language Lady 365 blog.
Truly, to “git ‘er done,” you just have to do it….a little bit at a time.
I have always believed in the concept of “do a little bit of a big project everyday,” but, as is true with all really good things, it is not enough to believe it, you have to do it. And that’s where I break down a little.
Oh, I’ve had varying degrees of success with it—and have always loved the outcome of that success. Many years ago, I made a commitment to write curriculum a few days each week—a little at a time. And thirty thousand pages later (they are not *all* text; some are student “worktexts” with lines for the kids to fill in), I know that “write most days” really worked.
I learned a dozen years ago that organizing experts say that you can maintain an organizational system in twenty minutes per day of maintenance. We have applied this to most of our home’s organizational systems and kept things flowing despite full time jobs, homeschooling, and starting a business/family ministry. A little every day keeps things moving on bigger projects in the same way that a few “dailies” each day keep things moving on a day-by-day basis.
I even taught my kids to do this. I can remember our third child, who is now a disability ministry director and gets tons done every day, announcing near the beginning of high school, that no matter what her days held, she was going to do ten minutes of each subject every school day. Obviously, most subjects required more than that, but her thinking (and it is great thinking) was that if she got out each subject for ten minutes every day, regardless of whether she was working that day or going on a field trip, etc., she would make her way through everything by the end of the year. And it worked.
Last year I set out on a “do a little bit of a big project everyday” as I started Positive Parenting 3*6*5 and committed to write a post every day—365 days in a row, as much as possible. I ended that on December 30th with success—365 parenting blog posts.
I was inspired again to apply this approach to some big projects I am working on right now by the “Git ‘er Done Guy.” This internet self-help guru described how he broke down a big project (an upcoming book) into twenty minute increments every day. I am doing the same this year with my outlines and presentation materials, as well as with our parenting blog and our Language Lady 365 blog.
Truly, to “git ‘er done,” you just have to do it….a little bit at a time.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Daily Habit 9: Exercise a little each day
If you have read Positive Parenting long, you have probably heard me say that I am an “all or nothing type of person.” This mindset can be either really great or absolutely horrible. It is really great when I have the time and energy to put “all” into something and come out with something wonderful because I gave it my all. It’s absolutely horrible when I can’t do “all” of something, so I do nothing. Exercise and I have definitely had that all or nothing relationship through the years.
I either walked 90-120 minutes a day, did “Abs With Denise” every night, and lost eighty pounds. Or I did nothing and gained eighty pounds. Definitely all or nothing.
As I have found with most things in my life, the older I get, the more balance I achieve—and exercise is finally coming into balance for me. No more all or nothing. If I can do ten minutes of arms and stomach a day, I do that. If I can ballroom dance for two hours one day, I do that. If I can take a long walk with one of the kids, I go for it. If we can play basketball in the driveway for thirty minutes, pass me the ball.
With this “new” approach to exercise, I will probably never be a size six again…but I will never be a size twenty-four again either! I am healthier than I have been since my “exercise mania days” (which turned out to be not so healthy when coupled with starvation diets!). And definitely healthier than my size twenty-four days.
So…do you want to join me in the coming year? Exercise a little everyday—ten, twenty, thirty, sixty, or 120 minutes. Because a little bit all the time is better than a lot very infrequently.
I either walked 90-120 minutes a day, did “Abs With Denise” every night, and lost eighty pounds. Or I did nothing and gained eighty pounds. Definitely all or nothing.
As I have found with most things in my life, the older I get, the more balance I achieve—and exercise is finally coming into balance for me. No more all or nothing. If I can do ten minutes of arms and stomach a day, I do that. If I can ballroom dance for two hours one day, I do that. If I can take a long walk with one of the kids, I go for it. If we can play basketball in the driveway for thirty minutes, pass me the ball.
With this “new” approach to exercise, I will probably never be a size six again…but I will never be a size twenty-four again either! I am healthier than I have been since my “exercise mania days” (which turned out to be not so healthy when coupled with starvation diets!). And definitely healthier than my size twenty-four days.
So…do you want to join me in the coming year? Exercise a little everyday—ten, twenty, thirty, sixty, or 120 minutes. Because a little bit all the time is better than a lot very infrequently.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Daily Habit 8: Read for yourself each day
Parents are busy people! And last on the list of “to do’s” in our lives is often anything that is “for us.” However, it might behoove us to look at some of those things that we “do for us” as not being just “for us” after all. Reading for yourself each day could just be one of those things.
I’ve been a big reader all throughout my parenting years—parenting books, homeschooling magazines and catalogs, devotional materials, and discipleship books are staples that I have pored over through the years. However, a few years ago, I realized that I was seldom picking these things up anymore. I would stack them on my headboard or desk, look at them longingly, remember the days of long naps for the kids and my “lunch and reading time,” but not really get to them.
In the past few years, I have gotten better about going back to my own reading. But in 2011, I want to make it even more of a priority. Not just Bible and character in the morning with the kids, not just reading stories to Jakie, not just a chapter book with my guys, not just a family devotional at the dinner table—but my “Trusting God” by Jerry Bridges and my “Grammar Girl Devotional” and my “Writing Handbook” and my “Raising Kids for True Greatness” and on and on. Just for me…because in the long run, reading for me is not really just reading for me.
I’ve been a big reader all throughout my parenting years—parenting books, homeschooling magazines and catalogs, devotional materials, and discipleship books are staples that I have pored over through the years. However, a few years ago, I realized that I was seldom picking these things up anymore. I would stack them on my headboard or desk, look at them longingly, remember the days of long naps for the kids and my “lunch and reading time,” but not really get to them.
In the past few years, I have gotten better about going back to my own reading. But in 2011, I want to make it even more of a priority. Not just Bible and character in the morning with the kids, not just reading stories to Jakie, not just a chapter book with my guys, not just a family devotional at the dinner table—but my “Trusting God” by Jerry Bridges and my “Grammar Girl Devotional” and my “Writing Handbook” and my “Raising Kids for True Greatness” and on and on. Just for me…because in the long run, reading for me is not really just reading for me.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Character Training From the Heart Seminar This Weekend!
Tomorrow we will continue our "Eleven Daily Habits of '11." Today I would like to share more about our upcoming seminar. If you live near us, please join us! Or if you would like to host one in your church or community, contact us to set one up.
This weekend we will be holding our first "Character Training From the Heart" seminar near Bluffton, Indiana. It's not too late to register...and we will accept walk ins!
The seminar will be held at Murray Missionary Church on Friday from 7:00-9:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00-12:00 (noon). It is a Christian parenting seminar for parents of children ages birth to fourteen or so. (We are not doing the tween and teen afternoon workshops for this particular seminar.)
You may register by emailing us your info (and pay $10 per person at the door) to trainingfortriumph@mchsi.com or you may just come!
We are so excited about this seminar! Please post this on your FB wall and/or copy and paste it into emails to send to your groups! We love having the opportunity to share the incredible teaching we have received through the years on Christian parenting--and our successses and mistakes (!).
If you do not feel equipped to discipline, teach, and train your children in character and living for Christ--starting with child discipline of little ones on into heart training of older ones--this seminar is for you!
Allow me to give you a sneak peek at the sessions.
Session I….Friday 7:00-8:00 The Five W’s of Character Training—Who, What, When, Where, and Why
Session II…Friday 8:00-9:00 The How’s of Character Training—an Overview
Session III….Friday 9:00-10:00 Starting Out Right—Avoiding Child Controlled Home, Outward vs. Inward Control of Behavior, and Babies and Toddlers
Session IV…Saturday 9:00-10:00 The Early Qualities for 3-6 Year Olds
Session V….Saturday 10:00-11:00 Character Qualities for Kids 6-12 Years
Session VI…Saturday 11:00-12:00 More Character Qualities for Kids and Transitioning From “Child” Training to “Heart” Training (cont’d 6-12+ years)
And, if you think of us, pray. The week of a seminar or convention is always stressful for our family, especially the "first" of one (which is sort of what this one is as we seek to combine/streamline sessions we have done in IL, OH, IN, and FL). We always have many opportunities to practice our teaching that week at home! Smile...
This weekend we will be holding our first "Character Training From the Heart" seminar near Bluffton, Indiana. It's not too late to register...and we will accept walk ins!
The seminar will be held at Murray Missionary Church on Friday from 7:00-9:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00-12:00 (noon). It is a Christian parenting seminar for parents of children ages birth to fourteen or so. (We are not doing the tween and teen afternoon workshops for this particular seminar.)
You may register by emailing us your info (and pay $10 per person at the door) to trainingfortriumph@mchsi.com or you may just come!
We are so excited about this seminar! Please post this on your FB wall and/or copy and paste it into emails to send to your groups! We love having the opportunity to share the incredible teaching we have received through the years on Christian parenting--and our successses and mistakes (!).
If you do not feel equipped to discipline, teach, and train your children in character and living for Christ--starting with child discipline of little ones on into heart training of older ones--this seminar is for you!
Allow me to give you a sneak peek at the sessions.
Session I….Friday 7:00-8:00 The Five W’s of Character Training—Who, What, When, Where, and Why
Session II…Friday 8:00-9:00 The How’s of Character Training—an Overview
Session III….Friday 9:00-10:00 Starting Out Right—Avoiding Child Controlled Home, Outward vs. Inward Control of Behavior, and Babies and Toddlers
Session IV…Saturday 9:00-10:00 The Early Qualities for 3-6 Year Olds
Session V….Saturday 10:00-11:00 Character Qualities for Kids 6-12 Years
Session VI…Saturday 11:00-12:00 More Character Qualities for Kids and Transitioning From “Child” Training to “Heart” Training (cont’d 6-12+ years)
And, if you think of us, pray. The week of a seminar or convention is always stressful for our family, especially the "first" of one (which is sort of what this one is as we seek to combine/streamline sessions we have done in IL, OH, IN, and FL). We always have many opportunities to practice our teaching that week at home! Smile...
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