The Power of a Praying Wife by Omartian

This book was very helpful to me in understanding some of my husband's needs and that through prayer God may inspire me or those around me to strengthen him to be a better person. I highly recommend this and her other book about the Praying Parent.

My kid is driving me crazy!

Do you feel your blood boil and you want to drop-kick your child to the next block when he does something wrong? Ya, we've all been there, but is there a calm way to deal with their behavior? Yes, you can have a canned response and you can even delay the consequence if it is over your head!

Spoiled or Not?

When I was a kid, I had 2 pairs of pants and 1 Barbie. Now my daughter has more than she can handle. So how can you tell if your child is becoming spoiled? Well, does your child value her things? Does she have to work for some toys and work to repair damages? Having taught in several schools, I have found that each school has a culture. I taught in 2 affluent schools. In one the children acted spoiled and in the other they did not. I could tell right away what the difference was. The good school had regular service projects. The students wrote letters to the troops, they recycled, they donated food. This is key! I have already taken my kids around to sell cookies and donate the money to needy kids. We will go the the retirement center with flowers in the spring. One more way to keep your child from being spoiled is to put your foot down and don't give in! If they want a toy, maybe you'll say yes, but if you say no, you can't change your mind. Spoiled is the result of being allowed to make an unfair number of choices for a family. Our children are expected to respect authority and are allowed to discuss their opinions in a respectful way.

Frustration and Faith

I find that frustration comes from a lack of faith. Is your frustration caused by your lack of faith in yourself to solve the problem correctly, that God will let the situation ever end, or in those around you to handle their situation? If your frustration stems from your lack of faith in yourself, because you don't know how to handle daily parenting situations, that's OK. Admitting it is the first step. Go to the Lord in prayer to find the best solution for you. Sometimes God tells me which type of book to buy during my evening prayers. I recommend the "Love and Logic" techniques because they are easy and can be applied in so many situations! If that's not for you, please find something else that brings calm to your reaction. Buy a book or take a workshop. Have faith that God will allow your situation to end. If you are dealing with something life-threatening, God will be with you every step of the way. Have faith in your children, your husband, and those around you. They can handle it! Your job is to do God's will in your life. As a parent, you are to teach your children to clean up their own messes. Take a deep breath! It's just spilled milk!

Introvert/Follower/Thinker

It will take much more time for this child to warm up to a new environment. Maybe when the child starts to feel at ease, you can introduce this child to one friend in the class so he can feel more comfortable without you.

Strong-Willed/Structure

I've found that children with this combination need to know the plan ahead of time, or they will rebel at the moment their assumed plan changes. Of course, we can't always cater to our kids, but we can smooth the transitions a little to make life easier on everyone.

Creative/Feeling vs. Creative/Thinker

I had the hardest time finding toys for my toddler. Now I see that a Creative/Thinker likes blocks and science, but a Creative/Feeler likes pictures of family or favorite characters and art. Now that she's 4, I'm giving her a camera for her birthday. Thank goodness her aunt is also a Creative/Feeler. I can go off her interests for my daughter.

Strong-Willed Child

My oldest child is in the strong-willed child category. Fortunately, she's only 4, so it's real easy to overcome her defiance. However, I know that if I give her some choices, she will be much more likely to cooperate. Even if that choice is, "Do you want to walk up the stairs, or do you want me to carry you?" Excellent book too!

Contentment

I consider myself an expert on contentment, because my parents are both miserable and approach life from two extremes. One tries to complete tasks and earn God's love. The other tries to please herself by reaching for opportunities she missed in her youth. Neither approach will work. There are many elements to achieving happiness. 1) Be where you are. 2) Accept God's Grace. 3) Set achievable goals. 4) Have a product.