EMBRACING FAMILY
Many parents ask us questions, and we share faith-based parenting advice, based on Love and Logic© and the Preventive System of St. John Bosco (Reason, Religion, Loving Kindness). We’d like to share some of these with you.
In November, we read so many things about being thankful. “Thanks” is embroidered on pillows, printed on wall art and other decor. It’s foremost at our Thanksgiving meal when we bless the food. Thanksgiving is our annual scheduled reminder to count our blessings.
When was the last time we thanked God for all the complaining in our family? Have we ever thanked him for our own gripes? If this seems counter-intuitive, please, take a moment and keep reading!
- When our children complain about not having the latest toy or tech gadget: Thank you, God, that we can afford to give our children the toys they have.
- When our spouse complains that the house or yard looks messy: Thank you, God, that we have a roof over our heads and a place to call home.
- When I’m frustrated that nobody seems to be doing their chores: Thank you, God, that I have family members with whom to live.
- When I complain about my job: Thank you, God, that I am employed.
- When I am mad at the coach because my kid didn’t make the team: Thank you, God, that my child has the health and ability to walk and run.
Now, it’s your turn! This will probably be one of the funniest and unforgettable activities you can do with your family.
Schedule a family meeting (allowing about 30 minutes to meet).
Ask your spouse and children to write down three complaints (and let them know that they will not be in trouble for sharing these).
Share the first part of this article with them.
Then invite them to write a “Thank You, God” response for each of their complaints.
Take turns sharing your complaints that are transformed as prayers of gratitude.
Have fun and please consider sharing feedback with us! We’d love to hear how your family activity went.
Our Thanksgiving wish to you and your ohana is: “Thank You, God, for all of my family’s complaints (and mine, too)!”
Here is some feedback from a Catholic reader in response to the Q&A from our recent column, “Why am I more concerned about my children’s grades than they are?” “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you sat in our living room and wrote this article! We have been basically obsessing over our kids’ grades. The more emphasis we put on grades, the less our children focused on it. It didn’t even click until I read the article that we were making the grades about US, not THEM! We met as a family and had our kids establish goals for the second quarter and create their own Smart Plans. They’re on our fridge right now. Honestly, I think this was the SMART-est thing we’ve done regarding our kids’ schooling!”
Questions? Email Sarah and David at Success@EmbraceFamilyLearning.com. We would be honored to lift you up in prayer and respond, as well!
