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3/26/2018 March 26, 2018
 DO THIS // MORNING TIME Leave a note in your child's backpack telling them how you noticed them being a peacemaker in a certain situation. Encourage them to keep being a peacemaker anywhere they go!
 THE POWER OF A QUESTION By Sarah Anderson Questions are powerful—made all the more powerful when they are a response to what we intentionally listened for first. Purposeful questions are the best and easiest tool we have as parents to invest in the lives of our kids. They communicate that we want more than information—we want insight into what makes our kids tick, motivates them, challenges them, and hurts them. A good first question says, “I’m interested.” Active listening says, “I care.” An intentional second question says, “You matter.” And what follows creates relational equity between you and your kids. So sure, we can start, with the “How was your day?” “What happened at school?” “What did you learn at church?” But what happens next can’t be found in any book, blog, or article. What happens next is up to us. It can’t be scripted or predicted, but that’s where the magic happens . . . CONTINUE READING ON THE PARENT CUE BLOG  3/19/2018 March 19, 2018
 DO THIS // DRIVE TIME Make a peace challenge the entire month to not argue in the car with siblings, parents, or friends. As a group, pick a special prize (gift card, toy, candy, etc.) and put it in the car as a reminder to keep the peace. Whoever does the best job keeping peace throughout the month, will win the prize!
 MAKING PEACE WITH YOUR KIDS By Sarah Anderson Making peace is hard. Moving towards the one who’s hurt us is challenging. But a parent who makes peace with their kids now sows a relationship of peace in the future. No matter what my child does or says, no matter what my child doesn’t say, or doesn’t do, I want there to be no doubt about what he’ll get from me: a mom who’ll go to great lengths—not to keep the peace, but to make the peace . . . CONTINUE READING ON THE PARENT CUE BLOG  3/12/2018 March 12, 2018
 DO THIS // MEAL TIME Q & A for kids: If you had to pick one for the rest of your life, would you rather always get the last word in an argument or always get the bigger piece of cake? Q & A for parents: When you were a kid, who did you find it hardest to stay at peace with? Why do you think that is?
 FIGHT FOR THE HEARTBy Reggie Joiner It’s so easy for us to make the rules more important than the relationship. It’s in the tone of our voice, our body language, and our eyes. If we are not careful, disappointment in our kids’ behavior can be translated into their hearts as rejection. The truth is our children will always challenge the rules and debate our reasoning, but we should strive to parent in a way that they can never question how much we love them . . . CONTINUE READING ON THE PARENT CUE BLOG  3/5/2018 March 5, 2018
 DO THIS // BED TIME Read Genesis 13:5-18. Think about a situation that happened recently where you didn't think something was fair. Did you push to get what was “fair”? What would happen to your relationships if you did? Pray for each other and ask God to give you the grace and wisdom to know when to let go of what’s fair in order to make peace.
 THE ART OF DISCIPLINE: MAKING IT HELPFUL By Gina McClain One thing I’ve learned about kids is that I cannot control their actions. There are times when I try. There are times I guide, nudge, remind, even harass . . . Yet in the end, they decide what action they will take. Not me. I don’t know about you, but that really gets under my skin. So I have to actively pray for guidance and patience. Recently, I was reminded of these words in Ephesians 4:29: “Don’t say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you.” (GW) It’s a timely reminder for me that my role as mom is to fight for the heart of my kids and to create a culture of unconditional love in my home that fuels their emotional and moral health. It’s especially important to remember in the more difficult moments, like when trying to discipline. Approaching discipline in a helpful way takes a lot of Practice, Planning, and Patience . . . CONTINUE READING ON THE PARENT CUE BLOG  |
