ENCOURAGING CHILDREN

• Treat them with honor and respect

• Speak to them kindly and gently

• Acknowledge their importance in your life

• Learn what makes them feel valued and loved

• Always expect the best from them

• Apologize and ask forgiveness when you have done something to hurt them

• Practice active listening when they are expressing their needs, concerns, joys, sorrows, etc.

• Communicate with your children - Ask questions to stimulate conversation

• When you discipline, do it with love and the proper spirit

• Validate their hurts and pains

• Teach them to be grateful

• Teach them to acknowledge gifts/write thanks you notes

• Teach them to be an encouragement to others

• Teach them to respect authority

• Take time to read to them

• Spend one-on-one time regularly with them – Play games, read, talk, etc.

• Have your children’s friends in your home

• Encourage their questions

• Read the Bible to them every day

• Teach them about God’s plan for their life

• Tell them Bible stories

• Pray with them regularly

• Take them outside at night and show them the stars and to recognize God’s magnificent power in creation

• Keep them in mind when making career choices

• Teach and practice effective communication

• Have a harmonious home
  
• Study the bible together (www.studythebibleyourself.com)
  

• Display scripture sayings in home

• Help them memorize Bible verses

• Help them memorize books of Bible

• Tell them a story about Christ

• Remind them of God’s love for them

• Research ways to teach them moral values (Values.com; CharacterCounts.org)

• Teach by example to love the Lord’s church

• Teach them scripture songs

• Play a game that teaches good values/ character

• Tell them how God loves them and wants what’s best for them

• Practice patience with their mistakes and help them learn from mistakes 

• Let them hear you praise them to others and set an example of looking for the good and positive in others

• Talk to them about heaven 

• Remember special days – Birthdays, Gotcha Days, etc.

• Share a compliment that you have heard about him/her

• Set aside a whole morning/ afternoon/ day for spending time with them

• Look for the good in them and compliment then when you find it

• Help them find wholesome/ fun activities to do with family/ friends

• Help them select and maintain friends that have good values

• Discover their “love language” (Read the book: The Five Love Languages by Gary D. Chapman; Click here to take the assessment) 

• Discover their Temperament (Read the book: Why You Act The Way You Do by Tim LaHaye; Click here to  take the assessment)

• Discover their strengths ( Read the book: Strengths Finder 2.0  by Tom Rath)

• Watch for signs that they are “highly sensitive” – Learn ways to maximize this characteristic (Read the book: The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D.; Click here to take the assessment)
• Be one of their balcony people (Read the book: Balcony People by Joyce Landorf Heatherly)
  
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If you have ideas that are not listed on this page, please email us your ideas here