Coach Mom Newsletter - May 2012
From Osh Kosh Overalls
To a Suit & Tie
It seems not that long
ago our house was rocking with energy most
of each day. Bouncing boys deluxe. Our
family of six lived in a 1,600 square foot
tile-floored house in the heart of Phoenix
and many summer days I felt the walls might
close in (or fall in) on me. So desperate
was I that I would endure hours of sitting
poolside with baby and toddler on sunny
115-120 degree days just so my older two
boys could be on swim team, which was the
only thing that used enough energy to make
them take good naps and fall asleep quickly
at bedtime.
And, if I said it once,
I said it a thousand times, “Couches are
made for sitting or lying down. They are not
made for jumping.” But it wasn’t only the
activity level that was off the charts -- it
was the volume, too. A friend who lived next
door to us in those days recently admitted
to me that each time she and her husband
would left our house after having dinner
with us, they talked about how when they had
children they would not have that loud of a
house (the rest of the story is they also
had four boys and a girl. Need I say more?)
Basically, the energy in our house, had it
been tapped, could have lit up the city of
Phoenix at night. I remember looking at the
friends’ polite school-age boys, thinking my
boys would never be able to sit that still
and be that quiet.
Fast forward about
thirteen years, and you find me here in a
totally quiet house (well, the kids are at
school) writing this newsletter. Lo and
behold, my boys did learn to sit still and
can be quiet when needed. Not only that, but
in four weeks my oldest will graduate from
high school and launch from the nest.
A few days after
graduation Dillon plans to depart by himself
on a 37-hour trip to a mission
training
school
in Mozambique, Africa, where he will be
until mid-August, just a couple of days
before he starts his college education at
Baylor University.
Our family as we know it is changing,
and I can’t say that my heart hasn’t been
hurting over it since last year when we saw
many of his good friends graduate.
I
sense a growing concern from his younger
siblings about what daily life will be like
here without him around. But, for today, we
are thanking God for every moment we share.
Isn’t that how it should be every day that
the Lord gives us?
So, my offering this
newsletter is to remind us of the things
that we can do to make the most of today
with the children in our homes. As we do
these things, we nurture them emotionally,
physically, and spiritually. This nurturing
will better equip them to be the healthiest
they can be as they go out into the world on
their own.
1.
Live and teach the Word –
Making the Bible a priority in our lives and
living obediently toward God’s truth is the
best teaching we can do as parents. Do your
children catch you reading the Word or
praying?
Also, simple things like reading through
a children’s Bible, having scripture on
display in the home, and talking through
God’s view of life scenarios that come up on
television or at school are ways to
integrate the Word into your home.
2.
One-on-one time –
If you have multiple children, it takes
intention to make it happen. Even 20 minutes
a week of one-on-one time can reap great
rewards. I found this to be especially
important to the toddler who just lost his
“baby” spot to the newborn. Get the time
scheduled on the calendar then talk with
your child about how you are looking forward
to it. The rule for the time is that you do
whatever the child wants to do (our rule was
it had to be in the home), giving the child
undivided attention.
3.
Independent play time –
In
BabyWise, the Ezzos recommend scheduling
independent playtime for each child daily,
starting in a bouncy seat in the playpen and
graduating to room time. The benefits for
both child and parent abound!
4.
Date your spouse
-
Making your relationship with your husband
priority does more than encourage the
marriage relationship. Children gain
security and also learn they are not the
center of the universe. John Rosemond said,
“If you are married, the best things you can
do to raise happy and healthy children is to
pay more attention to the marriage than you
pay to them.”
5.
Family dinner –
It feeds both the body and soul. Catherine
Snow’s eight-year study of 65 families
revealed the family dinner to be the number
one factor in a child’s development (ranking
higher than even education). And let each
child prepare dinner occasionally. Author of
Love
and Logic, Jim Fay, says the best
overall thing you can do for your child is
to have them prepare, serve, and clean up
from dinner once a week, beginning when they
are nine years old.
6.
Exercise –
In reading this, I don’t want you to run out
and sign up your three-year-old for a soccer
team. Be in control of your schedule as long
as you can. When a child is young,
one-on-one time playing catch or shooting
hoops with Dad is often the best option.
It’s more bonding and convenient the other
scenario: a parent taking the child to a
team practice…that they have to drive to…at
whatever time they are told to.
7.
Give responsibilities –
Work as a team. It helps the home run
better, helps your attitude, gives them the
confidence of knowing how to do things and
the feeling of being a part of something
bigger than themselves. (I could recommend a
book on this….)
J
8.
Hug –
Cherish every day and hug as many times as
possible.
Hugs not only
feel good, but they have a host of benefits.
Hugs have been shown to reduce heart rates,
boost moods, lower blood pressure, increase
nerve activity (which improves circulation),
and many other beneficial effects.
The motto at our house is hugs for health.
back to top
Read Brenna's most recent
blog post, as she reflects on her son
Dillon leaving the nest.
Congratulations to all 2012 Graduates and to
their Mommas! You did it! May God bless you
in the journey ahead.
back to top
Congratulations to gardeners
Judy O’Hara and Karen Runyan, winners of the
ladybug and praying mantid egg packs from
ARBICO!
back to top
This recipe is now a
Stull mainstay, showing up almost daily at
our house! You won’t believe how healthy and
good it is.
1 C. packed fresh
spinach
1 frozen banana
2 C. frozen mixed fruit
(i.e. pineapples, strawberries, mangos,
peaches)
1 C. blueberries
½ can of frozen
pineapple concentrate
2 C. water
Ice to thicken
Put all ingredients but
the ice in a blender and puree. (I peel
bananas and freeze them in a baggie, the
perfect answer to the overly ripe ones no
one wants.) Add enough ice to thicken it,
then serve it with a straw.
Keys:
The spinach sneaks in some
powerful vitamins.
The frozen
banana makes it creamy.
The blueberries
cover the green color of the spinach.
The pineapple
concentrate (or fresh pineapple) sweetens it
in a healthy way.
Your family will forget
about wanting ice cream and other sugary
sweets if you serve this to them regularly!
back to top
|