ParentLife Blog

New Lucado Book Perfect for Kids ... and Their Parents!

We see a lot of products for possible review in ParentLife. Rarely do we see a note so personal and heartfelt directed toward our readers. We wanted to share this note with you from Max Lucado about his new book, The Tallest of Smalls.

Parents today need all the help they can get. Ponder these statistics for just a moment.

There are 8,769 hours in a year and within those thousands of hours, children spend 29% of them sleeping, only 1% of them attending church, 16% of them at school, and the majority of their time, with an overwhelming majority of 54%, at home.

Parents are the number one influence on their children’s lives, but with strong outside forces and conflicting messages infiltrating the home, the best teachers in a child’s life are facing tremendous challenges. I have made it my mission not only to inspire and encourage adults, but also to give children and their parents the opportunity to learn together about God’s tremendous love for them through something so simple as a children’s picture book.

In The Tallest of Smalls, I wanted to convey a precious message to children about how divinely special and unique they are. It takes a lot of courage, even for us grown-ups, to stand up for what we believe in and to be ourselves in a world that tells us fitting in is the most important. Courage is a learned skill best adopted during childhood. With The Tallest of Smalls, I wanted to give parents a story that helped build their child’s confidence in him or herself through the life-changing love and unconditional acceptance of our Heavenly Father.

In a society obsessed with image and status, we all need a reminder that fame and fortune doesn’t make the person. We all need a reminder that we are always loved and cherished by God. We all need a reminder that what our Heavenly Father thinks of us trumps what the world might say. It is my prayer that within the pages of a simple rhyming children’s book, adults and children alike can be reminded of these profound truths and apply them to their hearts and lives forever.

Blessings,

Max Lucado

Visit LifeWay Christian Stores to purchase The Tallest of Smalls and to view a special video message from Max Lucado.

A Year in Review

On the verge of 2010, it seems appropriate to reminisce about 2009. I am so thankful for my family. There were great times we spent together: vacation, holidays, weekends, and times doing nothing at all! These are the things that memories are made of and will be lasting impressions of 2009.

However, without hesitation, I can say there were difficult times too: sickness, loss, and the busyness of life often seemed overwhelming. There were shocking moments too, such as when Jonathan had his bout with seizures and the van was broken into and robbed. Moments like these leave us feeling uncertain and questioning, and that is part of the reality of life.

But, above all, I can sit here today and proclaim God's faithfulness and love through it all. For that I am thankful and have hope, not only for 2010, but for eternity as well!

May you and your family have a joyous celebration together saying goodbye to 2009, and may God bless you in 2010!

New AAP Web Site for Parents

Early Arrival

In the December 2009 issue of ParentLife, we chose to cover a topic that is very close to my heart. In our monthly column "On the Way" (for expectant parents), we provided information from the American Academy of Pediatrics about bringing home a premature infant. I can tell you all about this from firsthand experience!

Due to pregnancy complications, my little boy (Jack) was born one month early. Because he was early, his lungs were not as strong as they needed to be, and while I'm not sure he was ever in a life-threatening situation, he needed help getting the oxygen he needed. He spent a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where the amazing nurses took fabulous care of him until he was strong enough to come home!

The day we brought him home was very exciting and very scary. For a week, nurses had been there to help us take care of him and oversee that we were doing things correctly. In fact, the night before we brought him home, the hospital allowed us to "room in" with him. They have a special room right next to the NICU where parents are allowed to stay overnight on a test run before sending a baby home. We were responsible for his care all night, but it was comforting knowing that a nurse was only steps away at all times if we needed her! Suddenly, we were home with this tiny life. It's scary enough bringing home a full-term, healthy baby. But add to that a month of prematurity and breathing issues and it was downright scary. It took us some time to relax and trust that Jack was doing fine and breathing on his own without any trouble.

While the first few weeks with Jack were scary for us, we are very blessed that everything turned out fine and there have been no long-term problems. Not every family, can say that. Many families have babies that spend much more time in the NICU and have long-term complications to worry about. That is why the ParentLife team felt it was important to provide expectant parents with information related to this topic. We want to provide encouragement and support to families, especially those going through a difficult time.

How have your family helped support parents going through a difficut time like this? Or have you been in this kind of situation? Where did you find encouragement and support? What advice would you have for those wanting to help? How can ParentLife provide more support?

Not Just for Sunday School Teachers

The Levels of Biblical Learning (LOBL) is a simple but important ministry tool developed by experts to provide parents and teachers with visible milestones as you guide kids in their spiritual growth. The Levels of Biblical Learning gives a coordinated approach from birth through preteens by using 10 concept areas — God, Jesus, the Bible, Creation, Family, Self, Church, Community & World, Holy Spirit, and Salvation.

Let me just give you an example. This Christmas, you can talk about Jesus' birth with your child in an age-appropriate way. You can start when your child is a baby ... laying the foundational concepts and then building on them as your child grows.

Babies to 2s

• God chose a family for Jesus.
• Jesus was born.

3s to Pre-K

• Angels told Mary and Joseph that Jesus would be born.
• Jesus was sent to earth by God.

Kindergarten

• People in the Old Testament told that Jesus would be born.
• God sent Jesus to earth because He loves us.

Grades 1 to 2

• Prophets in the Old Testament told that Jesus would be born.
• God sent Jesus to earth because He loves us.

Grades 3 to 4

• Old Testament prophets revealed God's plan for Jesus to be the Savior.
• Jesus came to earth in human form. 
• Jesus understands what it eans to be human.

Preteen

• God planned for Jesus from the beginning of time.
• Jesus was born of a virgin.
• Jesus was God in human form.

To learng more about the LOBL, be sure to visit www.lifeway.com/kids.

Merry Christmas ... From the ParentLife Family to Yours!

More Childproofing Tips

In the December 09 issue of ParentLife, Christi McGuire provided some childproofing tips for Christmas. But there is even more you might not have thought of. Consider the following tips.

Poisonous Holiday Plants
Especially during this holiday season, keep the following list of plants out of reach of your baby.

• Poinsettias — Poinsettias cause little reacion in most people; however, ingestion by small children may cause skin or smouth irritation, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
• Holly — Ingesting small amounts can cause mild stomach irritation and drowsiness; ingesting large amounts can cause vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and extreme drowsiness.
• Mistletoe — Ingesting small amounts may cause mild nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Ingesting large plants may produce serious poisonings.
• Amaryllis— This plant can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
• Christmas trees (pine, fir, spruce) — Most Christmas trees are not poisonous, but sharp needles can cause skin irritation and bleeding or choking.
   

Poison Alert: Toothpaste

Look closely at your toothpaste tube and you will see a warning label. Since 1997, the United States Food and Drug Administration has required a poison warning label on all fluoride toothpastes, which contain the active ingredient of Sodium Fluoride, a toxic poison. Although only 1 percent of the toothpaste contains this toxic ingredient, you need to call the poison control center if your baby ingests more than the tiny amount needed for brushing teeth. Toothpaste that is pink, sparkly, and tastes like bubble gum may be easily mistaken for candy, posing a poison hazard for your unsuspecting baby.

Socket-Lockits™
Check out this stylish new way to keep your baby safe! Socket-Lockits help reduce electrical and choking hazards in your home. Their unique patent-pending design incorporates:

• Self-locking barbs to prevent tiny fingers from pulling covers off
• A convenient pressure-button release to make removal easy for adults
• A variety of designs printed with non-toxic ink to match any décor

Visit www.socketlockits.com for more information and to order!

Do you have other childproofing tips related to the Christmas? Share your tips with other ParentLife readers by leaving a comment!

Fun Friday Photo -- December 18, 2009

One-year-old Kotlon is ready to build! Can we do it? Yes, we can!

 Thanks to Sherry S. and Ashley V. for this great photo!

Photos wanted! Send us your funny, cute, or just plain fun pictures for our Fun Friday Photos. Each Friday we will post a new "Fun Friday Photo." E-mail your photo and a suggested caption describing the photo to parentlife@lifeway.com. Visit the blog each Friday to see if your photo was chosen!

Free MP3 Download

If you missed our December 2nd post, go back and check it out!

One of ParentLife's frequent writers — Mark Smeby — is offering a free download of his song "Emmanuel (You Are With Me)" that is featured in the new Christmas movie The Perfect Gift to ParentLife readers!

To see a trailer of the movie, meet the cast, and buy the DVD, be sure to visit www.perfectgiftmovie.com. 

Does your family have a favorite Christmas movie? What about a favorite Christmas song? Share your favorites with us!

Christmas Card Fun

We really tried to get that perfect card this year! We thought we had it all worked out when taking our family photo for our church's new directory. But that photo was not as perfect as we would have liked.

Then we tried to take a photo in front of the tree. I set up the camera on a tripod, set the timer, and ran back to pose with the family. That worked out OK except for the part of trying to get the cat in the photo with us! Not the smartest move we decided. By the time the cat had his picture taken a few times, he got really mad. The boys were not willing to take photo after photo either. But we made some memories this year trying to get the perfect photo!

Do you have a good Christmas card photo story? Tell us about it! Have a blessed Christmas!

Helping Kids Connect With Jesus

Here are some great thoughts about helping our kids really connect with the true meaning of Christmas by Dandi Daley Mackall, author of Tiny Baby Jesus.

This year when so many families are forced to cut back on the gifts and frills of Christmas, it could be the perfect opportunity to remind our children, and ourselves, why we celebrate Christmas. It’s all about Jesus!

I don’t think we can talk about Baby Jesus enough—to our children, to our neighbors, or to ourselves. It’s challenging to grasp the fact that inside every pregnant woman lives a real live baby. So it boggles the mind to imagine the Creator of the Universe allowing himself to be walled up inside Mary’s womb for nine months. The birth of Baby Jesus is a Christmas miracle.

At Christmas, we can point out Jesus in the manager and sing songs about the birth in Bethlehem. We can tell the wonderful story of shepherds, angels, and wise men. But we can do more. We can point our families to the grown-up Jesus and why He left heaven for earth. Christmas is about Christ—the Baby, the man, and the Son of God.        

Helping Children Connect With Jesus This Christmas

• Point out Baby Jesus everywhere—on Christmas cards, in store windows, in your home.
  
• Celebrate Advent with your church and in your home.
• Talk about what Jesus might have doing when he was your child’s age.
• Tell the story of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection—the whole story.
• Help your child identify with the human Jesus—his hands, his feet, his heart.
• Remember. Repeat your stories of past Christmases.
• Ask which gifts your children remember and why.
• Read a Christmas picture book every night as a new tradition.
• “Claim” your traditions. Trees, stars, angels, and gifts all point to Christ—the child, the man, the Son of God. 

 What are some of your ways to emphasize Jesus at Christmas with your kids?

Play Possibilities

Play is an important aspect of how young children learn. In this month's issue of ParentLife, Dr. Rebecca Isbell discusses the different forms of play and how they are beneficial to children in her article "Time to Play."

Do you need some ideas for how to play with your child? Try these fun, simple ideas!

• Look at Me! Begin with simple instructions for your child to follow. Next, let her give the directions for you to follow. Enjoy the experience, suggest funny motions, and laugh with your child.
• Puppet Drama. Have several hand puppets that are easy for your preschooler to use. Let your child select her puppet and you choose yours. Use a voice that goes along with the puppet and talk to your child’s puppet. Give her the opportunity to talk in the voice of the puppet chosen. When interest fades, try a different puppet.
• Literature Drama. Read a story to your child that will encourage dramatic play. After the reading, talk about the characters and what they said in the story. Then act out the story. Enjoy the process and do not be concerned about the “correctness.” This play should be enjoyed by you and your child.
• Musical Freeze. Select a CD that has music that you and your child will enjoy. Explain that when the music stops she should freeze (stop moving). Play the music for about two minutes and then stop the music. It is helpful to move with your child. Next, vary the time the music plays. Sometimes the music will be short and other times the music will last longer.

What is your favorite way to play with your preschooler?

Fun Friday Photo -- December 25, 2009

Five-year-old Ethan is enjoying Christmas by making Christmas cookies! 

Thanks to Bonnie A. for this great photo!

Photos wanted! Send us your funny, cute, or just plain fun pictures for our Fun Friday Photos. Each Friday we will post a new "Fun Friday Photo." E-mail your photo and a suggested caption describing the photo to parentlife@lifeway.com. Visit the blog each Friday to see if your photo was chosen!

Stressed Out Kids!

Earlier this week, I wrote about the stress we as parents face each holiday season. But we often don't stop and think how stressed out our kids are too! We focused our 6- to 8-year-old Growth Spurt in our December 2009 issue of ParentLife about stressed out kids. Here are some addtional tips to identify and cope with stress!

SOURCES OF STRESS

• Pressure to perform well in academics, sports, and extracurricular activities
• Watching parents argue, separate, and divorce
• Death and other types of loss  
• Scary Images on TV
• Overscheduling
• Strained relationships with friends
• Bullying
• Learning to be independent
• Peer pressure

COPING WITH STRESS

• Let your child know that he is important to you by spending quality and quantity time with him.
• Reaffirm that your child is safe at home. He hears when you and your spouse fight, fret over paying the bills, or discuss frightning news in the world.
• Talk to your child about what might be causing his stressful feelings. Work together as a team to come up with possible solutions.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of rest, exercise, and good nutrition.
• Pray together. Prayer reduces stress and shifts your focus to God.

How do you help cope with stress in your family?

We pray that you will experience God's peace this Christmas season!

Christmas Ramblings

Last Christmas season was wonderful and easy for my new little family.  Jason and I were still basking in the glow of being new parents. We were excited for extended family members to meet Jack. Jack was still young enough that planning holiday festivities around his schedule was no problem at all! But looking to this year ... I was afraid things would be very different.

To be honest, I was worried this Christmas was going to be stressful. I was dreading putting out the Christmas decorations with a toddler underfoot, I was sure finding time to Christmas shop was going to be next to impossible, and I was concerned that all of the holiday festivities would throw Jack's schedule completely for a loop! (I can see my husband now ... shaking his head at my tendency to worry too much.)

The reality is ... this Christmas season has been great so far! We put up the Christmas decorations after Jack went to bed one night! We kept things simple this year and didn't go overboard. In fact, we put up the Christmas tree without any ornaments so that Jack could enjoy and explore it without us having to constantly monitor which ornaments he was handling. (Did I mention the tree is pre-lit? All we had to do was fluff it and plug it in! That's my kind of decorating!)

While the busy part of the month hasn't hit yet, I shouldn't worry too much about planning around Jack's schedule for Christmas activities. He's very laid-back and has never had a problem being flexible!

And on the shopping front, we are almost done, and it has been fun to shop with Jack! We only have a few more gifts to buy for family. Then we can turn our attention to shopping for Jack ... who surprisingly has become the hardest to shop for!

Last year Jack was too little to care what anybody got for him so we gave him practical things like bibs, blankets, clothes, and other essentials. But this year, there is a new pressure to get not only toys he will be excited about but also toys that are durable and will grow with him over the years. We only want to get him a few presents, so narrowing it down has been more difficult than I thought it would be. I'm sure all of the pondering will be well worth it though when Jack opens his presents on Christmas morning. I can't wait to experience Christmas through his eyes!!

Are you looking for gift ideas that are memorable, flexible, and durable? Be sure not to miss the 2009 Christmas Gift Guide in the December 2009 issue of ParentLife.

Poster Contest

On this particularly cold, rainy, winter day in middle Tennessee, you might think I'm out of my mind posting information about Arbor Day, but I don't want anyone who is interested to miss the opportunity to be involved in the 2010 National Poster Contest put on by the Arbor Day Foundation. Many of the state deadlines are fast-approaching.
 

The annual National Poster Contest teaches thousands of students each year about the value of trees. This year's theme is “Trees are Terrific … And Energy Wise!”

The competition is open to all fifth-grade students nationwide. Visit www.arborday.org/postercontest for contest rules, state deadlines, and to view the previous year’s winners. A free educational guidebook with extensive classroom activities is available for download.

Has your child ever won a contest like this? Tell us about it! Or if you enter the Arbor Day Foundation's poster contest, leave a comment and let us know!

Holiday or Headache?

In her article "Holiday or Headache?" (in the December 2009 issue of ParentLife), author Robin Chaddock helps families know how to make sure to keep Christmas a holiday and not a headache this year! To help parents keep focus, she provided us with the following four questions to ask yourself about Christmas. Above all, she stresses that Christmas should be a holiday of the heart!

1. When you think about getting ready for Christmas, what is the thing that stresses you out most?
2. What are your Christmas Kookies — the crazy little ideas that you think have to be done or the Christmas season will not be right?
3. What have you been doing because it is expected or a habit but could probably be dropped from your schedule?  What truly makes Christmas meaningful for you?
4. As you look over the ways below to have a clear heart for Christmas, which of these might you choose to do and how?
   
   H – Hand over the clutter — physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.
   
   E – Experience your senses. Take in the sights, sounds, and tastes of the holidays.
   
   A – Attend to God’s voice, remembering that God speaks in many ways.
   
   R – Rethink your expectations. Are they realistic? Are they yours?
   
   T – Take inventory of your attitudes with a focus on gratitude.

What steps do you take to make sure the focus is on Jesus this holiday season?

Fun Friday Photo -- December 4th, 2009

Abigail admiring Mommy's beautiful roses

Thanks to Kelly M. for this great photo!

Photos wanted! Send us your funny, cute, or just plain fun pictures for our Fun Friday Photos. Each Friday we will post a new "Fun Friday Photo." E-mail your photo and a suggested caption describing the photo to parentlife@lifeway.com. Visit the blog each Friday to see if your photo was chosen!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

As we sat in terrible stop and go traffic Sunday on our way back from a Thanksgiving trip out of state, we listened to Christmas carols. We inevitably heard "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and had to chuckle sarcastically as we inched forward inch by inch! Despite so many things that can make holidays challenging, when it comes down to it, it is the time together as family that is one of the most wonderful things of life. Our time with family was precious, traffic or no traffic! These are the occasions that make lasting memories for parents and children alike.

However, I could kick myself this year for forgetting to take my camera and video camera on our trip. I had to chuckle a few minutes ago when I perused "Christmas Memories" in our December 2009 issue of ParentLife. In this article for our Parenting Matters department, I wrote all about how preserving memories is such an important part of the holidays to our family. Boy, did I ever drop the ball for Thanksgiving this year! I am thankful for my father-in-law for loving photography, so I will be able to get photos to help us remember our Thanksgiving!

Nothing is more precious to me now than to look back on photos of memorable occasions like Christmas. I still have a copy of a Super 8 video my parents took of one of my first Christmases. I am rolling on the floor playing with my Dad and brother. Grandparents are standing around observing the festivities. I forever have footage of my family at that stage in life. That video also has become more precious with the deaths of my grandparents and brother. Seeing them brings back a flood of memories that no one can replace.

This Christmas, I want to think of the impact our time together will have on my children for generations to come — from the photos and video we take to the traditions we celebrate. Above all, I want my children to be aware that the season all centers around Jesus!

What is your favorite Christmas memory or tradition? Share with us by posting one of your favorites!

The Perfect Gift -- December Giveaway

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is watching Christmas movies. If your family is looking for a new Christmas movie to enjoy together this season, consider checking out The Perfect Gift (Kelly's Filmworks).

A spoiled schoolgirl (Christina Fougnie), her overworked executive mother (Amy Hess) and a disillusioned young minister (Matt Wallace) each receive an uplifting message about friendship, commitment, and the truest meaning of Christmas from a friendly, but mysterious, drifter named Jess.

One of ParentLife's frequent writers — Mark Smeby — not only plays a supporting role in the film, but his song "Emmanuel (You Are With Me)" is also featured in the movie and on the soundtrack.

Mark is offering a free download of his song to ParentLife readers during the month of December. Right-click on the link below to download the mp3 now.

To see a trailer of the movie, meet the cast, and buy the DVD, be sure to visit www.perfectgiftmovie.com. 

November Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Marcie ... the winner of our November giveaway.

Marcie won a $25 gift card to Staples to give her a head start on your holiday shopping!  

Be sure to check back later for the details of our December blog giveaway!