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A Net in Time

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Parenting

Review: 365 Bible Answers

February 1, 2018 By Annette1 2 Comments

You know how important it is to have daily devotions right?  As Christian parents we know how important it is to get our children off on the right foot when it comes to knowing God and understanding his best plan for us.  365 Bible Answers for Curious Kids is an excellent way to get your children started on having daily devotions.

my review of 365 bible answers for curious children.  A way to use discernment as you teach your children about God.

Bible Answers is a book built around this premise: If I could ask God anything?  What might that answer be?  Children might ask such questions as Who is God?  When God looks at me what does he see?  Did Jesus know ahead of time he was going to die?  What are the 12 tests of Abraham?  Why does the word Selah appear in the margins of the Psalms?  What are some tips for praying with others?  All these questions are indexed in the back of the book so you can easily refer to them.

Index of 365 Bible Answers for Curious Kids

Each page follows a similar format.  Daily question in bold at the top, followed by a scripture reference.  I found most of these references to be spot on.  Followed by the devotional.  Each day closes with a very short prayer, along with a want to know more section with references other devotionals within the book. page layout for devotional from 365 bible answers for curious children

There is one devotional on each page.  This is what a two page spread would look like. As you can see, each page is done in various shades of blue/blue-green.   If you read the scripture reference in context, each devotional would take 5-10 minutes. two page spread sample of 365 bible answers for curious children

My thoughts:

If you want to get into having regular devotions with your children this book will help.  As with all devotionals there are devotions that will be better than others, and this book is no exception.  Some of the answers given where spot on. There were some questions I have a hard time imagining children asking.  I appreciated the bigger topics were spread out over of a few days (such as the Lord’s Prayer, growth of the christian church, is the devil real etc).  I do wish they had made the prayers a bit longer, but understand the space limitations of the book, it would be easy enough to use the prayer provided as a starting place to teaching children how to pray effectively.  All in all, if you are looking for a devotional to use to help your children, and your family, get into the regular practice of knowing God more, this book will be of aid to you. You may even, as a parent, find some of your own questions answered.  I know I did. 🙂

You do need to keep in mind when buying a generic devotional that it will cover different aspect of faith in God. Such as the various branches of the catholic and protestant faith. As such, some topics might not be in-line with the doctrines of your church. I saw this most clearly in some of the prayers taught, and how holidays were covered. As with ANY devotional you need to use your God-given discernment on each days reading, and if reading with young children, read the passage first to yourself, and then choose how you will cover that days reading. You could simply use the question as a jumping off point to talk about it with your family.

Be wise and use this devotional to help further your children’s understanding of God. If the daily devotional doesn’t work for you, bypass it, move on to the next, you have a handy bookmark to keep your place. Never be afraid to skip or change a message to avoid confusing your children. Help them to look to God’s word for the answers to them.

 Picture Cover of 365 Bible Answers for Curious Children
365 Bible Answers for Curious Kids
Kathryn Slattery
Tommy Nelson
Hardcover, page marker, devotional, children

Reviewed for: BookLookBloggers.

Where to find: Amazon Link. 

Filed Under: Faith, Reviews Tagged With: Book Review, Devotional, Parenting

Review: 1-2-3 Parenting With Heart

December 15, 2017 By Annette1 2 Comments

Are you a parent looking for a way to discipline your children in a way that works? 
Do you want to learn a method that has some biblical merit behind it?  Then I will suggest you check out 1-2-3 Parenting with a heart: Three step discipline for a calm and godly household.
1-2-3 Parenting with Heart is based on a book by Thomas Phelan, which teaches parents to parent with justice and mercy.  I found it didn’t back up the biblical claims a great deal but it did touch on a few verses.  It’s a matter of finding the balance between being warm and friendly with being a person who has firm expectations.

The book is broken down in to six sections, each section having 2 to 7 sub-sections contained within.   The six sections are:  

  • Building a Solid Foundation for Parenting
  • Controling Obnoxious Behaviour: Parenting Job 1
  • Managing testing and manipulation
  • Encouraging Good Behaviour: Parenting Job 2
  • Strengthening your Relationship with your Children: Parenting Job 3
  • Enjoying Your New Family Life

This method of raising your children is recommended for ages 2-12. The book is well-written with a personable tone, including many real-life stories from families utilizing this method of parenting their children.    I really liked the before and after cartoons, show casing how real challenges can be handled.

Let me see, what else can I tell you about this trade paperback? Oh, it has built in tips, set into corners and off-sides to make their helpfullness all the more apparent.  Each chapter clossed with a series of questions to make you think a spell about what you just read and learned.

My thoughts:

Honestly… I don’t know what I think about this book, part of that unsettled feeling about it is that  1-2-3 method is not one that I would choose to employ.  (cause every family is different in their dynamics).  BUT I do very much like how the author spells out to use this method successfully and how he broaches other parenting concerns as well…such as teaching children (through the use of natural consequences) to take responsibility for what they can. 1-2-3 Parenting with Heart does an excellent job of sticking to it’s premise.  Giving parents a defined method to help discipline their children without yelling.  Just a simple countdown with follow through.

I guess my concern is that … so often throughout the book it seemed like parents were setting down rules and expecting their children to follow through… just I struggled to see the grace of God at work through this method.  And maybe it’s there, because granted I didn’t read every word or paragraph…. it’s just a struggle, not a defined problem.  I can see it as being very beneficial to a whole lot of families.

1-2-3 Parenting with heart

Thomas W. Phelan & Chriss Webb

Trade paperback, adult.

304 pages

Reviewed for: Raincoast books.

Filed Under: Faith, Reviews Tagged With: Parenting

Things We Learn from Our Children

October 30, 2017 By Annette1 6 Comments

I wanted to do a post focused on things I have learned from my lad, but my lad wasn’t real keen on that as a topic, so I asked him…what if I asked OTHER parents what they have learned from their children and just throw in the odd tidbit of what I have learned from you and you know what?   He thought that was a great idea!

So without further ado…

From Carol: My children have taught me that it is ok to not know everything. They’ve
also taught me patience and determination. They’ve taught me that each
student is a unique individual and needs instruction tailored to them.

Our daughters have taught me about things they enjoy- like textiles, black holes and farm animals.

From Jen:
One
thing my children have taught me is the value of making what they are
learning practical to their lives. For example learning fractions is
great. But using fractions to cook, bake, shop and save really makes
them connect to what they are learning to life. Then it sticks! If you
can make whatever you are teaching them something they can use-it will
stick.

From Kym:
I keep meaning to do a post (or series) something like this too – things
*I* learned while homeschooling. I think I have done one like that.
Hmm.  Anyway, things I have learned FROM my children:

My oldest
son taught me the importance of having a goal. He fought me on a lot of
school stuff until he made his first solid decision on what he wanted to
be when he grew up. Then I could tell him why he needed to pass algebra
and why he needed to work on grammar etc. Didn’t mean that the struggle
and attitude was perfect after that – but it was a huge improvement.

My
second son taught me patience and diligence, because he just took
longer to get everything done. But he stuck to it, and did it well.

My third son taught me about Civil Air Patrol, discipline, and leadership.

My daughter teaches me about music and story-writing and the arts. And about the joy of creativity, and whole-hearted worship.

All
of my kids have taught me a lot about learning styles and making things
understandable and interesting for different personalities.

Academically,
I’ve learned a lot more about history, chemistry, physics, astronomy,
algebra, and art from them and while trying to keep up with them!

From Kimberley:
I
agree. Another big thing for me is that learning is everywhere. If our
guy learns something by experiencing it at a historic park, science
centre, or even a national park, it seems to stick as well.

From Michelle:
The
most important thing I learned from my kids is to listen to them. I
know it sound obvious. But I had to learn to let go of my ideas of who
they should be and let them find their passions in life. I needed to
change how I saw my role in their lives. I am the facilitator, advocate
and guide.

So how about you?   
What have you learned from your children?  Lessons, thoughts, new insights?   I’d love to hear from you.

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: homeschool, Parenting

Parenting Series: Mercy

August 24, 2017 By Annette1 2 Comments

 Do you know what mercy is?

Mercy is “tenderheartedness and compassion toward someone in need” (Tripp p. 195) 

Mercy is “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.”  (google)

When I was growing up I was taught that mercy was “unmerited favour”. 

Mr. Tripp asks us to remember what it is, and to also remember, how much we need mercy in our own lives. Can you remember how important mercy is to you in your own walk with the Lord.

Now .. holding that in your mind.  Think about your children. 

Now.. think back to the beginning of this series when we learned about how we should see ourselves as ambassadors.  Parents who represent God to their children. 

So how can you show mercy to your children as you are shown mercy by God?

1. By remembering the mercy you have received.  How God convicts us for our poor actions changing our hearts so that we can better parent our children. 

2. Mercy drives our hearts in compassion to help our children, so we can show them Christ at every opportunity, which helps us show them what is going on in their heart, which helps us leave what must be left to God. 

3. Mercy drives us to admit our failings, to confess them before God and, when needed, before our children. 

4. Mercy requires us root all we say in scripture, relying on God’s words to see us through.  Taking advantage of the opportunities he places before us.

5. Mercy calls us to be slow to anger and ever so quick to forgive.   I have to admit… This one is hard!  Oh it is, I’ve got a quick temper…but I have an equally quick forgiveness bar.  It is so easy to forgive and let things fall to the past.  I need God to help me show grace BEFORE I get angry about things…. oh how I need him in this. 

6. Seeing mercy in action does something odd you know… (at least for me).  Seeing mercy in action calls me to prayer more than anything else.  God has given me grace upon grace and it is SO not deserved….so it helps me to see my need for more grace and mercy so that I can be a better parent to my lad. 

Be a parent of mercy.
Show your children the Lord God who loves you.
And you will be a better parent.
Really.  🙂

Thanks for joining me as I went through Parenting by David Paul Tripp, in the next week or so I’ll be introducing another book.  Which one I’m not entirely certain yet.

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Christian living, faith, Parenting, Parenting Series

Parenting Series: Rest

August 10, 2017 By Annette1 2 Comments

Rest.  Ah what does the mean?

parenting rest

Sometimes in the busyness of parenting and raising a child we forget something, something that is so vital it is surprising that we forget it. What do we forget?
We have forgotten how to rest in the one we trust most.  God.  To just rest in him.  To remember his grandeur and holiness.

The more we see that part of God, the more we are able to rest in him.  To be burdened, overwhelmed or troubled.

To bring those burdens and feelings before the Lord.  He won’t shame you for them, but he will help you through them, giving you guidance and support.  He does!  God doesn’t call us to parent on our own but to parent with him.

Mr. Tripp refers us to a bible passage

Matt 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Not your typical parenting passage, but a passage that does speak to what our main purpose in parenting is.  To do everything you can to encourage, call and train your children to be disciples of Christ.   THAT is our job in a nut shell.

And does he leave us to do this on our own?  NO!  He promises to be with us always, even to the end of the age. 

Some things to remember as a Christian parent
1. you won’t be punished for your failure.  
2. you are welcomed by grace to new beginnings
3. you are not left to your limited resources
4. God blesses you with right here, right now wisdom.
5. You do not have to load the burden of your children’s welfare on your shoulders every morning.
6. God will never close his ears to your cries for help.
7. Weakness is not a curse, it’s a blessing.
8. Success is about faithfulness, not results.

Remember.. we can’t change the hearts of our children, and that’s not our job.  Our job is simply to call them to know the Lord, to encourage, help, show the way, but we can’t force it.  Only God can bring them to true faith.

Want to follow along?  Here’s where you can find it.
Amazon.ca: Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles.
Amazon.com: Parenting, by Paul David Tripp.

https://schoolhouseteachers.com/dap/a/?a=2815Did you know that the schoolhouseteachers.com has a parenting section to it?   And one of those classes is about how to raise faithful children?  Cool eh?  You can find it here.

Only $139 US for the entire year, with courses for the entire family from preschool up to parenting.  🙂   Good stuff eh?

 

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Christian living, faith, Parenting, Parenting Series

Parenting Series: Control

August 3, 2017 By Annette1 2 Comments

Can you believe we only have three chapters left!!!   I know.. time flies eh?

Today’s chapter is about control…and I like this chapter.  Frankly it fits where we are at in the raising of our lad.   We are giving him more and more choices about things and it’s flummoxing him.   He’s such a people pleaser that we are trying to give him no-fail options and he’s still struggling.  I think with time it will come, but right now he’s just flummoxed. 

You see.. I figure if he starts out small… when we can help guide his actions and help him consider the larger ramifications of things in the light of who  GOD wants us to be, it will serve him well in the long run.

We ran into that today with a “game troll” today that has the lad all upset and wanting to respond to him, and we told him.. Let it Go.  Don’t feed the troll.  Ignore him and eventually he will stop (or at least we’ll get used to ignoring him). The lad didn’t understand why or how that would work and why he couldn’t yell at this troublemaker.  Which gave us a chance to talking about how if you don’t feed the troll it helps bring peace again.  How God calls us to go beyond ourselves.  It’s good to help him think these types of things through.

So as we work through this choice and decision making time with our lad we need to consider his needs.
For Guidance, protection, instruction, wisdom, authority, rules, structure, preparation, understanding, confrontation, discipline, warning, love, forgiveness, and security.

But beyond this wonderful list there is a deeper need that our children have. 
To understand their sin so they will call out to God for mercy.
To understand the nature of sin so they don’t negate it’s danger
To understand that their problem is not with their parents, but with God. 
To understand that sin produces behaviour problems.
To understand their only real help is to run to the forgiving grace of God.

The end is God.  That’s where it is.
Working through decisions, you need to see God’s help.

This is what I need to do with my lad…help him to see God in his decision-making, helping him, guiding him, forgiving him.   This is something he is needful more and more of seeing.
Seeing it this deeper need, makes the letting go of a lad an easier thing. A good thing as he matures and becomes more of the person God has called him to be.  

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Christian living, christianity, faith, Parenting, Parenting Series, Series

Parenting Series: False Gods

July 27, 2017 By Annette1 2 Comments

Have you ever asked yourself these questions.
1. Why do my children do the things they do?
2. How does change take place in children’s hearts and lives?
3. How can I be a tool of change in the hearts and lives of my children?

The answer to all these questions is this: worship.

Everything children do is related to what they worship most in that moment. 

Is it outward appearance?  Making other people happy?   Wanting to do their own thing?   Wanting more stuff?   What is at the root of their behaviour?

I  was recently reading in Romans that when one gives glory to God it makes your faith stronger.   Mr. Tripp talks about how worship is something that we live everyday.  It’s an attitude and choice.  Worship is that inner desire to wonder and amazement that we all possess. It’s part of our life long hunt for God. 

So tying these thoughts together… as we increase the chances for our children to worship God, we will grow their faith.  Makes sense eh?  So we need to see the bigger struggles and not just the surface stuff.  We need to build on that connection to God.

Mr. Tripp lists off seven things in our goal to do that.
1. The capacity of the heart of our children to worship is meant to drive them to God.
2. The capacity of your children to worship is the most important biblical insight for parents.
3. Since your children are worshippers, you must be committed to being an instrument of seeing.
4. Since your children are worshippers, a vital skill for you is to learn how to lead them to confession. 
5. To say your children are worshippers means you have no power to free them from their biggest problems.
6. Because your children are worshippers, your only ope for them is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
7. We are more like our children than unlike them.

Remember.. God has given you the grace to parent the children he gave you.  Search their hearts, help them search their hearts, help them to see God more clearly so they can worship him all the more.

Want to follow along?  Amazon affiliate links below.

Amazon.ca:  Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family

Amazon.com: Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time . We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Christian living, christianity, faith, Parenting, Parenting Series, Series

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