The following is from Development Through the Lifespan, by Laura E. Berk.

1. Respond to coos and babbles with speech sounds and words.
2. Establish joint attention and comment on what child sees.
3. Play social games, such as pat-a-cake and peekaboo.
4. Engage toddlers in joint make-believe play.
5. Engage toddlers in frequent conversations.
6. Read to toddlers often, engaging them in dialogue about picture books.

Put these into practice and your child will develop their language skills well. They will experiment “with sounds that can later be blended into first words.” They will learn turn-taking for conversation. Their vocabulary will develop faster. They will grow in their conversation ability, develop language earlier and likely enable greater academic success later. Reading “provides exposure to many aspects of language, including vocabulary, grammar, communication skills, and information about written symbols and story structure.”

Based on the movie Courageous, comes a website designed to equip dads and families with tools for building a courageous home. Check out some great ideas!

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 4,100 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 3 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

News & Events.

Human Trafficking is a worldwide problem. Canada is not exempt and neither is my home town of Sarnia, ON. Take a moment to pray for these children and young women who are being forced into prostitution and other forms of slavery right under our noses. Click the link for more information specifically for the Sarnia Lambton area.

3 Quick Wins for Kids’ Ministry | The Resurgence.

Saw it, liked it, sharing it!

1. Breakfast together including a Scripture verse to memorize.
   1. We use Foundation Verses on my iPhone (from Fighter Verses adapted for kids). You can also access it from the web.
2. Prayer before school.
   1. Just a short, simple prayer to send everyone off with a reminder that God goes with us throughout the day.
3. Walk to school, word of encouragement.
   1. I walk my oldest to school on purpose.
   2. I enjoy the relational moments, the fun conversations, jumping over the cracks and making footprints in the snow!
   3. I try to think of ways to encourage her for the day ahead.
      1. Exs: What will you talk about with your friends today? How can you give your best? When someone is mean to you, how can you respond like Jesus?
4. Play with kids after work
   1. Love this part of the day.
   2. I get to act like a kid, be a horse to ride, wrestle with my boy to show off his tough side, watch my girl dress pretty and tell her how lovely she is.
   3. See You Have What is Takes by John Eldredge for using life as a way to help answer your kids’ primary questions.
5. Devotions at dinner.
   1. We use a variety of tools, but primarily the Bible.
   2. Tools include: Long Story Short, Thank God Tell God flashcards (prayer cards I made up for my church), Gather ‘Round the Dinner Fable, etc.
6. Prayers at meal times.
   1. This establishes a consistent time throughout the day to connect with God with thankful hearts.
7. Bedtime rituals (one of my favourite times of the day):
   1. Brush teeth/get in pyjamas.
   2. Reading
      1. Mr. Men and Little Miss books, Dangerous Journey/adventure stories, kid friendly biographies/missionary stories, board books, educational materials, etc.
      2. We let kids often choose what story they want to read.
      3. Basically, we keep bookshelves filled with all kinds of books to choose from.
   3. Bible story
      1. The Jesus Storybook Bible, Manga Bibles, etc.
   4. Bedtime snuggles and conversation.
      1. We debrief the day and basically talk about anything that comes to mind.
      2. Sometimes we just lay together.
   5. Bedtime prayer
      1. This is a time we guide our kids on all kinds of prayers. Prayers for friends, family, people around the world, etc.

Other habits: take kids to store, mini-dates, lots of hugs and “I love yous.”

While we seek to keep to these habits, we admit that with being human comes error. We do not always do this perfectly every day and that’s okay. However, we do them consistently, and when we don’t do them we simply get after it again next time.

What are some of your habits? I’d love to know!

Doctrine for Kids Debuts This Sunday! | Pastor Mark.

Gonna have to keep my eye on this. Looks real good. Check out the cool track on their site.

For one of my classes in seminary I wrote a paper inspired by the Biblical passage in Exodus 20:5-6 and repeated in Deuteronomy 5:9-10, which says,

…I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

I asked myself the question, being a dad of three young children, “How does what I do affect my kids and their future kids down through the generations?” So for all dads and moms, the questions that arise from this passage are extremely urgent. If how I brush my teeth affects future generations, how much more so will the way I treat my wife, work at my job and love my God! And if there is an affect, what kind of affect is it? How severe is it? How lasting? Then also, how important is it that I make very intentional decisions right now about how I live my life and raise my kids, because it will dramatically alter the course of history!? Our sin does have profound penalties on future generations, but do not be crushed by this thought. Rather, relish in the wonderful reward for those who love God: steadfast, unbreaking and forever love in everlasting covenant friendship with God!

If you’re up for it I challenge you to read the research paper I put together in the attached pdf. Doing so may shakeup the course of your life and future family history in incredible ways! While it will require some serious thought, the process will deepen your commitment to God and your family’s future legacy.

To learn about storytelling or to find some good novels check out the website (and blog) of Steven James.