Not only do they feel good about helping, they feel loved because they've been included. And the icing on the cake? They learn a new skill. Teach your kids to be self sufficient. Give them responsibility. Trust them with the little things and gradually it will grow to the BIG things.
It's okay to push a little hard. Encourage them! Tell them, "YES YOU CAN, JUST KEEP TRYING!"
And eventually those little things become HUGE accomplishments! Let them know that they are an important part of your family. Tell them you need them to make this family run smoothly. We all need to pitch in. We are a unit and when one part of the unit is down, hurt or broken, someone else has to pick up the slack and do double duty.......
It makes a big difference when they see that they are an important piece to your family puzzle and that with out them they are missed and needed. There is an empty space, a hole......
We work together to take care of each other....It's important. THEY are important!
And sometimes it may take a little longer for one child to realize his importance, his place in the family....But Keep keeping on....Don't give up! They will come around. I'm slowly seeing evidence of this in one of our own.....
Sometimes they just need a little more push, a little more reassurance that they are needed. That they are LOVED. Yes I have discovered that all my kids have similarities but, at the same time they are all quite very different. Which means they need to be disciplined different and yes, sometimes even loved differently.
Let them know your learning too. Sometimes Mama and Daddy, Well we are gonna make mistakes. And as much as we need to give them grace, they need to learn grace too.
Sometimes it's a p-nut butter and jelly sandwich that starts them on the road to self reliance. All of my kids knew how to make a sandwich early. By age 5 they could make their lunch if Mama was tied up doing something else. Yes there was a mess at times and yes sometimes you have to let it go. P-nut butter does clean up. I promise!
Most of all they are watching you.....Every gesture you make. Every gift you wrap. The time that you give to strangers and friends even when you don't have the time to give. Every time you say yes and the times you say no. The times you encourage and the times you just walk away......
When you sacrifice your time they will notice. If you don't sacrifice your time, you will notice the evidence in their future. Cultivating a servant's heart takes Prayer, time, patience, love, and GRACE.....But it's so very worth the sacrifice!
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