Having a thankful attitude is a wonderful character quality that can help steer the course of a child’s life in the right direction. This is why it’s so important for us to teach thankfulness to our children.  And at this time of year, especially, parents hope to see this quality developing in their children.

But have you noticed that children are not always grateful for the things their parents do for them? Of course, we understand that young children don’t comprehend the effort their parents make to provide for their needs and give them the best they can afford.  We don’t expect them to.  But as they grow in their understanding, we want to see evidence of this character trait in their lives that will help them in all their relationships.

While it’s true that some children tend to be thoughtful and appreciative naturally— most children need to be taught to be thankful.  Here are five suggestions that can help you cultivate thankfulness in your children.

1. Begin by being thankful yourself—and expressing your thanks to others. There are many ways to say thank you; verbally, with a hug, a big smile, a thank you card, a phone call, spending time with someone, or an act of kindness.

If you are a Sunday school teacher, have your class write thank you notes to the people who work in your church; your pastors, musicians, ushers, maintenance staff, nursery workers, office workers, missionaries, teachers, and anybody who helps in the church that you think the children should thank.

2. Teach your children to be thankful for their Christian heritage, and their American heritage. Tell them stories about the sacrifices of courageous men and women of years gone by. Teach them history, and visit museums and monuments where they can see and touch real things that represent the foundation of our country.

3. Involve your children in the process of gift giving. On occasion, let them shop with you so they can become more aware of other people’s needs as they look with you for just the right gift. They will learn to appreciate the task of shopping when you let them experience it too!

4. Help children make gifts for others. This need not be a big project. It can be as simple as a drawing or painting, a card, a bookmark, or homemade cookies. Children will experience the joy of giving as they participate in the practical aspects of giving to others. Even letting them wrap presents will give them a sense of anticipation and joy.

5. Most importantly, remember to instill an attitude of praise and thankfulness to God in your home. Thankfulness can be both “taught and caught.” Give thanks at every meal, and in your daily conversation talk about the things you are thankful for. A good Scripture for children to learn on thanksgiving is found in Psalm 100. Even little children can memorize parts of this Psalm, and learning it can help cultivate an atmosphere of thankfulness in your home.

…Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4

May God bless you today!

Verda

When we give children opportunities to serve—we are laying the foundation for a lifetime of ministry! In this post, I’ll be sharing steps we can take to help children learn what it means to serve—and how they can be involved in ministry.  Kids in Ministry is a course I taught for Children’s Ministries University Online, and I’ll be discussing some key points from the course here.

While we understand that children learn from listening and observing, we need to help them move from being just observers and good listeners—to being active participants at some point.  How we do this, will of course, depend on their age, their abilities, and their individual personalities. But in a general sense, there are some key principles we can follow that will help children grow in this area.

1. Create an environment that encourages participation. As teachers, we need to create an atmosphere of love and acceptance in our classes; a safe environment where children feel secure enough to step out and try new things.  Children by nature are “doers”, they want to do what adults do. But their desire to be involved can be squelched by well meaning people.  If children think an adult will embarrass them by pointing out all their mistakes,they will hesitate to volunteer.

Adults need to remember that if we are overly critical or expect perfection, we can discourage our students. Instead we should give them helpful advice; show them the right way to do things; and then gently correct them when necessary.

Another reason kids may hesitate to participate is concern over what their peers may think.  This is more prevalent in older children. Establishing respect for everyone in the class will go a long way towards preventing these concerns. Teachers who model respect for others are teaching children by their consistent example.

2. Listen to their ideas.  Plan times for discussions and let the kids share their ideas.  Give them opportunities to help you plan special events.  This is especially good for older children who want to have adults take their ideas seriously.  Brainstorm with children about specific ways that they can serve.

Of course, you can’t always say yes to their ideas, nor should you.  But try to implement an idea you think has merit. If you’re unsure, you can say, “I’ll think about that” or, “That idea has possibilities.”  My parents often said, “We’ll see…”  Probably most of us have heard that—and said that before!  Certainly there are times we just need to  say no and explain why because kids can come up with some pretty impractical ideas. But if they know you are willing to consider their ideas, it will encourage them to participate.

3. Teach children how to serve.  We begin by teaching our students the biblical basis of serving. Galatians 5:13 KJV says, By love serve one another. This should be the reason for all our service; because we love God and we love each other. We don’t want to give children the impression that service is simply activity; it’s not about how busy we are doing things for people, but why we are doing those things.  Jesus showed his great love for us by serving, He said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…Mark 10:45NIV.  We have no better example to follow!

I’ll continue writing on this subject in other posts.

God bless you today!

Verda

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life…Proverbs 15:4 NIV

Words can build up–or tear down a child’s confidence.Encouraging words can make all the difference in a person’s life. This is especially true for children who are just beginning to learn what life is all about.

Adults have the experience and perspective to overlook “put
downs” or unjust criticism, but because children lack experience and a history
of success, they need the affirmation and encouragement of
the adults in their lives. We encourage children by
communicating our confidence in them. And we do this
with both verbal and nonverbal communication.

Children observe much more than we realize from our non
verbal communication. According to behavior studies, about
80% of what we communicate is nonverbal. How we say
things conveys a great deal.

What a difference it makes to have a smiling teacher greet you
at the door on Sundaymorning! A teacher can quickly lift a child’s spirits
with a cheerful look and a smile. So teachers, let’s remember to
smile often! It’s one way to say that we love our students
and we’re glad to be their teacher.

God bless you today!

Verda

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to be so creative?  One of the reasons may be whether or not they’ve had the opportunity to explore and use their imagination as a child. While it’s true that creativity can grow and blossom at anytime in life—- the early childhood and elementary years are foundational in forming our attitudes about how we approach problems, how we make use of our time and resources, and whether or not we enjoy developing our talents and abilities.

Here are ten ways to encourage your children to grow and develop in this area, and learn how to use their God-given talents and abilities.

1. Provide your children with opportunities for creativity. Don’t over-schedule them. Allow some time for daydreaming, unstructured playing, and creative thinking. But carefully monitor and limit their media time. Too much passive media time can inhibit creativity—and worse, expose them to harmful influences.
2. Arrange a space somewhere in your house for a “creative corner”. This is a place where your child can enjoy a project, and if necessary, leave it undisturbed to finish later.
3. Encourage  children to complete their current project before allowing them to start a new one—OR let them store an unfinished project elsewhere, before starting a new one.
4. Work on projects together—allowing children to participate (at their level) in a meaningful way.
5. Stimulate their interest in an activity by helping them with ideas, making suggestions, and providing a variety of materials for them to work with.
6. Remember the learning process is what’s important in the early stages.
7. Show appreciation for your child’s ideas and opinions, and be a “possibility” thinker yourself.
8. Take your children to places where they can be inspired by God’s creation and man’s inventions. Some good possibilities are museums, historical sites, national parks, camping experiences, manufacturing plants, science and space exhibits, music concerts, and travel to interesting places.
9. Expose your children to good quality literature, music, and art. Selecting those things that are uplifting and help build character.
10. Inspire your children by example and expose them to good role models. Tell them stories, and collect biographies and DVD’s of great Christians of the past and present that will inspire them.  Discuss how God used these people in wonderful ways to bring healing and hope, bring light to darkness, and make our world a better place to live.

Enjoy the wonderful opportunities God has given you today!

Verda

At a family gathering, my brother and I were discussing the teachers we had growing up who’ve made an impact on our lives. It was interesting how we could easily recall the personalities of our teachers, and how they influenced us in a positive or a negative way.

We fondly remembered Mr. Lee, our English teacher, who helped us set high goals and learn more than we thought possible.  His humor and love of teaching came through as he taught, and made his class one of our favorites.

Can you think of a teacher who made an impact on your life?  Teachers can make a lasting impression on the lives of children.  In 2 Timothy 1:6 we read Paul’s admonition to Timothy to “stir up the gift of God that is within you.” Teaching is a gift—and a skill. It needs to be used and developed to be effective. The teaching ideas on this website are designed to help equip and encourage you as you invest in the lives of children.

Remember, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. ” 1  Thessalonians 5:24

Verda Rubottom

Hello there….welcome to my new website and blog! I’ve spent many years teaching children and I’ll be sharing some of the things I’ve learned here—including practical tips, and new insights and ideas. Teaching children to love God and serve Him is the heart of my ministry, and I’ll discuss a range of topics related to their spiritual—as well as their physical, mental, and  emotional needs.

My emphasis will be on understanding children and how they learn, and ways we can teach them more effectively. Other topics I’ll write on are parenting, education, church ministry, missions, and our American heritage.

Background: I’m a credentialed children’s minister and have a BS degree in Family Studies and a Master’s in Education.  My experience (more in the bio section) includes the following: Children’s Ministries Director of the People’s Church in Salem, Oregon; National Children’s Ministry Consultant of the Assemblies of God, Good News Club teacher, bus ministry director, children’s church and Sunday school teacher, workshop leader, writer, and teaching at the college level.

My husband, Roger, and I are blessed with four grown children and 10 grandchildren—eight granddaughters and two grandsons. We are a musical family and all our children are involved in ministry. Roger and I enjoy singing in our church choir and with the Tulsa Praise Orchestra Celebration Choir.

Resources: My hope is that you will find encouragement and great resources here—whether you’re a parent, teacher, church volunteer — or anyone who wants to invest in the lives of children!  Be sure to check out the resource page for free downloads.

God bless you!

Verda