Children Need Cheerleaders

Dearest Ones,

Children need all the encouragement we can give them. Don't scold your children so much that they become discouraged and quit trying. Parents must take the time they have and use it the very best way they can in order to make an impact on the precious ones God has put under their care.

One of the most encouraging things a parent can do is to give each child an hour or so that belongs just to him or her. Many parents say bedtime provides the best opportunity to converse, encourage and pray with each child individually. Children need time alone with their parents. This helps the child understand his uniqueness. He needs to know he is special and unlike any other child God created.

Parents need to understand their kids and learn how they can minister to their needs. This doesn't mean always giving them what they want or letting them do anything they please. It means loving them and encouraging their uniqueness.

Words are powerful, capable of destroying children. They can be used as weapons for getting even and can bring a child down in a way that nothing else can. It's a terrible thing to be in a family where the only thing parents ever notice are things their children do wrong.

No doubt you have heard horror stories of parents who ask their kids, "Why aren't you like your brother?" The child usually says, "I'm not like him because I'm not him!" Children are encouraged when we affirm their originality, not when we compare them with someone else. Some kids are athletic; some aren't. Some are musical; some aren't. Some are introverts; others are extroverts. They are all different, but all are gifts from God.

When they do something good, tell them you appreciate it and you are glad they did it. Tell them often. Praise them often. That's what it means to be a cheerleader. Children need to know that no matter what happens in their lives, their parents are for them. Parents to communicate the love they have for their children - not hide it. One way to communicate that love is by laughing with your children. Children remember crazy things done together with their parents. They will be telling their own children about the fun times they had with their parents.

God is taking care of your family. he's in charge - but he needs you, which might mean you need to change. He will make you the kind of parent you need to be, if you only ask Him. Don't try to do it alone.

All my love and prayers,
Sister Francelle