PrincipledMom™

In the final part of this series I wanted to end with some practical application, because that's what I enjoy.

Imagine the classical music playing in the background as you gather your little chicks for a day of lessons. As you finish your opening prayer your little cherub-faced angel is looking up at you longingly for some words of inspiration. You pontificate as your child sits at your feet, enraptured by your wisdom. Yea, right. Let's get real...

Reasoning with yound children is a little like swimming for the first time. It's scary but you can't wait to do it again. You don't have all the answers (who does??) and you don't feel fully prepared (you probably never will, honey). The phone rings, the littlest ones get into stuff they shouldn't and you sometimes have a bad day. How do you manage to carve out some time to reason with your kids?

1. Reasoning takes place anywhere, anytime. It can be with a simple discussion about grasshoppers or a memory verse from church. Next time your little one asks you a question, I challenge you to ask them some questions back. See if they can answer their own question, at a basic level.
2. Also you must pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you instant in season and out of season. Kids come up with conversations at the strangest times and you would hate to miss out on a wonderful opportunity.
3. Build time to reason into your daily plans. Don't fill up with facts and activities and leave no time to ponder things. Give them time to respond with their own thoughts, even if they must take a day to do it. Let them think and get back to you. But don't forget to get back to it!
4. Get rid of notebooks with fill-in-the-blank answers. They will never learn to reason that way. Ask your own open-ended questions. When they are young it is very easy to do.
5. Take time, as you can, to prepare beforehand. I know this can be a struggle sometimes but when you read the lesson ahead and write some points out to reason together it will boost your confidence and you will be more porductive.
6. Keep your Bible and 1828 dictionary close. They will be invauable to your family as you reason together.

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