COCUSA BLOG
For parents who want their families to have fun while growing closer to Jesus and to each other
Getting God's Word into Our Home
I’m always on the lookout for different ways to make God’s Word a centerpiece in our home. When I’m at a friend’s house and I see a children’s Bible I’ve never read before, I sit down and flip through it to see if it’s any good (usually without asking!). I do the same thing for kids devotionals. I want to find great Bibles and great devotionals that help my kids get into God’s word. I recently found a great resource that has helped my kids memorize Scripture while having a bunch of fun! Read more to learn about my newest favorite find.
I’m always on the lookout for different ways to make God’s Word a centerpiece in our home. When I’m at a friend’s house and I see a children’s Bible I’ve never read before, I sit down and flip through it to see if it’s any good (usually without asking!). I do the same thing for kids devotionals. I want to find great Bibles and great devotionals that help my kids get into God’s word. One of my recent finds is Seeds Family Worship (www.seedsfamilyworship.com). Seeds is a music ministry that puts the Bible to music. It's quickly becoming a favorite at our house.
I know what you’re thinking (because I thought the same thing when my wife told me): Forcing a tune onto a Bible verse usually doesn’t work out. But when I gave Seeds a listen, I was pleasantly surprised! Far from being annoying, lame, or trying too hard, Seeds puts the Bible to music with creativity and quality.
Click here to check out their video for "The Good Song (Psalm 34:10)."
Besides being decent music, the main reason I was sold on Seeds Family Worship was that it helped our family memorize Scripture. Nothing gets stuck in your head like a good song lyric, and since Seeds’ lyrics are taken directly from the Bible, it’s a win-win! My three-year-old quoted Philippians 4:6-7 in it's entirety: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition present your requests to God.”
The Seeds Family Worship website has a blog with continuing encouragement to memorize God’s word, and inspiring parenting and family posts from time to time. I found one article about how to prioritize family relationships during the busy times that particularlly impacted me. "When Time Is a Four Letter Word," written by Sarah Patrick, comes from the perspective of a family where the husband travels extensively for work. Even though my family situation is different, there are many good take-aways for all of us who find ourselves in a crazy, hectic schedule. I appreciated the reminders to put Jesus first, be friends, and communicate as much as possible.
What do you do to make sure God’s Word is in your home? Leave us a comment!
Rainy Day Activities
You have the perfect Saturday planned with your kids - a trip to the park, sandwiches on a picnic blanket, and time enjoying the beautiful spring weather. But you forgot one thing: spring doesn't come without rain. Don't worry! We've found some great resources for you that will help you turn your rainy day into lasting memories with your family.
You have the perfect Saturday planned with your kids - a trip to the park, sandwiches on a picnic blanket, and time enjoying the beautiful spring weather. But you forgot one thing: spring doesn't come without rain.
Nothing can put a damper on a day’s plan more than an unexpected rainfall. In a time where we are more and more dependent on technology, it is good to have activities to do with kids that don't involve putting in a video game or turning on Netflix. Here are a couple websites with some easy ideas that can break up that long day in house for both you and your children.
Babble.com has a list of 18 Rainy Day Activities to Keep Your Kids Busy, compiled by Gabrielle Blair. There are a lot of great ideas on this list for kids of all ages. One idea that I found especially interesting was #13 Making Homemade Bouncy Balls. There's a simple recipe for making super-bouncy balls from scratch!
Anna Fader, writing for MommyPoppins.com, gives us a list of 50 indoor activities for a rainy day. There are a lot of ideas on this list! If you didn't find something to do from the first list, Mommy Poppins is sure to have something for you. These were two of my favorites:
- #13 Write letters (on actual paper with actual pens and pencils) to out-of-town relatives or friends.
- #39 Make your own granola bars (recipe included!).
Hopefully those lists give you enough inspiration to not just survive the next rainy day, but have a lot of fun with your family! You could just binge-watch a few Disney movies on Netflix, but wouldn't you rather create lasting memories with your kids? Let us know if you have any special rainy day traditions, and help us learn from you!
3 Tips for Telling Stories Your Kids Will Love
My dad would always share a story with my brother and I before we went to sleep. I have vivid memories of my dad sitting in a wooden desk chair in the middle our bedroom with book in his hands and a smile on his face. Sometimes he would read a novel, sometimes he would read from the Bible, and sometimes he would tell us stories from growing up on the farm. My brother and I would listen intently as he captivated us. I loved that time spent with my dad, and I hope to become a great story-teller like him. As I've studied story-telling, I've found these 3 simple tips helpful for crafting a great story. Follow this advice, and hopefully you can captivate your kids with stories they'll love for a lifetime.
My dad would always share a story with my brother and I before we went to sleep. I have vivid memories of my dad sitting in a wooden desk chair in the middle our bedroom with book in his hands and a smile on his face. Sometimes he would read a novel, sometimes he would read from the Bible, and sometimes he would tell us stories from growing up on the farm. My brother and I would listen intently as he captivated us. I loved that time spent with my dad, and I hope to become a great story-teller like him.
As I've studied story-telling, I've found these 3 simple tips helpful for crafting a great story. Follow this advice, and hopefully you can captivate your kids with stories they'll love for a lifetime.
1) Establish a Pattern.
All good stories follow a familiar pattern. You can find this pattern in nearly every movie, TV show, or novel.
- A hero is introduced. The hero is admirable, yet relatable.
- The hero wants something, but there's a problem.
- The hero gets the help she needs from a guide, who forms a plan with the hero.
- The hero takes a risk to reach the goal.
- Sometimes the hero triumphs, and sometimes the hero fails.
Using a predictable pattern for your stories will help your kids latch on to your tales of adventure. Your stories will become much more memorable when they feel familiar.
Check out more on the pattern of stories from this post at dadcraft.com.
2) Explore the Edges.
Once you've established a pattern for your stories, get creative! Explore the edges of the boundaries you've set for yourself. Maybe your hero is a shy, pink, sea otter. Maybe the guide is an imaginary friend that only the hero can see. Maybe the plan falls apart because aliens invaded Minneapolis. Once you have a framework in place, run free inside it! Your kids will love all the twists, turns, and weirdness your introduce.
3) Don't Hide the Flaws.
We all like a story with a happy ending, but life almost never has a storybook ending. Don't be afraid play up the hero's character flaws. It's ok for the hero not to get everything she wants in the end. Sometimes, the guide can be wrong. Introducing flawed characters into your stories will help your kids to understand how to navigate real-world situations. You can use these moments to teach your kids wisdom on how to act, think, and behave.
If it's ok for [the hero] not to be perfect, perhaps we don't have to be perfect either.
-John Richmond from his post on Storyline.com
Becoming a master story-teller takes some practice. You might have to start out telling a few boring stories before you leave your kids on the edge of their seats. However, with just a little practice, you can start telling stories that your kids will remember for a lifetime. And maybe one day when they're grown and have families of their own, they'll bring the grandkids over to your house and ask you to tell them a story.
Do you tell stories to your kids? What characters have you created? What kinds of stories do you tell? Leave a comment and let us learn from you!
Reading for Closer Relationships with Your Kids - Web Catch of the Week
Last week as my wife and I were cleaning up at the end of the day, I heard the sound of pages ripping coming from our family room. When I entered the room, I saw my son sitting on the floor tearing pages out of books. I quickly stopped him and told him it was wrong to destroy books. When he asked me why it was wrong, I had to pause and think. Why are books so important? In the increasingly digital world, are books really necessary for kids anymore? After doing some research, I found 2 sources that helped me use books to build a closer relationship with my kids.
Last week as my wife and I were cleaning up at the end of the day, I heard the sound of pages ripping coming from our family room. When I entered the room, I saw my son sitting on the floor tearing pages out of books. I quickly stopped him and told him it was wrong to destroy books. When he asked me why it was wrong, I had to pause and think. Why is it important for us to keep these books in good condition? Besides taking care of the things that have been given to us, I wanted him to understand the important role books play in our lives. Realizing I didn’t know how to explain this, I wanted to learn more about how reading impacts kids' development.
Dr. Perri Klass, Medical Director of Reach Out and Read, outlines the importance of reading with our kids in her article, “Bedtime Stories for Young Brains”. Beyond the brain and language development that occurs when a student reads or is read to, I really appreciated Klass’s focus on how reading creates a face-time, skin-to-skin connection between a parent and a child. Her article helped me understand that my kids both return to the same books over and over again because there is a security in the routine of reading Dr. Suess’s The Grinch together— even if it’s for the third time that day.
Every night before going to bed, I read a few stories from The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones with my kids. It’s a resource we also use at Camp because it does a great job of helping kids see that the Bible is all about Jesus. Besides reading for mental development, Sally Lloyd-Jones explains in her blog post “Teach Children the Bible is Not About Them” that reading the Bible to our kids helps them (and us) become a part of God’s “magnificent story” to His people. It’s liberating to think that I don’t always need to explain or over-explain time and time again the stories we are reading together as a family. Sometimes, it’s beneficial to simply let God’s stories speak for themselves, because there is power in the Word of God.
What about you? How do you incorporate reading into your family time? What are your kids’ go-to books when it’s time to read? Leave a comment and let us learn from you!
Help Set Your Kids Up for Financial Success
Working multiple jobs is a familiar way of life for many parents. The added work can be very stressful for both you and for your children. What if you could keep your kids safe from financial stress? What if they didn't have to work multiple jobs when they get older? Check out this post for some simple first steps in helping your kids reach financial success.
Student loans are an enormous problem. The national student debt is now over $1.2 trillion (yes, trillion. With a "t"). Like most recent college graduates, I'm working to pay off my loans as quickly as possible. I've picked up a part time job to put more money towards my debt, and often my work day lasts from 7:30am to 10:30pm. I'm sure that working multiple jobs is a familiar way of life for many of you. The added work can be very stressful for both you as a parent and for your children. What if you could set your kids up for financial success? What if they didn't have to work a 2nd job when they get older?
Best selling author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host Dave Ramsey has helped many people get out of debt and experience financial peace. Chris Brown, another member of the Ramsey Solutions family, wrote a insightful article on helping your kids avoid common money mistakes. Chris offers financial wisdom for parents with kids of any age with practical tips you can put into practice right now.
It starts at home. The Bible says that parents should “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6), but many simply don’t feel equipped to teach their kids about money matters.
Check out "9 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Money."
How do you teach your kids about money? What practical ways have you taught your kids how to manage their finances? Nobody does this perfectly, so it's ok to admit you're still learning. Leave a comment, and help us to learn from you!
Web Catch of the Week: Raising Grateful Kids
I used to think I was a naturally grateful person. But as my life became busier and full of stress, there were days when my thankful mentality would fade away. It's a challenge to be thankful when times are tough, but gratefulness is a muscle that gets stronger with use. How can you train yourself and your kids to stay thankful in every situation? Here's a few things that help me cultivate gratefulness.
-Blake Bennett
I used to think I was a naturally grateful person. Gratefulness is not something I struggled with growing up. My parents raised me to believe that because I am a sinner, I’m undeserving of the life I was given. But through God's grace and Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, I could live freely! As seasons changed in my life and I became busier and full of stress, there were days when that thankful mentality would fade away. That is, until the day my mom gave me a book; One Thousand Gifts: A Dare To Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.
In her book, Ann shares her own struggle of cultivating thankfulness in dark days and everyday challenges. She decided that instead of fighting through the challenges of her circumstances, she was going to embrace each moment as a gift. She uses a gratefulness journal each day to write down three things for which she is grateful. It could be as simple as witnessing the sunrise on the drive to work, or as big as the blessing of a child. I’ve personally found that using a gratefulness journal helps me to be more aware of the endless ways God is working in my life. I’m able to recognize the physical blessings he puts right in front of me that I so often ignore. Gratefulness helps all of us realize that we always have more than we deserve.
While reading Ann Voskamp’s blog, I came across a guest writer named Jessica who posted "5 Ways to Raise Grateful Kids" on her blog The Mom Creative. She also recommended a book with a similar focus called Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch. These are great resources to developing a thankful mentality in ourselves and in our kids. In a world full of instant gratification and self-promotion, we all need to proactively pursue gratitude. At the end of the day, it’s the only thing we can give back to God in response to all that he has given us.
Web Catch of the Week: Protecting Your Kids Online From Explicit Material
Living when and where we do, the reality is that our kids have easy access to pornography. As parents, it feels as if we have little chance to protect our kids from pornography because our society continues to trend towards more lewdness and sensuality. How can we protect our kids from sexually explicit material?
Let’s just call this post uncomfortable from the beginning, shall we?
Living when and where we do, the reality is that our kids have easy access to pornography. As parents, it feels as if we have little chance to protect our kids from pornography because our society continues to trend towards more lewdness and sensuality. Mainstream media and advertising seem to become more sensualized every day. The ability to access questionable and inappropriate material is literally everywhere. In short, we’re up against a lot.
How can we protect our kids from sexually explicit material?
While I don’t claim to have the ultimate answer, I recently read the book Good Pictures Bad Pictures with my eight and nine year old sons. The authors, Kristen Jenson and Gail Poyner, provided a kid-friendly explanation of the dangers of pornography, and kept it from being explicit or sensualizing. I really appreciated the explanation of addictions and how porn triggers brains (and especially younger brains) in a dangerous way. Even more helpful is their practical “CAN DO” plan for kids to follow when they come across pornography.
In addition to the book, the authors have a website called PornProofKids.com - Tips and Tools to Protect Young Minds. They regularly update their blog to keep this important issue on the forefront. While their blogs are not written from a specifically Christian perspective, I appreciate their focus on pornography as a major societal issue that needs to be tackled by everyone. In “Who’s Fighting the New Public Health Crisis,” they highlight several others groups fighting back against porn.
Part of defeating pornography is making sure we are comfortable discussing it with each other and with our kids. If we can't talk about it, our kids won't be able to talk about it either. Start the conversation with your kids today!
Web Catch of the Week: Kids in the Kitchen
When we consider our children’s eating habits, the decisions we make today about food could impact them for a lifetime. If you want to teach your kids to eat healthier but don't know where to start, try these tips for getting the whole family involved in healthy meal preparation.
In our last two posts ("Make 2016 Count" Part 1 & Part 2), we’ve been exploring ways to have our best year yet. I can imagine one of your goals for the year may have something to do with physical health. An important factor in staying healthy and making sure our kids learn healthy habits is watching what we eat. I know from personal experience that I can go to the gym every night of the week, but if I'm not maintaining a healthy diet, exercise seems pointless. When we consider our children’s eating habits, the decisions we make today could impact them for a lifetime.
One way to model healthy eating habits for your kids is to get in the kitchen together! This may sound daunting or even dreadful for busy parents, but a mom named Kelly has offered some great tips for "cultivating little sous chefs" on her blog The Nourishing Home. She reminds us that yes, the kitchen may end up messier and the cooking process will most likely take longer in the beginning, but there are so many educational and practical skills that your kids can learn from helping prepare a meal. You can help diversify their taste buds, and with a little patience, strengthen your relationship as well. Hey, you may even end up with someone to make you dinner!
If you’re worried about finding the time to cook with your kids, a good starting point may be to try and make a healthy breakfast on Saturday morning with the whole family. Here is a delicious recipe for homemade granola from Pass The Knife, a home-based blog solely focused on bringing kids into the kitchen.
Is cooking a family affair for you? Tell us some ways you integrate your children into the cooking process, share a favorite family recipe, or feel free to ask meal-prep questions by leaving a comment!
Search the Blog
