HANDLING CHILDREN DURING SUMMER HOLIDAYS

                                                  

 

IT'S FINALLY HERE...

ITS EVERY PARENTS NIGHTMARE:)))) THE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE HOME THROUGHOUT THE DAY...HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE THEM...HOW ARE WE GOING TO MANAGE THE NOISE AND THE RUNNING AND THE WHINING AND THE FIGHTING AND COMPLAINING (If there are more than two children) AND THE CONSTANT DEMAND FOR FOOD AND TELEVISION.

First of all, I thank God for schools. Hats off to the teachers who handle our children patiently for 10 months and accomplish so much more in that 3 to 8 hours. They mold, shape and encourage our children.

1. Handling the noise: Teach your child that screaming and throwing a fit is not a good behavior. Ignore high intensified demanding screams and yelling from the child. Tell them that you will only listen if they are gentle and polite.

                                                                                            

2. Running around the house: Let's give that child a break.. they can't go out because its HOT and NOT SAFE...They need a place to vent out ALL of that energy. I would say, LET THEM RUN, only make sure you take all breakable items from around your house.

Another option: Take them out to a park or a play area every day with adult supervision.

                                  

3. Fighting and Complaining: Ok, so this is how it works at our home. During holidays, i call my three boys in the morning and tell them that they can play and have fun, but if i hear them fight or complain then the rod of correction will be imparted on all three. They try their best to sort out their petty issues. When it gets big and out of control, then they bring it to me and i discipline the child who really needs correction.

Teach them to love one another and to care for each other.

4. Food Demand: There is no way we can curb this. Children are growing and they need food. Avoid giving junk food. Its easy to do that. Bake some goodies and treats and store them. Encourage the children to eat fruits and vegetables and drink a lot of water.

5. Television: Avoid letting them watch too much Television. Using mobile and laptop is no excuse. Engage them in READING books. Take them to a library and teach them to read. Spend time with YOUR CHILD and do some craft activities. You can get lots and lots of ideas from pinterest.


                               


6. DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO GO ALONE: Times are not the same. We don't know what danger lurks around which corner. Especially Parents living in Huge Apartments, DO NOT LET YOUR CHILD GO IN THE ELEVATOR ALONE. When they are playing with their friends always ensure that you are there with them, or you do a flying visit every now and then. Irrespective of age, children are exposed to sexual content and due to curiosity will want to try it out on another child and that child might be YOURS. This will be right time to remind them about good and bad touch and ask them to inform everything that happens in the play area in your absence.

Also when young children (10- 16) want to go out with friends, please be responsible and assign an adult to accompany them. Drug Dealers are every where lurking in every corner and you do not know what the child will be exposed to. If 10 children are going , parents talk to each other and have at least two mothers or fathers who will drive them to their destination. Children need to know that parents care for them and WILL NOT LET THEM LOOSE like wild animals, but provide them a safe environment while growing up.

                                                    

7. SUMMER CAMP: Find a nearby place that offers a good summer camp and let them go during the day.

8. FAMILY TRIP: Even you need a break from all the hectic housework and office schedule. Leave everything behind and take your children to an affordable trip. Make it count. No phones, no laptops, no work, no arguments...ENJOY YOUR TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY. You need them and They need you.
   

Let's make this summer memorable for us and our children. #goodmemories

THE STORY OF PUNCHINELLO

Today ( 16th of February 2018), I was invited to be a judge for a fancy dress competition for children with special needs. The Scripture Union director shared the story of Punchinello. This story is from YOU ARE SPECIAL by Max Lucado

I encourage you to read this story slowly.

The Wemmicks were small wooden people. These little wooden people were carved by a woodworker named "Eli." Eli's workshop sat on a hill overlooking the Wemmick Village. Every one of the Wemmicks were different. Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver and all lived in the same village.

All day long, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing. They gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of dull gray dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people could be seen sticking gold stars or gray dots onto each other. The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got shiny gold stars! But if the wood was rough or the paint was chipped, the Wemmicks gave dull gray dots. The talented ones got stars, too. Some could lift big sticks high above their heads or jump over tall boxes. Still others knew big words or could sing very pretty songs. Everyone gave them shiny gold stars! Some Wemmicks had stars all over them! Every time they got a star it made them feel so good that they did something else and got another star.

There were many other Wemmicks though that could do very little. They got dull gray dots! There was one little Wemmick and his name was "Punchinello." He tried to jump high like the others, but he always fell. And when he fell, the others would gather 'round and give him dull gray dots. Sometimes when he fell, it would scar his wood, so the people would give him more gray dots. He would try to explain why he fell and, in doing so, he would say something really silly. Then the Wemmicks would give him some more dots!!!

After a while, Punchinello had so many dots that he didn't want to go outside. He was afraid he would do something dumb such as forget his hat or step in the water, and then people would give him more dull gray dots. In fact, he had so many gray dots that some people would come up and just give him one without any reason! "He deserves lots of dots," they would say. The wooden people would agree with one another. "He's not a good wooden person," they would say.

After a while Punchinello believed them. "I am not a good Wemmick!" he would say. The few times he went outside, he hung around other Wemmicks who had a lot of gray dots. At least he felt better around them.

One day, Punchinello met a Wemmick who was unlike any he'd ever met. She had no dull gray dots and did not have any shiny golden stars either. She was a wooden Wemmick and her name was "Lucia." It wasn't that people didn't try to give her stickers; it's just that the stickers didn't stick to her!!! Some admired Lucia for having no dots, so they would run up and give her a star. But it would fall off. Some would look down on her for having no stars, so they would give her a dot. But they would not stick either!!!

"That's the way I want to be!" thought Punchinello. "I don't want anyone's marks!" So he asked the "stickerless" Wemmick how she did it. "It's easy," Lucia replied. "Every day I go see Eli." Punchinello asked,"Eli? Who is Eli?" She replied "Yes, Eli, He is the woodcarver. I sit in His workshop and spend time with Him." He asked Lucia,"Why do you do that?" Lucia told him, "Why don't you find out for yourself? Go up the hill and visit with Him. He's there!" And with that, the sweet little Wemmick named Lucia turned and skipped away.

"But He won't want to see me!" Punchinello cried out to her. Lucia didn't hear him, as she was too far away. So Punchinello went home. He sat near a window and watched the wooden people as they scurried around giving each other gold stars and gray dots. "It's just not right," he muttered to himself. Then he resolved to go see Eli after all. Punchinello walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big Woodcarver Shop. His little wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tippy-toes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard and thought to himself, "I'm not staying here!" and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name. "Punchinello?" said this voice, so deep and strong. Just then Punchinello stopped. The voice said, "Punchinello, oh how good it is of you to come! Let me have a look at you."

Punchinello slowly turned around and looked at the large bearded craftsman and said, "Sir, you know my name?" "Of course I do. I made you," Eli said. All of a sudden, Eli stooped down and picked little Punchinello up and set him on the workbench. "Hmmmmm," the Maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles all over him, "Looks like you've been given some bad marks." Punchinello explained,"Oh, Eli, I didn't mean to; really I didn't!!! I really tried hard not to."

The Maker said, "Oh, you don't have to defend yourself to me, my child. I don't care what the other Wemmicks think." Punchinello asked, "Really? You don't?" Then Eli said, "No and you shouldn't either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They are Wemmicks just like you. What they think really doesn't matter at all, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special." Punchinello laughed, "Oh, me special? How can I be special? I can't walk fast. I can't jump. My paint is peeling. I make silly mistakes all the time and I am not a beautiful Wemmick like some of the others. How could I matter to you?" Eli looked at Punchinello and put his hands on those little wooden shoulders of his and spoke very slowly, "Because Punchinello... you are mine. That's why you matter to me." Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this before or say anything so nice, much less his Maker! He didn't know what to say!

"Punchinello, every day I've been waiting and hoping you would come to see me," Eli explained. Punchinello looked up at him and said, "I came because I met a sweet Wemmick girl who had no marks." Eli said, "I know. Lucia told me about you." So Punchinello asked, "Why don't the stickers stay on Lucia?" Eli said, "Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what anyone else thinks. The stickers only stick if you let them." Punchinello looked puzzled and said, "What?" Eli said, "Yes, the stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust My love, the less you will care about those stickers." But Punchinello said, "I'm not sure I really understand. What you are saying?" The maker said, "You will, but it will take some time. You've got a lot of marks. So for now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care about you." Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the floor. "Now remember," Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. "You ARE special because I made you, and I don't make mistakes."

Punchinello didn't stop, but in his heart he thought, "I think He really means it." And each time he remembered what Eli told him and each time he went to visit and talk with Eli, one of Punchinello's dots would fall off. They kept falling off and soon they were all gone!!!

So like Punchinello, we must remember one thing: "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart." (I Samuel 16:7)..... ✨ ✨

• As I sat there listening to this story I realized that many times we bear the scars of what others think about us. We always want to measure up to others and feel we are not Good mothers, sisters, daughters because someone would have passed on their opinion about us. It really doesn't matter what others think you are.. IT ONLY MATTERS WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT YOU AND TO HIM YOU ARE PRECIOUS.. TO HIM YOU ARE SPECIAL.. TO HIM YOU ARE HIS VERY OWN…

And surrounded by children with special needs with such beautiful smiles and an excellent attitude, with talents and joy, I realized that it's not how you are but what you are meant to be that makes YOU SPECIAL…

I was overwhelmed with their disability to walk or to talk clearly but they just did not want my sympathy.. They wanted my acceptance of their existence… They wanted to be acknowledged, greeted with a smile, congratulated on their achievements and loved like everyone else.

While we are trying to fix our lives and cope up with being SPECIAL TO GOD , let's also make someone FEEL SPECIAL and LOVED… ✨ ✨ let's spread God's love and care for those who are neglected in society.

#EVERYONEMATTERS

SORRY ... The most powerful word and FORGIVENESS... The most powerful act

I work with children and many times in a day, one of them comes to me with tears down their cheeks and say, " aunty he poked me in the eye" or "she pushed me and I got hurt" or "he fought with me and I don't want to be his friend anymore"...

During these moments, I ask them what happened and request the other person involved to say SORRY... And in the twinkling of an eye the magical word is said, tears disappear and smiles and giggles and friendships are back in the game....

And I wondered, 'It's that simple... No bitterness... No hatred... No anger retention...No unforgiveness, all I hear is THAT'S OK'.

There are times both parties get to say SORRY, even if it is not their fault.. And without any inhibitions the words come out of the mouth....✨ ✨ and the environment is back to joy and laughter


The hurt is gone... The pain disappeared... There is no ego... Wow...

Life is so simple and full of love. As adults we complicate it a lot by holding on to grudges and hurts. If we can learn to be like these small children our world will surely be a better place.

The Bible tells us to be " QUICK TO FORGIVE AND SLOW TO ANGER" and I get to learn this first hand by watching these children, who are 3 and 4 years old.

When I look at these babies I realize that they have a much pure and strong heart and an even greater character than me.. I need to learn how to forgive and SAY SORRY... just like them...

Woman, thou art Fashioned

Finally the much desired blog is here. I want to use this space to encourage Women to be what they are meant to be. 

Genesis 2: 22, "And the rib which the LORD GOD had taken from the man He made(FASHIONED, Formed)into a woman..."

In a time when woman are fighting to prove equal to a man and struggling against all odds, i am writing this to encourage you and let you know that YOU ARE SPECIAL AND ARE FASHIONED BY GOD.

You are designed to be strong, and sensitive
Passionate and impulsive,
Patient and Productive,
Tenacious and talkative,
Energetic and Emotional,
Kind and Gentle,
A Mother, a sister, A wife like no other,
Loving and Living Life to the fullest
You are UNIQUELY FASHIONED BY GOD
and there is only 1 YOU.

When there is so much about you and in you, why do you want to compete to be something that you are not meant to be. 

There is no need for a woman to try to wear a man's shoes or try to scale up to a man because a woman can wear a lot of shoes and play multiple roles. 

SO WEAR YOUR OWN LOVELY PAIR OF SHOES ON AND BE READY TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS!!!