Making Home a Happy Place

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 25-Apr-2008 edition

 

Making Home a Happy Place

By Dr bill Maier

 

Have you ever noticed how some families are just fun

to be around?

 

They always seem to be laughing and having a good time.

Well, that doesn’t happen by accident.

 

Good parents understand the importance of creating

a happy atmosphere in the home.

 

Kids should enjoy being around their parents and siblings

and there are some very practical ways you can help

make that happen.

 

Begin by learning to laugh at yourself when things go wrong.

This teaches your kids not to take themselves too seriously

and shows them that everyone gets a chance to try again.

 

You should also be willing to try new things. Maybe you can

explore an ethnic restaurant from time to time and order meals

that seem fun and different.

 

Have everyone use their fingers to eat when you go out for

Indian food. Find ways to make mealtimes fun and engaging.

 

Or, the next time you take a family walk, tell everyone to try

walking backwards. Which child wouldn’t have a blast doing that?

 

The key is to look for ways to make life happy and fun for

your children. Give them a childhood to remember.

Creating Order in the Home

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 24-Apr-2008 edition

 

Creating Order in the Home

By Dr Bill Maier

 

How do you keep sanity in the family when life goes screaming by

at a hundred miles an hour?

 

Every family goes through this experience – the busyness of life

takes over, creating stress for everyone.

 

The key is to establish some ground rules to help keep order

in the family. Begin by recognising that each member of the family

has a role to play, and give them a specific set of responsibilities.

 

Children should be expected to keep their rooms neat, and have

other chores around the house to do each day.

 

Schedule regular family meetings where you re-evaluate these tasks

and talk about how they are working for everyone.

 

When families take time to coordinate their schedules,

you can create a kind of rhythm in your home.

 

Children see how order relieves chaos, and they’re more likely

to apply that to other parts of their lives.

 

And best of all, it gets everyone on the same page so that disorder

is kept to a minimum.

An Atmosphere of Respect

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 23-Apr-2008 edition

 

An Atmosphere of Respect

By Dr Bill Maier

 

How can you develop a sense of honour and dignity in your home?

 

In a word, you teach children to respect one another.

 

There are a number of ways to create an atmosphere of respect

in the home.

 

First, look for ways to highlight your child’s accomplishments.

Hang up those awards or certificates of merit in places where

everybody can see them and make sure your son or daughter

knows that you are proud of him or her.

 

And then, use positive language in the home and teach your kids

to do the same thing.

 

Children should not be allowed to criticise one another or make fun

of their siblings.

 

It is also important to respect your children’s privacy. Don’t invade

their rooms without permission unless you have a good reason.

 

When children become self-effacing and critical of themselves,

step in and talk to them about it.

 

Ask questions such as “Why are you upset about this?” and

“How can you do better next time?”

 

Finally, always give your child a second chance when they mess up.

 

Show them that you believe in them, no matter what.

How to Create an Atmosphere of Affection in the Home

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 22-Apr-2008 edition

 

How to Create an Atmosphere of Affection in the Home

By Dr Bill Maier

 

We all want our kids to care for one another, but that doesn’t happen

by accident.

 

If you want your kids to love each other, be a good role model.

 

Parents do this by consistently showing affection to our children

and spouse.

 

Husbands shouldn’t be afraid to hug their wives in front of the kids,

and wives need to speak positively about their husbands.

 

This shows the children how much you love each other.

 

Parents also need to develop a servant’s heart, and be willing

to wait on others.

 

When someone hurts, we need to be there with a hug

and some quick words of kindness.

 

When we mess up, we should say we’re sorry and ask

for forgiveness – even from our kids.

 

Of course, we also need to tell our kids how much we love them

on a regular basis.

 

This is probably the most important step in creating an atmosphere

of affection.

Family Aroma

From FOCUS ON THE FAMILY, Today, 21-Apr-2008 edition

 

FAMILY AROMA

By Dr Bill Maier

 

What kind of memories do you have from your childhood?

 

Do you recall feelings of warmth and love – or stress and chaos?

 

How you answer has a lot to do with the environment your parents

created in the home, or what I like to call your “Family Aroma”.

 

There are five healthy “aromas” that families can create.

 

One is a feeling of affection. When family members truly care

for each other, that sense is carried over into the home.

 

Another aroma families can create is respect. This is a sense

of honour and recognition and worth.

 

A third aroma is order. This is the result of a healthy atmosphere

of involving discipline and control, creating a calm and safe place

to live.

 

Fourth is a sense of merriment. This helps your home become

a fun place to be, with lots of joy and laughter.

 

And finally, there is an aroma of affirmation. Children know

that they are loved and accepted, even when they don’t

measure up.

 

Who wouldn’t want to have those kinds of memories

of their childhood?