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RSSMaking time for mom
This post is for girlfriends only! It’s directed to all of you multi-tasking, hard working, never a dull moment, frazzled mommies out there! You know who you are. I happen to be one of you, too! We rarely take time for ourselves, because there just seems to be more important things to do…but guess what? That isn’t healthy, and it isn’t even Biblical.
We are told throughout Scripture “to love… like we love ourselves”. By not making ourselves a priority, we are definitely not loving ourselves. What ends up happening is that we tend to get burned out from our daily grind, easily frustrated, and ultimately unable to function in the manner our daily mommy-jobs require.
These thoughts hit me today, when I was at the grocery store, realizing that I was at one of my favorite weekly, alone-time outings! Seriously, grocery shopping should not be the one and only outing during the week which I look forward to. Even IF they have a Starbucks inside and I get to have a yummy skinny vanilla latte. No. There should be a little more to life, don’t you think?
Girlfriends, how do you make time for– YOU? How do we mommies fit in some time for ourselves during the busy schedules we keep? In between school, housework, church, errands, naps, feedings and kid’s activities, is there even enough hours in the day to fit in anything else?
If you’re like me that whole thought process almost (I said almost…) brings on feelings of guilt. I desire some “me” time, but then feel like the world, (aka: house; kids; hubby; meal plans; homework; laundry; and the family’s very ability to breathe and function) just might come crumbling down, should I leave my post for longer than that hour-long trip to the store. I like to refer to this as “Stinkin’ Thinkin’”. — And personally, I have a chronic case!
So through this blog, I am hoping to encourage you, my sisters, to take some time for yourselves during the coming weeks! Consider it a challenge. One in which I will also take part!
A few areas where we can start are: (1) Making time for friends to assist us in our emotional health. (2) Making time for exercise, to assist us in our physical health. (3) Making time for God /devotion, to assist us in our spiritual health. (4) Making time for some easy beauty treatments, because when life gets busy we sometimes neglect ourselves in this area. You will be surprised how good you will feel when you do just a couple of the suggestions. Because, really–we are all still girls, first!
The following bullet points are some suggestions I have come up with, which I am going to put into play myself!
How to Make Time for Friends:
- Plan a movie night once a month. Take turns hosting.
- Meet friends at Starbucks for a latte and little light girl-talk.
- Start a book club.
- Plan a breakfast date. If kids are in school, this may be easier than a dinner date.
- Plan a monthly game night (Bunko). Take turns hosting.
- Find a scrap-book event at your local craft store.
- Go wine tasting.
How to Make Time for Exercise:
- Turn on some fun music and dance around the room with (or without) your kids.
- Get up a half hour earlier and go for a walk or hit the treadmill.
- Make an exercise date with a girlfriend. The accountability will help!
- Make sure you add exercise to your daily calendar / schedule.
- Call it a family-event, and after dinner have the whole family go for a brisk walk.
How to Make Time for God / Devotion:
- Start your day with your favorite praise music!–turn it up and sing out loud.
- Find a great devotional that is written with mommy’s in mind. I’m a fan of Lisa Welchel.
- Before you start your school day or send the kids off to theirs, have prayer time. Pray over them and have them pray for you!
- Find a women’s daily devotional blog that speaks to your heart, and follow it. It will bless you!
How to Make Time for Some Easy Beauty Treatments:
- Give yourself a quick manicure once a week.
- Take a hot bubble bath.
- Buy a reasonably priced facial mask, and give yourself a great cleanse, exfoliation and mask once a week. Come on, it’s only 10-15 minutes!
- Remember to use hand lotion throughout the day, each time you wash your hands.
- Try to apply lipstick, lip gloss, a little mascara and some eye brow pencil.
These are just a few suggestions. I’m sure you can come up with an even better list for yourself! The goal is to get healthier…physically, emotionally and spiritually. We do it for ourselves, but in the end it will enable us to continue to bless our families in the roles that God has bestowed on us; the roles of wife and mother. We needn’t lose ourselves in those demanding roles, but rather tune into that part of us that needs a little boost.
Let me know if this describes you, as well. Maybe you have some ideas to share with the ladies who follow this blog? Please feel free to share with us any comments!
Dad’s, you’re not off the hook. I have something up my sleeve for you, coming soon!
Making time for mom
This post is for girlfriends only! It’s directed to all of you multi-tasking, hard working, never a dull moment, frazzled mommies out there! You know who you are. I happen to be one of you, too! We rarely take time for ourselves, because there just seems to be more important things to do…but guess what? That isn’t healthy, and it isn’t even Biblical.
We are told throughout Scripture “to love… like we love ourselves”. By not making ourselves a priority, we are definitely not loving ourselves. What ends up happening is that we tend to get burned out from our daily grind, easily frustrated, and ultimately unable to function in the manner our daily mommy-jobs require.
These thoughts hit me today, when I was at the grocery store, realizing that I was at one of my favorite weekly, alone-time outings! Seriously, grocery shopping should not be the one and only outing during the week which I look forward to. Even IF they have a Starbucks inside and I get to have a yummy skinny vanilla latte. No. There should be a little more to life, don’t you think?
Girlfriends, how do you make time for– YOU? How do we mommies fit in some time for ourselves during the busy schedules we keep? In between school, housework, church, errands, naps, feedings and kid’s activities, is there even enough hours in the day to fit in anything else?
If you’re like me that whole thought process almost (I said almost…) brings on feelings of guilt. I desire some “me” time, but then feel like the world, (aka: house; kids; hubby; meal plans; homework; laundry; and the family’s very ability to breathe and function) just might come crumbling down, should I leave my post for longer than that hour-long trip to the store. I like to refer to this as “Stinkin’ Thinkin’”. — And personally, I have a chronic case!
So through this blog, I am hoping to encourage you, my sisters, to take some time for yourselves during the coming weeks! Consider it a challenge. One in which I will also take part!
A few areas where we can start are: (1) Making time for friends to assist us in our emotional health. (2) Making time for exercise, to assist us in our physical health. (3) Making time for God /devotion, to assist us in our spiritual health. (4) Making time for some easy beauty treatments, because when life gets busy we sometimes neglect ourselves in this area. You will be surprised how good you will feel when you do just a couple of the suggestions. Because, really–we are all still girls, first!
The following bullet points are some suggestions I have come up with, which I am going to put into play myself!
How to Make Time for Friends:
- Plan a movie night once a month. Take turns hosting.
- Meet friends at Starbucks for a latte and little light girl-talk.
- Start a book club.
- Plan a breakfast date. If kids are in school, this may be easier than a dinner date.
- Plan a monthly game night (Bunko). Take turns hosting.
- Find a scrap-book event at your local craft store.
- Go wine tasting.
How to Make Time for Exercise:
- Turn on some fun music and dance around the room with (or without) your kids.
- Get up a half hour earlier and go for a walk or hit the treadmill.
- Make an exercise date with a girlfriend. The accountability will help!
- Make sure you add exercise to your daily calendar / schedule.
- Call it a family-event, and after dinner have the whole family go for a brisk walk.
How to Make Time for God / Devotion:
- Start your day with your favorite praise music!–turn it up and sing out loud.
- Find a great devotional that is written with mommy’s in mind. I’m a fan of Lisa Welchel.
- Before you start your school day or send the kids off to theirs, have prayer time. Pray over them and have them pray for you!
- Find a women’s daily devotional blog that speaks to your heart, and follow it. It will bless you!
How to Make Time for Some Easy Beauty Treatments:
- Give yourself a quick manicure once a week.
- Take a hot bubble bath.
- Buy a reasonably priced facial mask, and give yourself a great cleanse, exfoliation and mask once a week. Come on, it’s only 10-15 minutes!
- Remember to use hand lotion throughout the day, each time you wash your hands.
- Try to apply lipstick, lip gloss, a little mascara and some eye brow pencil.
These are just a few suggestions. I’m sure you can come up with an even better list for yourself! The goal is to get healthier…physically, emotionally and spiritually. We do it for ourselves, but in the end it will enable us to continue to bless our families in the roles that God has bestowed on us; the roles of wife and mother. We needn’t lose ourselves in those demanding roles, but rather tune into that part of us that needs a little boost.
Let me know if this describes you, as well. Maybe you have some ideas to share with the ladies who follow this blog? Please feel free to share with us any comments!
Dad’s, you’re not off the hook. I have something up my sleeve for you, coming soon!
Do you know the judges from the Book of Judges?
We received this encouraging testimony from a friend of ours at Tyndale House Publishers (who distribute the DVDs). This 6th-grade girl wowed her Sunday School teacher by naming all of the judges from the book of Judges … could you do that?
At our church, each year, our sixth graders are taught a Sunday School class for the entire year that is an overview of the Bible. We have the same passion that Phil Vischer does - for our kids to really get a grasp of what they believe. The teacher is a college professor of Old Testament and it is a great class. I am “helping” with the class but really I am there to learn because I don’t feel like I got this teaching growing up in the church. Yesterday, they were studying Judges and Ruth. The teacher often asks them questions about details in the Bible as a quiz and then hands out little awards for correct answers and if the kids collect enough of these then they can trade them in for pieces of candy. Yesterday he asked if anyone could name ONE of the Judges and my daughter raised her hand. He said OK – which one do you know and she said “I know them all”. He was surprised and said OK – let’s see if you do. She promptly rattled them all off in order and then she looked back at me and smiled. ( He told her she automatically got candy for knowing that.) Then he asked, do you know the left handed Judge? And, of course she knew “Ehud.” She looked back at me and smiled again and whispered “What’s in the Bible.”
My husband and I were blown away and put the DVD in when we got home and sure enough there was the Bentley Brother’s song about Judges – she has seen it a few times and it stuck with her!
Here is the clip from DVD 4: Battle for the Promised Land. You can pick up the DVD here.
Do you know the judges from the Book of Judges?
We received this encouraging testimony from a friend of ours at Tyndale House Publishers (who distribute the DVDs). This 6th-grade girl wowed her Sunday School teacher by naming all of the judges from the book of Judges … could you do that?
At our church, each year, our sixth graders are taught a Sunday School class for the entire year that is an overview of the Bible. We have the same passion that Phil Vischer does – for our kids to really get a grasp of what they believe. The teacher is a college professor of Old Testament and it is a great class. I am “helping” with the class but really I am there to learn because I don’t feel like I got this teaching growing up in the church. Yesterday, they were studying Judges and Ruth. The teacher often asks them questions about details in the Bible as a quiz and then hands out little awards for correct answers and if the kids collect enough of these then they can trade them in for pieces of candy. Yesterday he asked if anyone could name ONE of the Judges and my daughter raised her hand. He said OK – which one do you know and she said “I know them all”. He was surprised and said OK – let’s see if you do. She promptly rattled them all off in order and then she looked back at me and smiled. ( He told her she automatically got candy for knowing that.) Then he asked, do you know the left handed Judge? And, of course she knew “Ehud.” She looked back at me and smiled again and whispered “What’s in the Bible.”
My husband and I were blown away and put the DVD in when we got home and sure enough there was the Bentley Brother’s song about Judges – she has seen it a few times and it stuck with her!
Here is the clip from DVD 4: Battle for the Promised Land. You can pick up the DVD here.
God’s Rescue Plan for Kids of All Ages
I can’t get the phrase, “God’s Rescue Plan” out of my head. If you’ve watched the WITB DVD’s 1-4, you know what I’m talking about. It is such a great way to describe God’s love for His people, and it has helped me understand Scripture so much better! It’s just a few simple words, yet they have spoken volumes to me throughout this past week. I’m not sure why it’s taken me (almost) 43 years to get that simple truth; you know, the “ah-ha” moment?! I guess better late than never, right?
Teaching the Biblical concept that God really does have a rescue plan in place for each of us isn’t just for little ones. I have used this as an introduction into a discussion on the topic of sin, forgiveness and reconciliation, with my oldest son. People can make valid arguments that sin is, as David said in Psalm 51:4 (paraphrased) just between the sinner and God. But through that sin, many times the enemy whispers lies into our ears about our own unworthiness and even the unforgivable hugeness of our particular sin. These lies can cause even further separation between the person who has sinned and all who truly love him.
Too many times our dear children think they KNOW how we will react when we find out about the mistakes they have made, so they choose to NOT come to us for help. Some mistakes are small enough to not bring their world crashing down upon them. But others are SO big– are SO embarrassing—and are perceived by them to be SO unforgivable, that their world or their very idea of self worth and personal value truly do come crashing down upon them. It is another set of lies, of course, and we can only hope to counter those lies of the enemy by utilizing God’s Word. Reminding them that God is faithful to do what He has promised for us. That is, “…to meet our every need through Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19NIV)
Teaching Biblical virtues and values to my young children is a lot easier than sending them off into the real world, as teenagers, hoping and praying that they actually make good decisions based on those teachings. But the years click by quickly. My oldest is now 12, and is starting to be tested all the time as to what standard he will choose to follow: God’s or the world’s.
The world’s idea of “right” in no way seems to align itself with the truth which is God’s word, but rather with gut reactions; usually myopic, and seldom inclusive to anyone who has a differing worldview from that of secularism.
If only I had chosen to live on a metaphoric “island” and was able to keep my son away from circumstances or people that might challenge those very virtues which I’ve worked so hard at teaching him. But we don’t live on an island. He will face personal moral challenges and temptations, and he will have to make good decisions starting now. But what if he makes the wrong decision? Will he know I’m here, still loving him? Will he remember that God has a rescue plan already in place for him, through Jesus?
Having learned that through the introduction of sin comes death and suffering, but that Jesus came to give us an abundant life of joy! This, in turn, prepares our hearts for a more mature love. This truth is where we can start to grow in an understanding, with our children. The Apostle Paul says that this mature love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails . . . “(1Corinthians 13:7, 8).
We parents must work diligently to keep open those lines of communication, especially with our older kids during these crazy, confusing times in which we live; sharing with them that there is always hope, forgiveness and a mature love through Jesus. Letting them know, without any doubt, that there is never any insurmountable issue that we can’t handle, together. That they are loved unconditionally. That we have their back– no matter what! That God has it all planned out– and that because He loves them so much, there is that “Rescue Plan”, fulfilled in our dear Lord, Jesus Christ!
If you have any thoughts, feedback or insights on this particular subject please share those with us!
Maybe there is another Biblical truth that has touched your heart after viewing one of the WITB episodes, let us hear about it.
Hoping to grow in a godly spirit of community, soapboxes are welcomed and encouraged.
God's Rescue Plan for Kids of All Ages
I can’t get the phrase, “God’s Rescue Plan” out of my head. If you’ve watched the WITB DVD’s 1-4, you know what I’m talking about. It is such a great way to describe God’s love for His people, and it has helped me understand Scripture so much better! It’s just a few simple words, yet they have spoken volumes to me throughout this past week. I’m not sure why it’s taken me (almost) 43 years to get that simple truth; you know, the “ah-ha” moment?! I guess better late than never, right?
Teaching the Biblical concept that God really does have a rescue plan in place for each of us isn’t just for little ones. I have used this as an introduction into a discussion on the topic of sin, forgiveness and reconciliation, with my oldest son. People can make valid arguments that sin is, as David said in Psalm 51:4 (paraphrased) just between the sinner and God. But through that sin, many times the enemy whispers lies into our ears about our own unworthiness and even the unforgivable hugeness of our particular sin. These lies can cause even further separation between the person who has sinned and all who truly love him.
Too many times our dear children think they KNOW how we will react when we find out about the mistakes they have made, so they choose to NOT come to us for help. Some mistakes are small enough to not bring their world crashing down upon them. But others are SO big– are SO embarrassing—and are perceived by them to be SO unforgivable, that their world or their very idea of self worth and personal value truly do come crashing down upon them. It is another set of lies, of course, and we can only hope to counter those lies of the enemy by utilizing God’s Word. Reminding them that God is faithful to do what He has promised for us. That is, “…to meet our every need through Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19NIV)
Teaching Biblical virtues and values to my young children is a lot easier than sending them off into the real world, as teenagers, hoping and praying that they actually make good decisions based on those teachings. But the years click by quickly. My oldest is now 12, and is starting to be tested all the time as to what standard he will choose to follow: God’s or the world’s.
The world’s idea of “right” in no way seems to align itself with the truth which is God’s word, but rather with gut reactions; usually myopic, and seldom inclusive to anyone who has a differing worldview from that of secularism.
If only I had chosen to live on a metaphoric “island” and was able to keep my son away from circumstances or people that might challenge those very virtues which I’ve worked so hard at teaching him. But we don’t live on an island. He will face personal moral challenges and temptations, and he will have to make good decisions starting now. But what if he makes the wrong decision? Will he know I’m here, still loving him? Will he remember that God has a rescue plan already in place for him, through Jesus?
Having learned that through the introduction of sin comes death and suffering, but that Jesus came to give us an abundant life of joy! This, in turn, prepares our hearts for a more mature love. This truth is where we can start to grow in an understanding, with our children. The Apostle Paul says that this mature love “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails . . . “(1Corinthians 13:7, 8).
We parents must work diligently to keep open those lines of communication, especially with our older kids during these crazy, confusing times in which we live; sharing with them that there is always hope, forgiveness and a mature love through Jesus. Letting them know, without any doubt, that there is never any insurmountable issue that we can’t handle, together. That they are loved unconditionally. That we have their back– no matter what! That God has it all planned out– and that because He loves them so much, there is that “Rescue Plan”, fulfilled in our dear Lord, Jesus Christ!
If you have any thoughts, feedback or insights on this particular subject please share those with us!
Maybe there is another Biblical truth that has touched your heart after viewing one of the WITB episodes, let us hear about it.
Hoping to grow in a godly spirit of community, soapboxes are welcomed and encouraged.
For the Love of Volunteers
As a children’s ministry director I am sometimes frustrated with the challenges that accompany training volunteers and equipping them with the right curriculum tools. I have experienced miscommunication between teachers on implementing a small group, creating chaos in a room. And recently a few volunteers forgot to pick up the following week’s curriculum, so were not prepared for the following week. It was through that lens that we based a key value for the What’s in the Bible? Companion curriculum, to create a Biblically sound, engaging curriculum that is easy to use! Take a look at some of the tools included in the curriculum to make your life easier.
Customizable Leader’s Guides – Each leader guide comes in a pdf form so you can print and go. As well as in a word doc so you can customize to make it just right for your church.
Mobile Site – Teachers and small group leaders can access the volunteer mobile site on their phone to prepare for their lesson or teach the lesson right from their phone.
Physical and Digital Versions – The curriculum is available in both a physical version and a downloadable digital version. The physical version includes a 4 weeks of curriculum, a DVD with the curriculum videos, a training DVD, and a CD-Rom with the small groups. The digital version allows you to download weekly lessons or series lessons right to your computer!
Training Video – The training video will provide an overview of the curriculum components and how to use them effectively. This week we had a blast with the WITB production team creating the training video. We laughed when Bill, the video director had to go down and ask the construction crew next door to quietly throw things into the dumpster, because the noise was affecting the audio.
We hope the What’s In the Bible? innovations to equipping your volunteers serve you well.
Introducing DVD 4!
The waiting is over! If you’ve been following the WHAT’S IN THE BIBLE? series, you’ll be thrilled to know that DVD #4, Battle for the Promised Land!, has been released!!
I admit it. I have a pretty cool job! I got to preview the new DVD this week in order to write about it. What fun!! But what started out as me sitting alone at my laptop with my ear buds; turned into the three of us, sitting on my bed, watching the entire episode, and cracking up the whole time– OH, and learning a bunch!! Take my word for it; it’s good–really good.
When we last left Phil and our lovable Jelly Telly cast of characters, they had taken us on a fun, and factual journey through the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch.
We were taught that man, through his own choice, allowed sin to enter into the world, which brought with it death and a separation between God and his most beloved creation. But we also learned that God loved man so much that He had a RESCUE PLAN to redeem His people! This rescue plan began with Abraham, and you will see it continue to unfold throughout the next DVD!
DVD #4 begins our next journey into the next 12 Books of the Bible, also known as the Historical Books. These books give us an actual historical look at the Nation of Israel, covering almost 1000 years. This DVD covers Joshua, Judges and Ruth.
We start in the Book of Joshua, where the second part of God’s rescue plan begins to unfold. That is, His promise that His people, the descendants of Abraham, will have a land of their own. But this doesn’t happen without some “tricky bits” occurring along the way. Namely, bloodshed and the actual taking of the land, which God promised them, from the people who were already living there! Tricky, indeed!! To a child, perhaps even unfair. How can that be?
Have you ever encountered a person who loves to point out that a God of love and forgiveness would never initiate war and ultimately death to numerous people?? I have! It’s a tough question! Phil and the gang answer it beautifully, and in a way that kids will come away with a better understanding and a new respect of how big our God truly is!
The second half of DVD #4 starts with the Book of Judges. It covers a period of time when Israel seemed to continuously abandon their beliefs in God, as well as His Law. During this time, God chose several “leaders” (or Judges) who would help Israel through numerous times of tribulation–that is until the people abandoned their faith in God, again– and again– and again. Kind of a reoccurring theme in this Book!
Here is a glimpse at the section on Judges:
The last section of DVD #4 takes us through the Book of Ruth. Many of us know this book as a sweet love story; even a story of great loyalty displayed by Ruth towards her mother-in-law Naomi. But the lesson goes much deeper in explaining WHY the Book of Ruth is important, historically! How it sets the stage for the coming of our own Redeemer, because not only is Ruth a story of personal redemption and hope, it also lays the foundation– quite genetically–about (David) the coming King of Israel’s lineage. It also just happens to be the same lineage to which the King of Kings can be traced back! Important stuff!!
The kids will now begin to appreciate that our Bible is more than a book of metaphors, poems and virtues. It is, in fact, a historical document. One that can be verified and validated against other historical documents! In it we learn about people who really lived, and who really impacted not just ONE small Nation– but ultimately the entire world! We continue to learn of God’s great love for man, and His desire to bless their lives even though they continue to fall short of what He desires; to be put FIRST in their lives. All of this is possible, because through His love, He has that flawless rescue plan!
Encouraging Biblical Literacy in Children’s Ministry
“A new survey of Americans’ knowledge of religion found that atheists, agnostics, Jews and Mormons outperformed Protestants and Roman Catholics in answering questions about major religions, while many respondents could not correctly give the most basic tenets of their own faiths.
The survey released Tuesday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life aimed to test a broad range of religious knowledge, including understanding of the Bible, core teachings of different faiths and major figures in religious history. The U.S. is one of the most religious countries in the developed world, especially compared to largely secular Western Europe, but faith leaders and educators have long lamented that Americans still know relatively little about religion.” According to Rachel Zoll of the Associated Press
As children’s ministry leaders, how can we train our children to be biblically literate, not just for the sake of knowing religious things, but for true spiritual transformation?
The What’s in the Bible? Curriculum was developed with the belief that when children know how the Bible was written, and how the biblical stories came together to form one bigger story, they can see themselves in God’s story. And, when this learning is led by a teacher who demonstrates a life of faith, children are transformed by God’s love and grace.
You might notice in the WITB curriculum that it’s been written with small group activities that include a whole bunch of questions asking children how the Bible was written and remembering questions about the biblical stories. You might be wondering how asking kids a bunch of questions is going to spiritually transform their lives? Good question! The questions alone may or may not spiritually impact a child’s heart. But, the questions combined with an experienced teacher or loving shepherd who will ask the questions and listen carefully for the answers may impact a child for a lifetime.
A few ideas for training your small group teachers and shepherds to lead beyond the questions:
- Ask follow up wondering questions after a child responds with the answer to a question. Questions like: What surprised you about this part of the story? What does this part of the Bible mean to you? What does this make you think about God?
- Watch for verbal and non-verbal cues as children are answering questions. If a child shows excitement, continue asking open-ended questions about the topic. If a child shows sadness, follow up privately afterwards asking what caused the sadness.
- While the questions provided in the curriculum do have correct answers, encourage a small group setting in which children can ask deeper thinking questions, and are challenged to have multiple answers to wondering questions. A child’s faith will grow as he feels safe to explore further thoughts in church.
What do you think? How can biblical literacy be encouraged so that a child’s faith is formed?
Katy Perry, Elmo, and the Tough Decisions Parents Face with Media
One of the most talked about things in last week’s entertainment news was the Katy Perry and Elmo spot that was ultimately pulled from Sesame Street’s 41st season’s line up. The biggest reason given for pulling the spot was the fact that Katy Perry’s outfit was deemed “inappropriate” for the young viewers of Sesame Street by many parents who caught a leaked version of the skit on You Tube.
Before I ever saw the video, I had my own opinions, based mostly on just the type of music Ms. Perry sings and the image she portrays. While she is immensely talented, her choice of lyrics combined with her rather shocking music videos make me very uncomfortable, as a parent, seeing her guest spot on any pre-school show.
Would a different wardrobe selection have pre-empted the controversy? I’m not sure.
Let’s face it: in the entertainment industry, image is something that is masterfully created to sell an individual within certain market and then, like it or not, that image (even in all its fakeness) follows that entertainer throughout their career. Sometimes that means an entertainer can’t jump as easily from one end of the audience spectrum to the other. Ms. Perry, in my opinion, happens to fall into that category. Talented, yes. But probably never appropriate, even fully clothed, for the tots. Goodness, not even appropriate for tweens or young teens, in my opinion!!
Coming from the background of Christian media, you might think that I surround my children with only Dove-approved, Christian-based children shows. Perhaps only shows that are written and produced with a worldview common to my own. At the very least, shows with a redemptive message, right?
Well, in all honesty, I let my kids watch some cartoons and listen to some music that would be considered totally secular. Some things on Nickelodeon or The Disney Channel are downright cute. For example, I really like The Fairly Odd Parents, Phineas and Ferb, The Penguins of Madagascar and SpongeBob. Other shows, like Nickelodeon’s Degrassi and ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager, definitely cross our line of appropriateness, and my kids aren’t allowed to view those shows.
One of the areas that I feel necessary to expand on in my own tween’s viewing experience is that of using critical thinking. He’s been spoon-fed what my husband and I want him to know about ethics, morality, virtues and our faith. I like to challenge him a little, nowadays. While allowing him to watch movies and TV shows that are geared to a more mature tween audience, I enjoy engaging him in conversations like, “Why isn’t that the way YOU would choose to behave?” Because in my opinion, if kids know WHY they believe what they have been taught, those lessons become fruitful in their own lives.
On the other end of the entertainment viewing spectrum, I have really good friends who choose not to have cable, at all, because they feel there is so little value to be found in most TV shows. They use their DVD player to show their kids a very limited amount of pre-approved programming. That’s great, and it works for them. I’m one who respects each parent’s personal decision on things like this. It’s really difficult to be a good parent in the 21st century!
The challenge for us is to figure out what we will allow our kids to experience on TV, the internet, or even as downloaded music and videos.
Gone are the days of only 13 channels and limited access to entertainment. It’s a big business, and it surrounds us in a multi-media, 24/7 schedule. It’s overt and overwhelming, and it can easily take over a child’s life. The messages out there can effectively blur the boundaries which we have so diligently tried to set.
How do you choose what media is appropriate for your kids, tweens and teens? It’s a very personal decision and one where we should show respect to each other. But, given the plethora of children’s entertainment options, I’d love to hear what you consider to be ok, moderately questionable, or absolutely forbidden, and why.
Let’s talk about it…
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