Soraya Diase Coffelt's Blog, page 16

Adding “THANKS” Back Into Thanksgiving Day

I wrote a blog post on November 20, 2017 that is worth reposting here:

We will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day this Thursday in America.  It’s a national holiday set aside for us to remember all that we are thankful for.  However, as the child says in this cartoon, God has blessed us immensely so one day a year is certainly not adequate to give thanks!  In this week’s blog, instead of writing about the history of Thanksgiving Day or a similar topic (which you can find in my previous blogs), I have chosen to focus on some Bible scriptures instructing us on giving thanks regularly.  As you enjoy the day with family and friends, I encourage each of you to spend some time reading and practicing these verses as a family:

1 Chronicles 16:24 – “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.”

Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Psalm 95:2 - “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.”

Psalm 100:4 - “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”

Psalm 107:1, 8-9 - “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever… Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.”

Phil. 4:6 - “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Colossians 4:2 – “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

            There are many other Bible verses, but these are extra special to me.  Don’t let this Thanksgiving Day be one filled with just eating, drinking and watching sports.  Spend time thanking the great I Am for all He has blessed you and your family with and then remember to do it again and again each day thereafter!

Helping Your Children Get a Good Night’s Sleep

I have written before about the importance of a good night’s sleep for your children. The Mayo Clinic just released an article about this issue and the impact the CoVid 19 pandemic has had on children sleeping well. Here is some important updated information for parents.

The Mayo Clinic stresses to have a sleep-friendly routine for children to follow each night. There should be a consistent time for them to go to sleep as well as to wake up. On the weekends, you can allow a later wake-up time, but no longer than one hour from the normal time. Sleeping too late in the morning will disrupt a child’s internal clock and it becomes harder for the child to go back to the regular schedule during the weekdays.

Also, parents should monitor their children’s activities when they actually are in bed. Children should not be allowed to have electronic devices with them in the bed, when it is time to sleep. The Mayo Clinic recommends turning off these devices at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime. It is critical that your children see their beds as times to go to sleep, and not times to be awake and busy doing other things.

Additionally, reading to your children and talking and praying with them are loving activities that help them settle down and begin the process of getting ready to go to sleep. Talk with them about subjects that may be troubling them. Usually, this helps children recognize their anxieties and allows them to better relax and sleep. Especially now during the CoVid 19 pandemic, children will have concerns about their safety and future. Help them to better understand what is happening and what steps you are taking to ensure their health and well-being.

Finally, monitor what you do as a family before bedtime. Physical activity during the day helps children sleep better. At dinnertime, lessen the foods and beverages with too much sugar. Energy drinks and other beverages with caffeine should not be allowed after 3 p.m.

It is especially tough for children during these times. Helping them to get a good night’s sleep is paramount for their ability to concentrate and perform well in school.

To read the entire article, visit:

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-healthy-sleep-habits-for-children/

Speak with your children about Different Professions: Being a Journalist

            I would like to encourage parents to speak with their children from a young age about different professions so that they can begin to think about what professions interest them.  This is all about planning for your children’s successful future.  As part of a series of blog posts, I will be discussing various professions to help parents begin the discussions.  Today, I am starting with being a journalist.

            What do journalists do?  They generally investigate, gather information, and write a story.  Some also present the story.   They can be a reporter, photojournalist, or editor. Some of the character traits associated with journalists are creative, energetic, confident, and expressive.

There is an excellent article online at pbs.org titled Every Child is a Journalist.  According to the authors, children are natural journalists because they are inquisitive and love to tell stories. 

            As part of their inquisitiveness, children are investigators.  They ask a lot of questions to find out more information and to understand things better.  It is just part of their nature.   For their creative storytelling, they like to take the information they have gathered and tell about it. 

            I know very well personally about children's storytelling.  My youngest son and his best friend attended the same elementary school and I often would pick them both up after school.   I remember hearing them talk and laugh in the back seat of the car as they discussed what had happened that day.    Sometimes, of course, they would exaggerate, but it was just in fun, and then they would break out laughing.  If they felt I should be told about an incident, they would include me in the storytelling.  I truly enjoyed those times!

            The article encourages parents to read stories to their children and to have them create stories too.   When your children tell you about events in their lives, try to get the details as this helps to develop their thinking and analyzing processes in their brains and make their stories come alive.   

 

For more information, please visit:

https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/journalist/

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/every-child-is-a-journalist

Take Your Children Hiking This Fall

Doing activities outdoors as a family is enjoyable, especially around the Fall season.  The weather is cool and brisk - comfortable for outdoor fun!  Hiking is a one of those activities that is known for appreciating and respecting nature as well as building companionship.

            If you are not a regular hiker with children, it is important to plan your hike ahead of time.  Here are some recommendations for you from an online article on The Wilderness Society’s website titled Take Your Kids Hiking: Ten Tips to Make the Adventure Fun for the Whole Family:

In the beginning, keep your hike easy and friendly. Select a trail that has features – such as a stream – to keep children occupied until they get there.  Remember this: “It’s about the journey not the destination.”

Include a lot of time on the hike.  Children love to explore, so give them the opportunities to do so.  Don’t rush them as it is an adventure.

Prepare for anything that could happen.  The article provides a link to essential items to carry with you.

Dress appropriately.  Make sure that your children wear adequate clothing, coats and shoes.  Bring a change of clothes.

Plan frequent stops for water and snacks.  Children expend a lot of energy and will need to get their tanks replenished.  Having water and plenty of healthy snacks ready for them is essential to a good hiking adventure.

Select a leader for the hike and rotate leadership during the hike.  This will give each child an opportunity to lead.

Make the hike fun.  Plan ahead of time what children can search for.  Have games for them to play. 

Give positive feedback.  Children loved to be praised so think of things that you can say to praise their efforts.  This will encourage them to keep on hiking!

Be role models for your children and leave no trace of your presence behind.  Pick up your trash and throw it away responsibly. 

Continue to hike as often as possible.  A hike can last a couple of hours or a day or a weekend.  It is up to you.  Remember that national and state parks have a variety of trails for hiking and welcome families.

            We live in such a beautiful world so let us be mindful of all the beauties of nature.   We should enjoy them as much as we can and include our children, so they learn to appreciate and respect nature too.

To read the entire article, visit: https://www.wilderness.org/articles/article/take-your-kids-hiking-10-tips-make-adventure-fun-whole-family

What Are You Depositing?

              I think this quote from Pastor Charles Swindoll is so true!  As parents, we must remember that we are constantly making memories with our children.  What are you depositing in their memory banks?

            How often do you spend time with your children? Whether it is eating a meal with them, driving them to school or an activity, or reading bedtime stories to them, we spend quite a bit of time with them so we should be cognizant of the fact that we are depositing into their lives each and every moment that we are together.  And, being together includes not only physical presence, but also via the phone or internet.  

What are we depositing into their memories?  What will they remember of us?  What will they learn from us?  These are all very important questions that we should ask ourselves on a regular basis. 

If we think that we only deposit into their memories on special occasions, we are wrong.  Of course, special occasions are important, but it is our everyday deposits that will last the longest in their memories. 

I have adult children now and I still try diligently to continue to make good deposits into their memory banks.   And, I will continue to do that as long as I have breath!  Let’s continue to give our children, young or old, precious memories to remember!

Teaching Your Children about a Gentle Answer

 

A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 NIV

As parents, we often struggle when our children are arguing among each other.  When angry words are said, the typical reaction of a child is to lash back, and then the argument escalates.  Proverbs 15:1 is an important verse for children to learn and understand. 

          In an online article, author Felicia Mollohan discusses this verse and how she has been successful in teaching children about it.  She actively asked questions, to encourage children to think for themselves and come up with answers and then they discussed the answers.  Here are the questions she posed:

What does it mean to have a gentle answer?

Give me an example of a gentle answer?

What does wrath mean? Are there other words that are synonyms (mean the same) with “wrath”?

What are some things that make you really angry? How do you respond to those things?

Do you respond with a gentle answer?

What does it mean to have a harsh word?

What does it mean to “stir up anger”? Do I need a spoon for that?

How does this all work together?

With young children, you can use stuffed animals to illustrate the discussion.  That way, they can get a better understanding.  With older children, you can have them play roles – one is angry and says something that is hurtful and the other one responds with a gentle answer. 

Learning how to respond gently when someone is angry or how to not respond with harshness takes a lot self-discipline.  It is best to develop these abilities within the family, as there will be a lot of opportunities to practice.  When your children face the outside world, they will be better equipped to handle anger from others.

To read the entire article and for more references for games to play to help children learn, visit:

https://ministry-to-children.com/a-gentle-answer-proverbs-151-for-kids-and-adults/

https://catsinthecradle.blog/2017/05/08/a-soft-answer-activity-proverbs-151/

As Christians, We are Called to Pray for our Leaders

As the day for our major political elections draws near, Christians, more than ever, are encouraged to pray for all those in authority over us.  In 1 Tim. 2:1-2, the Apostle Paul makes it clear that praying for those in leadership enables us to live a quiet and peaceable life.  Moreover, verse 3 provides that it is good and pleasing to God for us to do this.

            As most people, I am so displeased with the constant criticism and personal attacks made against those in governmental leadership positions.  It really saddens me to hear and see this happening! 

            Christians must rise up and do what we are called to do – pray!  There is no doubt that prayer can and does change things.  Let us pray individually and collectively for our country and leaders. 

The Ability to Read Brings True Freedom!

As parents, we should be constantly searching for good role models for our children - those in modern times and those in our history.  I would like to dedicate this blog post to the great African American statesman Frederick Douglass who taught himself to read and write.  He went from being a slave to being a newspaper publisher and revered leader for the abolitionists and rights of women because he could read, write, and speak well. 

Douglass is quoted as saying “What is possible for me is possible for you.” It is so important that we teach our children this! Despite some of the worst adversities possible, he overcame them and so can they. 

Never underestimate the power of reading!

To read more about the amazing life of Douglass, please visit:

http://www.frederickdouglass.org/douglass_bio.html

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html

Making America’s Parks More Welcoming to Diverse Groups

The National Park Service (NPS) has embarked on a major push to make our beautiful national parks more welcoming to diverse groups of people.  According to the NPS’s statistics, in 2019, over 327 million people visited the national parks. Statistics also establish that the majority of visitors are not “people of color” and NPS seeks ways to improve this.

            In conjunction with the National Park Foundation (NPF), a nonprofit organization chartered by Congress that generates private support, the NPS has established a number of programs as an outreach to our communities.  These include:

The National Park Service Mellon Humanity Fellowships

Junior Ranger Angler program to encourage children to learn about all the recreational activities involving fishing

American Latino Heritage Fund to preserve and protect the history and culture of Latino Americans

NPF’s Kids program introducing children to our parks through a variety of activities online

The National Park as Classroom education program which provides teachers with free curriculum, field trip ideas, and workshops for students

The Strong Parks, Strong Communities initiative supporting local programs all over the country

            In a thought provoking online article titled Here’s How We Make The National Parks More Diverse, author Ted Alvarez gathered a number of recommendations from a variety of knowledgeable people as to what more the NPS can do.  Some of the recommendations included the NPS partnering with local city parks and having NPS rangers be more visible around communities; teaching about the history and contributions of African Americans with our national parks; and having children and families come out and experience the parks, if just for a day’s outing.

I have traveled and visited many parks over the years with my family and can say that we absolutely loved the beauty and adventures that our parks have. Especially during the pandemic, I recommend that all families, no matter what race or national origin, make plans to visit some of them.

To read the entire online article and obtain more information on this topic, please visit:

https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/national-parks-diversity

https://www.nationalparks.org/our-work/programs/programs-connect

https://www.nationalparks.org/our-work/programs/all-programs

https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog/celebrating-black-history-and-culture-through-national-parks

International Day of Peace Focuses on All of Us Shaping Peace Together

In 1981, the United Nations declared September 21 each year as the international day of peace “devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.”  The challenge this year has not been hostile conflicts but fighting the “common enemy” of the Covid-19 pandemic.  “While the message is intended for armed parties, solidarity and cooperation across borders, sectors and generations are also needed to win this new fight against the worst public health crisis of our time.”

            Why have days dedicated to international ideals?  According to the UN’s  website, these days are “occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity.” 

            Peace is a very important initiative for children to learn from an early age.  Visit the UN’s website for more information on this and other international days.  https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace