Lessons from "Effective Parenting in a Defective World"

5 July 2008.

Pastor Steven Low from World Teach conducted a workshop on "Effective Parenting in a Defective World". We were taught how to raise our children in a negative world, how to build family relationships that bond and how to discipline our children effectively.

It was a full day workshop loaded with precious information. Actually, I wished it was done in two days. I believe we all had information overload!

One area that I appreciate most is the 8 keys for building relationships that bond....

1.Unconditional love (tough but achievable when we remember God's love for us)

2. Scheduled time (we started off with our children by 'dating' them invidually every week)

3. Focused attention (still a challenge for us when our 4 kids speak simultaneously)

4. Eye contact (shows that mum or dad is interested in me)

5. Ongoing communication
- dinner conversation together (thank God that we have passed the days where we eat and be awefully silent!)

- bedtime stories (even my 9-year old son still enjoys them)

- shared experiences (oh, this is never ending!)

6. Meaningful touching (Dad, be your daughter's first date; vice versa, Mum, be your son's first date)

7. Have fun together

8. Pray together often (the family that prays together sticks together)

We are not called to be perfect parents, but to be AUTHENTIC.