Hey Everybody! It’s Family Night
I’ve been hit and miss with these Project Walking Into a Hug posts, simply because I haven’t really been with my kids all that much this last month!
But, I have been with them all of the past week (the older girls stayed with my parents for four more days after the cruise), so I can finally give a report on the Plentiful Praise.
And let me just say, I know it’s obvious, but I personally don’t think about it enough. When I am constantly noticing the good things my children do and letting them know, they sure as heck want to keep doing it. Just yesterday while I was in the kitchen with Sophia, Bria came out to tell me she’d not only made her own bed, but mine, too! Wow.(Of course, Sophie was really upset about that because she wanted to get under the covers and watch PBS Kids.)
The next goal isFamily Night: Block out one evening a week and make Family Night a priority where the Spirit is invited to dwell.
Normally, we are very good about having it every Monday night, but the last few months have been pretty hit and miss with all the vacation and such. The girls are asking about it (which is a good thing, I suppose), and so this is a great goal to have this time and get ourselves back in the habit.
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Just put a photoshoot up on my photo blog: Baby Aidan, 7 weeks old.
I really love the positive praise. It works so well!
Family night sounds like such an ideal time! Good for you for trying to do it.
My son can drive me crazy sometimes because he's so stubborn but I have really worked the positive praise angle with him (when he deserves it, of course) and he's kept his bedroom clean to a level I would never have thought him capable of.
Are you going to play the "Hey Everybody It's Family Night" song at the beginning of each Monday Night FHE? 🙂 We actually have a little Family song that my grandma wrote that we sing each Monday night. The kids love it, and they know it means it's time for Family Night.
By the way, I'm so excited for your move to the U P. We lived in Ann Arbor when PJ was doing his masters, so I've been a Michigander, but never a Yooper. I hear it's GORGEOUS and such a different world up there. Enjoy!
Our summertime FHE has been hit and miss too–and this Monday, my daughter goes to Girls Camp (ack!) so we'll be short a kid. Two weeks, later, it's Scout camp. So we're doing what we with family otherwise. Improvisation is name of the game. We're taking them to a play tonight. That counts, right? 🙂
I am a big fan of positive reinforcement with kids. When a kid comes into our receiving center, who is super angry and mad, if I fidn something positive to talk about, they will always warm up.
My kids still do so well with praise and they love FHE even at their age. It is always a night we know we can spend together, but it is always hard to find time for it. I hope your garage sale/ yard sale went well today.
I try and give my kids praise on a daily basis, but I admit I could be better. They hear much more about what they should be doing and aren't than what they are doing right. I need to work on that. I bet it makes for a much happier and pleasant family.
In my classroom nothing works like praise. Ditto at home.
FHE is the best, but it is so easy to get off track just a bit when schedules are less than normal. Good luck getting back to it! I would love to be there to hear you sing your opening song!
Positive praise works wonders! I find sometimes it is a lot easier to give than others though!
Lara, I attest to how difficult pinning down that one day a week time together. It's taken us over 10 years to even start being consistent. Keep up the good work!