I remember having a five, three, one and new. Winter was especially tough. Our youngest was born early December, so all the bundling required the rest of the winter was my responsibility. The five year old was mostly capable, but still needed help getting mittens on over the jacket. I really thought twice before going out because of the amount of effort it took to get four small children out the door. Groceries did need to be bought, so we did venture out at least a few times a week.
My dear friend though is finding it difficult to find time to fulfill Deut. 6: 6-9 with her young brood.
Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
My advice is to prioritize Bible Time. START each day with the
reading of a children’s Bible, then highlight a character trait and do some role playing of how it looks in real life. Having this non-conflict time first thing in the day not only keeps it from being skipped, but gives mother examples to draw from the rest of the day. As principles are discussed and practiced every morning, they will become natural for mother to bring up as her and her child sit at home, walk along, lie down and get up.
Practically, how does this look? Blankets work well for giving children their own space to be in. Have each child sit on their own blanket. A little toy or stuffed animal can help the youngest children during this time. Even if they are not completely engaged, they are learning how to sit still and are observing their older siblings listen and respond to mom’s questions. Any child that can walk can be pulled in during the role playing, this feels like a game and prepares them for real life too.
Martin Luther is known to have said his day was too busy not to
pray. He would get up earlier to make sure he had enough time to pray before facing a hectic day. As moms we can adopt this wisdom for training our children. Our days with small children are too busy not to train. We need to start each day with non-conflict explaining, showing and practicing before we face a hectic day. God is our source personally for success and with our children, always seek Him first.