Part 3: Learning to Delight in Your Children: Practical Delighting in Another

What do I mean by delighting in?

The Hebrew meaning for delight is: DELIGHT- to be pleased; to satisfy a debt, be acceptable, accomplish, set affection on, approve, enjoy, have favor, like, observe, pardon, take pleasure in

Here’s the dictionary definition: to affect with great pleasure, to please highly. Delight is a more permanent pleasure than joy and not dependent on sudden excitement.

Let me give you some concrete ideas on how to delight in your child:

-When Kasey was a toddler she would come down hall at night and want to climb into bed to snuggle with Mom and Dad. We would let her snuggle for a few minutes acting delighted to see her. It’s a special time and she still likes to snuggle.

-In our family, we have pet nicknames for each person. As a matter of fact each person has their own pet name for everyone else.  I remember asking little Kasey what different family members called her. When I got to Mommy her answer was, “ luv oo luv oo”. It is so important to verbalize to your kids that you love them and treasure them. It’s a simple thing to do, but has lifelong effects!!

-I actually made Kelley a scrapbook border with all her nicknames on it. We had enough to go all around the page as each one had special names for each other.

-Be excited about what excites them –all the little things you think you don’t have time for. I remember when Tuck would ask for saltine crackers to “feed” the ants- on the front porch, no less!! He called them “duhs” and got so excited watching them haul off pieces of cracker!! It’s the simple pleasures!

-Take time every now and then to sit in the sandbox with them and make castles. When you make those castles you’re building bigger, more important things for eternity!!

-I decided early on that I would be a grandma who would get on the floor and play with my grandkids. I play dollhouse or matchbox cars or even the latest thing is I pretend I’m in a house fire and they “rescue” me. (Sometimes, I need a rest after being rescued!!)

-I  used to save special “papers” the kids made during the years. I have made several  special scrapbooks containing those precious ones that I just couldn’t part with . Until I had time to actually make the scrapbook, I just stored their special creations in a box. I kept a box for each one. It first made it to a folder, then when that got full, I’d transfer it to the box in the attic. I have one for each child. Of course, before it went to the folder, it usually hung on the refrigerator. Many of those kids now grown and those papers and cards are so  special to me. Some snowy day I want to just sit and look at those things and remember and show their kids what they did and may not remember.

-I used to have the kids write Scripture verses to practice their handwriting and would often frame some and hang them on the wall. For years we had one Nate made. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine”

-Our biggest source of entertainment through the years has been the cute things the kids would do and say as they were growing up in our home. Now our adult kids who are parents do same thing with their kids and we get to hear verses learned, songs sung, precious comments, etc.

-When our oldest son, Rickey was around 3 years old, Rick was working at the sheriff’s department. We would sit at the breakfast table in the mornings before he had to leave enjoying each others company for a few quiet moments. Rickey, however, began to wake up during this time. At first, we would send him back to bed for a few minutes, but the Lord began to prick my conscience and I mentioned it to Rick so the next morning as he came stumbling down the hall all sleepy, Rick said, RICKEY, WE”RE GLAD YOU WOKE UP. DID YOU SLEEP GOOD? Rickey delightedly responded with Yes, I sleep good. Each morning after that he would stumble down the hall and excitedly say, “I SLEEP GOOD!!!” We would pull him onto our laps and act like it made our day to see him. Do you know what- It did!! Our change in focus affected our attitude and the delight he showed was worth giving up a little “me” time.

-Be sure to praise them to others for character-not looks or diligence in practicing, not talent. Kids need praise and respond to it. Be genuine, but remember to look for the positive.

-Be easy to please. As parents, we often expect our kids to act like little adults and expect them to know what we want without ever telling them. Make instructions simple and clear.

-In order to build trust in the relationship, try not to laugh at or embarrass them. Sometimes when we share a story with others and they laugh the kids may think we’re laughing at them, not because it’s cute, so use caution.

These are just a few simple ways we can delight in our children. As you see- it is nothing grand or spectacular. But so often we can delight in our children the most in the daily and simple ways.  Next week, I’ll share a little about how to make even the ordinary days into fun times.

~Marilyn

Read Part 1: The Key to Their Hearts

Read Part 2: As God Delights in Us

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Marilyn

Marilyn is wife to Rick, Mom to 14 children, Nana to 22 grandchildren (and counting!) and homeschooler for 37 years. She and her husband own Character Concepts which they started for the purpose of helping others raise children with a strong, godly character and Biblical worldview.They have developed character curriculumfrom preschool through high school, based on what they found worked whenteaching their own 14 children over the years. Her passion is to help young moms raise kids of character and enjoy the journey!

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