Setting Goals for 2009 - #3 Parenting

So today I am setting my third goal for 2009! Let's just say that I fell very short on this goal!!! Are you ready for this?

On January 1st, 2008, goal #3 for the year was "To never raise my voice at the children. There will be no yelling in our house. I will respect the children and they will respect me and each other. I will role model how I want them to behave and I will not use harsh words or looks."

I think this was an excellent goal - but I fell very short - so I face the agony of failure again today! What I needed for Christmas was a black and white striped shirt and a whistle - I feel confident that my football loving son would respond to that quite well! But truly, I desire to be a patient and self-controlled mommy and I will definately admit that I have raised my voice at the children and they have raised their voices at each other. It's humbling to see my own faults running around on two little legs! So we will continue to work on this in 2009.


But my third new goal for 2009 is: "To become my children's fun, creative, and interesting school teacher in the new year." I plan to homeschool kindergarten and preschool in the fall and I'm really looking forward to it. But I know it will not be an easy task to take on. I want to learn to be a more creative mother who takes the time to do interesting things with her children. I have a lot of room for growth in this area.

But my long term goals will always remain - to see my children walking in the truth (3 John 4). I read somewhere (sorry I don't know the reference but I wrote these thoughts on my dry erase board and look at them every day - but I don't know remember the source!) these goals for the preschool years:

1. Teach them the gospel everyday

2. Teach them obedience

3. Win their hearts

Then during the elementary years our goals should be:

1. Teach them to own their faith

2. Teach them to be aware of their sin

3. Disciple them

These are my long term goals with my children. Have you begun to make goals?

Walk with the King!

Courtney

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/