Children with good manners are a pleasure to be around. These boys and girls make friends easier, get along better with their teachers, and eventually make better employees and spouses. How do you give your child the lifelong gift of good manners?

• Sit down with your kids and make a list of specific behaviors polite people display. Some examples are:

• Say “please” and “thank you”

• Say “excuse me”

• Hold doors open for people

• Eat with their mouths closed

• Model these manners. Children watch and learn from our actions.

• Provide kids what they want only when they use good manners. Set limits and stick to them. An upset child in the short-term will be a more responsible one in the long-term.

• Expect them to repay for any embarrassment they cause by doing chores or turning over a favorite toy. Without lectures or threats, a wise parent guides the child in following through with the responsibility.

Manners matter!

Mother’s Day is a special time to celebrate the women in your life. Every woman enjoys getting a little attention, so plan a surprise. Moms, forward this article to your husband!

Ideas:

• Make a list of all the things you are thankful for about your Mom.

• Write a personal note to your Mom.

• Always take family picture each Mother’s Day.

Ideas for Dads:

• Take the children to pick out a gift or card for Mom.

• Instead of a full course breakfast, have the kids make a secret message toast. Write a message on a slice of bread with a Q-tip dipped in milk. When the bread is toasted, the message will appear.

• No cooking or cleaning for Mom on her day.

Tell your Mom you love today and every day!

Ideas:

• Pray for your coaches!

• Encourage players when they make mistakes.

• Have a team party to build relationships with the parents.

• Invite team members and their families to church.

• Put a “Let your light shine” sticker on your child’s helmet or other sports equipment. When people ask, they can share about Jesus.

Let God be a part of your daily life. Teach your children to share the love of God “as they go.”

 

When the calendar turns to April, it seems spring is here. Baseball tryouts begin, boots are put away and spring break is a special treat for all. Make memories as you enjoy the beauty of this season. The following ideas will get you started.

• Talk about the things you can do when it gets warmer.  Notice how the grass starts to grow and the flowers bloom.

• Have a “try on” party to see what clothes you can wear for spring.

• Have a Spring Cleaning party and give outgrown clothes/items to Goodwill.

• Talk about the beautiful colors God gives us. Use “rainbow seeds” to brighten any day. Rainbow seeds are multicolored sprinkles!

Planting Instruction

Sprinkle RAINBOW SEEDS in or on:

• Your morning cereal

• In your milk

• On ice cream

• Flour tortillas and butter

Don’t forget to thank God for the beauty all around. He needs to hear your praise and thanksgiving!

Ingredients: Canned biscuits, large marshmallows, cinnamon sugar, tub of spreadable butter, plastic spoons, waxed paper

Give each person a piece of waxed paper and tape the corners to keep from sliding. Flatten out a biscuit until round.  Wrap each flattened biscuit around a marshmallow, making sure to seal all openings.  Dip the back of the spoon in the tub of butter and spread on the biscuit. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

 Place in a large, greased baking pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.

Just like Resurrection morning, the cookies are hollow and EMPTY! On the first Resurrection day Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

Discuss the main point of the story:

Jesus is NOT in the tomb anymore. HE HAS RISEN. JESUS IS ALIVE!

Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

• Matthew 21:1-11 – Jesus entered into Jerusalem on a donkey with the people rejoicing as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9.

• Matthew 21:12-19 – Jesus condemned the fig tree for no fruit; cleansed & healed in the temple.

• Matthew 21:19-26:13 – Fig tree withered; Jesus came into conflict with the Scribes and Pharisees; watched the widow give her mite; discussed the end of time; predicted his death and was anointed by Mary with expensive perfumes.

• Matthew 26:17-27:10 – Passover Meal; upper room teaching; teaching in the Garden of Gethsemane; prayer in the garden; high priestly prayer; betrayed by Judas; Jewish trials before Ananias, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin; Peter denied Jesus.

Crucifixion

• Matthew 27:11-60 – Roman trials before Pilate and Herod; mocking of the soldiers; carrying the cross; crucifixion on the cross at Golgotha as “King of the Jews”; burial by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.

• Matthew 27:61-66 – The guard was placed at the tomb.

Resurrection

• Matthew 28:1-5 – The women visited the tomb and saw the angel; Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene; Jesus appeared to the other women; guards reported to the priests; Jesus appeared to the disciples.

Let your children draw a picture of a shamrock and talk about how St. Patrick could have used it to share about God’s love. Google St. Patrick and read his story.

Have a dinner with green foods; put together a treat bag for each family member with green gum and small green treats.

Children wear green shirts and have celebrations at school but seldom know the real story behind the holiday. Make this St. Patrick’s Day more memorable than pinching others if they do not wear green!

Who was St. Patrick and why do we have a holiday to celebrate his life? St. Patrick first introduced Christianity to the people of Ireland around the 5th century. He used a shamrock to teach new believers about the Trinity.

Let your children draw a picture of a shamrock and talk about how St. Patrick could have used it to share about God’s love. Google St. Patrick and read his story.

Have a dinner with green foods; put together a treat bag for each family member with green gum and small green treats.

Children wear green shirts and have celebrations at school but seldom know the real story behind the holiday. Make this St. Patrick’s Day more memorable than pinching others if they do not wear green!

• Talk about God’s love for us and the love we are to have for others.  (John 3:16 and 1 John 3:16)

• Have a dinner with RED foods.
• Let the kids help bake foods in a heart shape. There are cookie cutters, cake pans, and muffin tins available. Take some of your goodies to a special person.
• Have each family member make cards and exchange them.
• Make a valentine for God.
• As a family read 1 John, especially chapter 4 and list all the clues about what perfect love is all about. Put together a definition of perfect love from God and illustrate it or write it out so you can share it with others.

• Have children guess how many marshmallow hearts are in one box of Lucky Charms and record their guesses.  After they guess, put three empty bowls on a table:  one for marshmallow hearts, one for other marshmallow objects and the other for dry cereal.  Give children a scoop of Lucky Charms and have them sort the cereal, putting the correct objects in the correct bowl.  Then count the number of hearts.
• Spell out Bible verses about love, using Alpha-Bits cereal.  For example, use Psalm 116:1a; Proverbs 3:3a; Jeremiah 31:3; 1 Corinthians 16:14; and 1 John 4:7.
• Sing this song to the tune of “The Muffin Man”.  Isn’t it great that God loves you?  That God loves you?  That God loves you?  Isn’t it great that God loves you and that we love each other?”
• For treats, cut hearts out of bread with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.  Top heart cut-outs with strawberry jam.
• Have children sing this song to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”  First verse:  “Do you know that you are loved?  You are loved.  You are loved.  Do you know that you are loved?  That Jesus loves you so?”  Second verse:  “Do you know that I love you?  I love you.  I love you.  Do you know that I love you, on each and every day?”
• Make Valentine cards, using construction paper, glue, glitter and markers.  Have children make the cards for your church shut-ins, sick and hospitalized church members, the pastor or the church custodian.  Then have the children deliver the Valentines to the appropriate people.
• Make a large heart wall-hanging with red string licorice.  Have children tie the licorice pieces together and then glue the licorice in the shape of a heart on a piece of butcher paper.