The post Gratefulness Prayer Song for Your Family appeared first on Character Ink.

Earlier I introduced Gregg Harris’ “attachment” principle for doing the many things that are important in our kids’ Christian upbringing. (Read Attaching Important Things To Your Schedule here.)

Today I want to introduce another paradigm that has kept us going in all of the myriad Christian training endeavors: If something is important to you, you will do it more often than you do not.

Simple, really. But it has kept us going when we felt defeated, overwhelmed, or unsuccessful in our parenting. No matter what was happening, we tried to follow that principle. When one of us got discouraged, the other would remind the first that we were, indeed, doing what we were supposed to be doing.

I haven’t done afternoon story time for two days in a row with Kara’s colic. Ray’s answer? All that matters is that you do it more often than you don’t. And I knew that it was true. I am not perfect. Managing a houseful of preschoolers certainly made perfection on a daily basis out of the question!

However, I knew in my heart of hearts what I wanted our home to be. I knew what I wanted my day to look like (and what it needed to look like in order to accomplish all that we wanted to accomplish).

We knew what we wanted in our children’s Christian upbringing. And we knew that as long as we persevered and did those important things “more often than not,” we could make it.

Make that your goal for new disciplines in your family—that if you plan to do devotions every school morning during breakfast, and you make it three of the five—you have done it “more often than not.”

If you want to read aloud to your tweens before bed during the week, and you read three out of the five weeknight bedtimes, you have done it—“more often than not.” And you are well on your way to success in carrying out the things that are important to you in your Christian parenting.

Raising children for the Lord is not a sprint. It is a marathon, or if you are married, a life-long relay. Running fast and hard at the beginning is not what will get you to the finish line. Slow and steady is what will get you there. And reading, praying, singing, talking, choring, playing, teaching, training, etc. “more often than not” will help you cross that finish line someday knowing that have done what you were supposed to do—without regrets for all of the “priorities” that never truly were priorities but just unfulfilled wishes.

How could the “more often than not” principle help you in your parenting? Would it bring freedom? Could it bring more consistency than you get with trying for perfection?

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The post More Often Than Not—The Secret to Consistency Without Defeat appeared first on Character Ink.

In a previous blog post, I discussed the importance of finding out those traditions that mean a lot to your college and adult kids so that they do not feel left out of the things you are doing in your home – especially the things that you used to do when they were little. In another post, I talked about the invitation versus obligation. (Read that here…that’s important!)

This post will focus on the latter. We try to continue many traditions with our high school kids and our college kids living at home, but at the same time, we don’t want to leave out the adult children who are away from home–or impose upon them either. This is a fine balance. Because of this, we recommend that you invite them to some of those things, but be sure that they do not see those things as obligations.

Also, especially for your married children, we recommend that you encourage them to begin their own traditions in their own homes. If they feel like they constantly have to come to your house throughout December in order not to disappoint you or miss a “tradition,” they will likely not have the time or the initiative to begin their own traditions. Regardless of how much you might want all of your children there all of the time, we encourage you to help your adult children see their marriages and their families as their first priorities.

So what about the other traditions? Yes, invite them when appropriate, but don’t push.

We love to invite the kids back for a baking and/or cookie decorating night some times! Again–invitation, not obligation! 🙂

Here are a few traditions we like to do:

1. Christmas stories—The older kids especially have fond memories of reading Christmas stories altogether throughout the month of December, on our decorating night, in the evenings leading up to Christmas, on Christmas Eve, and Christmas day. Because of this, I save a few of our favorite stories (see upcoming posts for some of our favorite Christmas read alouds for the whole group–many of which are available for free online!) to read when the family is altogether, such as on decorating night and our Christmas Eve. I have also gotten all of the children as Christmas gifts some of our favorite compilations of Christmas stories so that they would have them for their families and future families.

image via IMDb

2. Christmas movies— we all have fond memories of watching Christmas movies together. One Christmas movie that is a tradition that we still invite the older kids back for is our White Christmas movie night. This movie was a favorite for all of us to watch together. It has become even more special in the last ten years or so when we made it an official White Christmas Night by adding “white spaghetti” (fettuccini alfredo with shrimp!) to our evening. We try to have this on the evening in December when some of the grown kids can come back home, and we do invite them – but again, it is an invitation not an obligation. It was so cute the other day when our new daughter-in-law (of one year) asked when we were doing White Christmas this year, stating that she had never been to one because they were always away at college when we did it. I love it that even my children-in-law look forward to our family traditions.

3. Family Christmas outing – through the years we have taken one outing during the Christmas season as a family and made it a big occasion. This might have been going to a Christmas play, a musical, a movie, or the planetarium for the Star of Bethlehem show. We usually went out to eat and/or went out for dessert on that night as well. This is something that we still invite the older kids back for.

4. Movie on Christmas night— I mentioned in a previous post how we have given Christmas day to our kids-in-law’s family. Because our extended families no longer have get togethers on Christmas day, this left Christmas day kind of empty for those at home. Therefore, we added going to a special movie on Christmas night. Anybody who doesn’t have anything going on that night is invited to come.

Yes, it is sad for me to think of all the traditions that have gone by the way… spending the entire month of December making Christmas ornaments, cooking and baking together, singing nearly every night around the tree, and so on. Those of you with small children don’t skimp on your holiday traditions. And those of you with grown kids – remember those days fondly.

I love it that my own kids love and enoy their siblings-in-law!

(Please note that I am an affiliate for Amazon. I receive a small commission when you click on my links below. Thanks so much for your support of this blog!)

Favorite movies:

• White Christmas
• Elf
• Christmas With the Kranks
• Home Alone 1
• Home Alone 2
• Home Alone 3
• Christmas Eve
• Charlie Brown Christmas
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Christmas Shoes

The post Christmas With College & Adult Children: Tips for Keeping Traditions with Grown Children appeared first on Character Ink.

One thing that draws high school and college kids like nothing else is food. Seriously. Food. Especially boys.

As I’ve already mentioned, preparing and/or buying kids’ favorite foods and treats is a great way to their hearts. Smile (See Kids’ Faves worksheets available here for free!)

And, as I’ve already mentioned in our “Continue With Earlier Traditions,” we always invite all of the kids over for our decorating night Thanksgiving weekend.

Here are some tips from our decorating night:

Our Tree With All of Our Homemade Ornaments

1) Our family decorating night on Thanksgiving weekend IS our Thanksgiving get together. We have found that having too many get togethers that kids are expected to attend within that four day holiday weekend is just too much. Again, we don’t want to detract from anything they are doing in their own families, plus they have extended family get togethers and, if they are married, in-law get togethers. So in place of a Thanksgiving dinner, we have our Christmas decorating night.

Snowman globe ornament

Scrabble pieces and miniature book cover ornaments

2) We have shrimp. Yes, shrimp. We have shrimp three times a year in our home: Christmas decorating night (shrimp cocktail), “White Christmas” night (shrimp alfredo), and Christmas Eve (shrimp cocktail, oven fried shrimp, and shrimp scampi). It is a big deal. It is shrimp! Not casserole. Not half ground turkey and half hamburger. Not shredded chicken. Real shrimp!

Scrabble pieces ornaments

3) We read a story or two, sing a few carols, draw sibling names for exchanges, eat appetizers, drink IBC root beer (twice a year!), and decorate. (See Family Unity.) It isn’t too elaborate, doesn’t take too much preparation, and isn’t overly long (in time).

Joshua setting Out Nativity Sets

I love it that our kids-in-law bring their gifts and uniqueness to our family. Our daughter-in-law Lisa is an artist and always adds a special touch to our decorating.

4) Our decorating is very simple—sixty to ninety minutes with all of us. We put up a simple tree with homemade ornaments and set out dozens of various sizes of nativity sets. We might hang a wreath or two. I don’t have expectations that they are going to spend several hours decorating my house. The fourteen of us can usually do the actual decorating part in an hour or so. That keeps everybody interested and makes the evening more enjoyable.

Our new kids-in-law taking part in our family’s Christmas activities

5) I use paper plates—I don’t want everybody to have to work all night cleaning up at the end of the evening, so I often put the appetizers (store bought) in the oven in foil pans and serve it all on paper plates.

Our Christmas story for decorating night…we love this family favorite!

6) They are always invited to stay later to play games or watch a Christmas movie—but again, that is an invitation not an obligation.

Decorating night singing and stories!

Just a few simple tips. But those tips make our night special.

I am not a photographer by any means, but I have some pictures of our decorating night—complete with all of the homemade ornaments that the kids and I made each year during our “Christmas unit studies.” Those ornaments bring all of us great joy—and are a huge part of our “reminiscing” and “memory sharing” each year.

After decorating the tree 🙂

The post Christmas With College and Adult Children: Our Family Decorating Night appeared first on Character Ink.

I. Getting the Disney Dining

A. Disney Dining plan

a. I recommend you get one
b. Counter Service Plan

i. 2 Counter meals (like really nice fast food)
    1. Ribs, fish etc.
ii. 1 Snack
    1. Can be 5-7 Dollars
iii. I recommend you buying this if you have small kids who might not be interested in 90 minute sit down experiences
iv. 43 and 17

B. Standard Disney Dining

i. One sit-down meal
    1. A nice restaurant
ii. One counter meal
iii. One snack
iv. Costs 62 for adults, 21 for children under 10 per day

b. If you are going to eat at Disney this is worth it

i. You can eat two counter meals in one day
ii. Four snacks in one day

c. Saves you a little bit of money if you buy it

i. You don’t have to think about food
ii. More than enough
iii. Huge portions
iv. Might have a few snacks
   1. Though we usually have leftovers

d. Tips are not included

C. What is Free Disney Dining?

a. Free Dining

  i. The Dining plan was free
    1. In a normal trip you would only pay for hotel and park tickets
  ii. Last year if you stayed at a value resort you got the quick service
    1. With an option to upgrade to Standard for $20 a day
  iii. If you stayed at a moderate or luxury resort, you got the standard plan
    1. Essentially, all of our food
  iv. It is exciting to go to one of our restaurants and see a bill for $700 dollars and know it is free
  v. It is Disney’s best deal by a long shot

b. Limitations

  i. Cannot be packaged with other special deals
    1. Not with 25% off
    2. Normal rate for that time of year
    3. Normal cost for tickets for the number of days

  ii. They only offer it for certain weeks
    1. Recently it is only in the fall and early December
    2. Not Halloween, Thanksgiving, Labor Day etc.
    3. When they announce they will announce which weeks the deal is for
               a. You have to go during one of those weeks

 iii. It is only for certain resorts
    1. The one’s they need to fill in those weeks
    2. Though it is for most resorts
    3. There are sections and whole resorts that don’t count

  iv. It is very limited
    1. And is getting more limited all the time
    2. First come, first serve
    3. When they are out of free dining plans, you have to hope that someone cancels

II. Booking Everything

A. When

a. Plan on going during the fall and not during a holiday
    1. Pick at least 2 or 3 weeks that will work for everyone at least by the first of March
    2. We planned on going the first week of November
               i. Disney didn’t offer free dining that week
               ii. They did offer it the second week of November

B. Pick at least 3 hotels that you want to stay in at least by the first of March

   1. Our first choice was Art of Disney Animation
   2. We needed to switch to Coronado Springs
   3. You won’t know which resort is offering the deals

C. Check every day in March, April, and May for Free Disney Dining Plan

    a. Details

    i. Dining is usually April or May
    ii. They don’t tell you
    iii. You won’t know until they announce
    iv. Just type in free Disney dining 2016
         1. If they’ve announced, it should be all over the place
    v. Just 30 seconds a day
         1. I checked two or three times a day
         2. It was worth about $7000 for our family

b.  You can book your trip for your first choice week
     i. They will let you switch rooms, dates, or just apply the discount if you are on an eligible date and in an eligible time

c. When they announce call Disney and book your trip
   i. It will be an hour wait
   ii. Do not wait
         1. They will be gone in less than 24 hours
   iii. Know your possible dates
   iv. Know your possible resorts
   v. You can do it online
        1. If you catch it early enough

d. If you miss it, keep trying
   i. People book too many rooms or their trip gets canceled
   ii. So you still might have a chance

D. Fast Passes
   a. 60 days if staying on Disney
   b. Magic Bands

E. Extras
   a. Don’t do them
   b. Hotel, Food, Tickets

III. At Disney: Scheduling the most out of your days

  a. Four types of touring days
  b. All Day
     i. Best: You can do everything in a park in one day
        1. If you do them at the right time
        2. And aren’t there during peak time
    ii. Worst: Can be very tiring
        1. Only do this a few times unless it is a short trip (four or five days or fewer) or your family has a lot of stamina
        2. Do not overestimate how tiring Disney can be
            a. 7 miles plus of walking per day
    iii. Strategy
      1. Start in a land with attractions with longer lines
          a. Do the longest
      2. Move to second level lines through late morning
      3. Eat lunch at 11:30
      4. Mix in fastpasses from 12:30 to 3:30
          a. Three big attractions
          b. Then get more
    5. Do shows and low line level rides
c.  Go early, Leave in the Afternoon, come back in the evening
           i. Best

Listen to the podcast by clicking on the picture below!

Links:

Disneyworld.disney.go.com
Disneyfoodblog.com
Disney Junkies FB page
Other RKWC/CI Podcasts
RKWC/CI blog
Plexus to Feel Great Blog
What is TriPlex?
Keep Kids Close Coupons
Affirmation Cards
Age-Appropriate Chore Posters
Consequence Pies
Meaningful Composition Writing Program
Character Ink Store
Write On, Peter Pan (and coming soon—Mowgli!) books
The Plastic Wrap Ball

The post Podcast Notes for “Part II – Trip Tips to Planning the Perfect & Money Saving Disney World Vacation” appeared first on Character Ink.

Donna Reish, co-author and co-presenter of Raising Kids With Character parenting seminar and blog and fifty curriculum books (including February 2016 releases of five levels of Write On, Peter Pan books and March 2016 releases of five levels of Write On, Mowgli book) from Character Ink Press, brings you this Wondering Wednesday podcast episode in which her guest, son Joshua Reish, answers even more questions about planning an amazing (and affordable!) family vacation to Walt Disney World. In this episode, Joshua delves even more deeply into saving money while dining at Disney, including the peak times for the free dining plan as well as purchasing a dining plan (to still save meal money over buying each meal separately). His thorough explanation of the snacks, quick service meals (counter meals), and sit-down meals will help you put all of the Disney dining pieces together in order to enjoy the amazing food and service that Disney offers. Joshua also goes further into the fast passes and making the most of each day at WDW.

Download the podcast notes here.

Listen to previous podcasts here.

The post Podcast: Part II – Trip Tips to Planning the Perfect & Money Saving Disney World Vacation appeared first on Character Ink.

I. Minimizing the Costs

A. Be Flexible

1. Go in off times (Value resort: $192/night/holidays; $101/night/off season—for four people)

2. Be ready to change if the next week or prior week has a “deal”

B. Don’t go without a “deal”

1. Free Disney Dining (check out 1/26/16 episode for detailed instructions on Disney dining)

a. A few weeks a year

b. Falls in late spring—Early April/May

c. Quite literally free meals for all!

d. Saved our family of fourteen $7,000 over paying for meals on Disney. Even if the meals are twice as much as fast food (in place of quick service meals) and chains (in place of sit-down meals), we still saved nearly $4,000 on food!

C. Stay on Disney

1. Resorts—three price range of resorts for everybody

2. “Deals” are associated with packages—stay in resort, buy ticket package, get free dining (or can purchase dining plan)…staying on makes all other aspects of the trip less expensive

3. Lose time also by staying off—driving, parking, not getting in during “magic hours”

4. Pay for parking when staying off ($20 per day per vehicle)

5. Can get other deals besides free dining, like 25% off room rates, etc. during off season

6. Can’t “stack” free dining, room reduction, etc….but off season nearly always offers some special to reduce the trip

II. Minimizing line times

A. Complex algorithms and touring plans—not really needed; just need to learn some key things

B. Times of day—three key times

1. Golden times

a. First hour park is open

b. Any magic hours morning or night (available only to people staying in a Disney resort)

c. Last hour park is open

d. Anytime you use a fast pass (Details on Fast Passes in 1/26/16 episode)

2. Silver times

a. Before noon

b. Last two to three hours park is open to general public

3. Bad times (!)

a. Afternoon—12 to 6

b. Use fast passes and see shows and parades during this time

C . Three attraction line times

1. Long—Peter Pan, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Pooh, Meet and Greets with Mickey/Elsa/Anna

2. Medium—Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Dumbo, Magic Carpet Ride

3. Short/no wait—Most shows, People Mover, and Parades

III. Planning Ahead/Booking

A. Initial plans

1. Know length of trip and potential time period: 9 to 12 months in advance

2. Be flexible, especially with large party—get a couple of starting and ending dates available just in case of specials or full resorts

B. Booking vacation

1. Book vacation: 6 to 9 months in advance

2. Wait on deals (start watching at the 9 month mark—see links at bottom)

3. Be ready with your start and ending dates

C. Booking dining

1. As soon as you can book (180 days in advance with Disney Dining plan (either free dining plan or purchased plan)

2. Pick all of your sit-down places ahead of time (and have alternates)so when one comes open (when you call to make your reservations, you will have a list of first choices, etc., in front of you)

3. Know what types of days you will likely have so that you are not leaving one park to go eat in another or going from park to your resort to eat and back to park—schedule dining in or near the park you will be at on that day (base what park you are on, on the magic hours and hours of operation of each park during the days you are going to be there)

D. Booking fast passes

1. Sixty days out

2. Listen next week for details!

3. Use Long, Medium, Short line list above

4. Sites also list which ones are good ones to get fast passes for

5. Goal: Not wait over thirty minutes for most popular attractions if you are going in off season (we averaged fifteen minutes….many we walked right on in magic hours…)

IV. Slow down—enjoy every Disney-esque moment you can!

Links:

Disneyworld.disney.go.com

Disneyfoodblog.com

Disney Junkies FB page

Other RKWC/CI Podcasts

Plexus to Feel Great Blog

Keep Kids Close Coupons

Affirmation Cards

Age-Appropriate Chore Posters

Consequence Pies

Meaningful Composition Writing Program

Character Ink Store

Write On, Peter Pan (and coming soon—Mowgli!) books

The Plastic Wrap Ball

The post Podcast Notes for “Trip Tips to Planning the Perfect Disney World Vacation” appeared first on Character Ink.

Donna Reish, co-author and co-presenter of Raising Kids With Character parenting seminar and blog and fifty curriculum books (including February 2016 releases of five levels of Write On, Peter Pan and March 2016 releases of five levels of Write On, Mowgli) from Character Ink Press, brings you this Wondering Wednesday podcast episode in which her guest, son Joshua Reish, answers the myriad of questions that the Reish family is often asked about taking a Walt Disney World family vacation. In this first part, Joshua tells listeners how to minimize the price of a WDW vacation, how to minimize wait times in lines, how far ahead to plan your trip (including Disney Dining), how to slow down and experience Disney, and much more.

Download the podcast notes here.

Listen to previous podcasts here.

The post Podcast: Trip Tips to Planning the Perfect & Money Saving Disney World Vacation appeared first on Character Ink.

Listen to the podcast here!

Reasons for Overwhelm

 
(1) Working out of your season of life
 
(2) Doing too much/too prideful to say you really can’t do everything you want/think you should be able to do
 
(3) Working out of your strengths—trying to be like someone else or wanting to have talents that you don’t really have
 

(4) Focusing on too many things at one time—how many things can you really do well?
 
(5) Having unrealistic expectations of yourself, your husband, and/or your kids
 
(6) Having too many things outside of the house
 
(7) Clutter/disorganization
 
(8) Too many thrills and distractions and not enough focus on family, spiritual growth, relationships, and living well

 
(1) WORKING OUT OF YOUR SEASON OF LIFE
 
Abstract: Babies and Business; each season is built in so that the experiences and wisdom of the previous season prepare you; you need time for the skills and wisdom to catch up to what you are trying to do in your life
 
Action steps: (1) List what you spend your time on; (2) How many things are really not for right now (i.e. older women should be doing them; you needed to give them up because you now have a family; etc.); (3) Determine how to gracefully bow out of the things that are not for you right now—make a plan for the future even if you can’t get out of them right away.

(2) DOING TOO MUCH/TOO PRIDEFUL TO SAY THAT YOU CAN’T DO SOMETHING OR CAN’T FIT IT ALL IN
 
Abstract: Time is not finite; treat time like money; “When you say yes to someone, you say no to someone else.” (Who do you want to say no to?); spiritual/emotional implications—pride, fear of man, etc.; too much comparison leads you to believe that others really are fitting it all in.
 
Action steps: (1) List everything you are doing/where your time is going (after you’ve eliminated wrong season things!); (2) Which things are mandatory to meet your family goals? Work goals? Financial goals?; (3) Get rid of things that are not leading you to your real goals.

(3) WORKING OUT OF YOUR AREAS OF STRENGTH
 
Abstract: Takes much more time/energy/stress/money to work in areas you are not skilled in; some hobbies are just not for you (and especially for your season); spiritual/emotional implications—pride, comparison, desire to be what you are not; comparisons dangerous here too
 
Action steps: (1) Identify skills/talents you have been trying to develop that really aren’t you; (2) Should any of these be dropped from your life? (3) What areas of strength do you have that you could be bringing to your life if you weren’t chasing other areas?

(4) FOCUSING ON TOO MANY THINGS AT ONE TIME
 
Abstract: Not able to gain/sustain the motivation and momentum that all of those changes/problems require all at the same time; focusing on many things in life at once (various seasons, many hobbies, outside activities, friends, home renovation, etc., etc.) makes you too general; specificity leads to success.
 
Action steps: (1) Use the steps above for seasons of life, doing too much, out of your strengths to also narrow your life focuses (for life in general); (2) Recognize times in your life in which you were successful and times that too many focuses led you to feel defeated—too many focuses is probably the reason; (3) Follow the TWO MO’s steps to focus on fewer problems/areas of change at one time and really conquer those.

(5) HAVING UNREALISTIC (OR UNMET) EXPECTATIONS OF SPOUSE
 
Abstract: You will never be happy if you base your happiness upon someone else doing what you want them to do; expectations of spouse good if you’ve decided on goals together and the means to carry them out; expectations not good if (a) they are your goals only; (b) they are not communicated clearly; (c) they keep you from being appreciative of what he does do; (d) they cloud your eyes of love; e) they keep you from doing what you are supposed to do
 
Action steps: (1) Talk to husband about planning a change a month or a change a week together (much less overwhelming for a husband than “let’s meet and fix everything”); (2) Communicate general expectations more clearly (and non-judgmentally) than you have been; (3) Stop looking at him as the enemy; (4) Remind yourself that he really does love you and your kids—and wants the best…even if he can’t always do what you want how you want it; (5) Look at him with eyes of love by always keeping two or three things that you love and appreciate about him in the front your mind; (6) Decide that you will do the right thing/do whatever is set before you regardless of whether you think he should do it (Drop the mentality that “if I do it, he never will”—what if that really happens; do you really want it to never be done???)

(6) HAVING TOO MANY THINGS OUTSIDE OF THE HOME
 
Abstract: Don’t assume that your home is the center it should be if you are not doing things continually/staying home to make it that center (it doesn’t just happen); not being at home much communicates to your children that you either don’t like home or that you do not care to be with the family
 
Action steps: (1) Look at your calendar carefully and determine how much time you are home and how much you are away (especially when you have a choice); (2) Block out time periods in which you will be home more—preferably when kids are home, especially when you can be all together; (3) Just “be”—don’t always do. Our kids love it when we just “are”!

(7) CLUTTER/DISORGANIZATION
 
Abstract: clutter slows everything down; owning too many things makes way more work for everybody—more to wash, put away, clean, sort, manage, keep up, pay “rent” for, etc.; having so many things communicates to your kids the high value you place upon material possessions (i.e. always having to get the newest/best/latest, etc.)
 
Action steps: (1) Don’t just clean/organize—get rid of things; (2) Set reasonable goals for getting rid of things (a bag a week? Four boxes a month?); (3) Every time you clean, start a get rid of bag; (4) Evaluate your possessions to be sure that you love everything you have; (5) Tackle organizing with the TWO MO’s method—otherwise if just becomes a passing fad, not long-lasting; (6) When organizing something, make a definite system—storage, upkeep, etc. as opposed to just straightening up with no plan to maintain; (7) Tackle the “squeakiest wheel” of disorganization first; (8) Involve kids/husband in organizing so it will last longer (especially for their belongings

(8) TOO MANY THRILLS/DISTRACTIONS…NOT ENOUGH FOCUS ON SPIRITUAL, RELATIONAL, GROWTH, ETC.
 
Abstract: How we spend our time communicates to our children more than anything else where our values are (helping others, building up your family, being thrilled/entertained, growing spiritually, etc.); too many thrills for children dulls their sensitivity to spiritual things and decreases their desire for the “normal”
 
Action steps: (1) Look closely at a given week or month of your family life; (2) Examine how much time is spent on the things that you SAY are priorities vs. thrills/entertainment, etc.; (3) Develop habits/routines that build the non-thrills into your family’s life; (4) Take on the mentality that “everything can’t be special”; (5) Share life with each other via meals, tech-free zone times, etc. (6) Use a timer to limit thrills and entertainment; (7) Have your children earn entertainment/thrills

Posts/Podcast Episodes to Check Out:

Podcast Episode: Foundations for Becoming an Efficiency Expert in Your Home and Work

Podcast Episode: Tips for Efficiency

Blog Post: ABC Efficiency (prioritizing non daily work)

Podcast Episode: Five Tips to Be More Efficient in the Kitchen

Blog Post: Delighting in the Dailies

Blog Post: Timer + Task List = Productivity

Blog Post: Terrible Task List

The post Podcast Notes For “Overcoming Obstacles in Parenting” appeared first on Character Ink.

Download the podcast notes here.

Listen to previous podcasts here.

The post Podcast: Overcoming Obstacles in Parenting appeared first on Character Ink.