Preserving Memories

This is a photograph of the first time my son went bowling. 
My husband said he had never seen him have that much fun before!



If you haven’t already, please read my posts about “Making Good Memories” Part 1 & 2.  I discuss the importance of making good memories with your children, and some ways you can do that.

While you are making memories, think of ways you can preserve the memories.  Create items your children will treasure as they grow and when they become adults.  A few ways to do this are:

1. Keep photo boxes.  Fill them with photos of special family memories.  You can also create digital albums to store, especially in the advent of all the new technology.

2. Create keepsake boxes.  You can fill them with baby clothes, teeth, hair snippets, baby dedication forms, blankets, etc.

3. Video.  Whether you have a video camera or just use your phone, video is a great way to store memories.

4. Baby books.  A lot of the baby books now go all the way up to kindergarten.  You can record those memories for your child to read about later.

5. Journals.  Create a journal for each of your children where you write to them individually as they grow up.  Share your feelings with them about their birth and special events such as birthdays and Christmas.

As they get older, include them in the process.  Make a time capsule together and fill it with new treasures on their birthdays, or other special occasions.  They will enjoy looking back at baby teeth or something they drew in the first grade.  It is a great way as a homeschooling family to see some visual progress.

Making good memories is so important to your children.  I believe it will make them more secure people, confident in who they are, and secure in your love which will help them as adults fulfill their purpose in history, God’s great story.

Many blessings to you on your journey through parenthood,

In Him,

Beth

Making Good Memories-Part 1

I have been thinking about this so much lately, making memories. Every morning I awake to the smiling beautiful faces of my children. God has blessed us so much with them. They are so smart and each has their own distinct personalities and gifts. I want their childhood to be a beautiful thing, full of great memories that they created with each other and with us.

Recently I wrote about beginning with the end in mind. Making good memories is just one more aspect of that. Why should we make good memories with our children?

Well, a lot of adults have issues that result from bad experiences in childhood. Many people have things that they have to overcome as they get older in life stemming from bad memories. I believe that if we as parents can make sure we are doing our part to create good memories, it will give our children an anchor in life, to family, home, and love. Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Practicing this scripture will be so much easier for our children if we help them create good memories.

So what are some practical ways that we can make good memories with our children?

1. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t make a big issue out of little things. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Don’t cry over spilt milk?” Well that is a good one. Don’t let all the little mistakes your kids make, overshadow the big picture.

2. Laugh a lot. The Bible says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine,” (Proverbs 17:22), and “A happy heart makes the face cheerful,” (Proverbs 15:13). I did a little research and read in different places that children laugh between 200- 400 times per day, whereas adults only laugh about 15 times. Laughter distributes oxygen to cells in all parts of the body, which is also conducive to learning. (I think I am going to do an experiment one day and see how true this information is….)

3. Hug and kiss them. Let them hug and kiss you! I am reading a book right now called The Blessing by John Trent and Gary Smalley and one of the things they talk about in the book is that part of blessing our children comes through physical touch. Both boys and girls need physical touch in order to grow into healthy adults. I know if I sit in the floor with my children, they are all over me. They just want to touch me and hang on my neck, and hug and kiss me.

So what does this have to do with homeschool you ask? Well, as homeschoolers we are with our children all the time. We are the people who have the greatest and most direct impact. We are making memories all day long. So, I just wanted to write about how we can make some good memories, in the midst of our homeschool experience. And...when I started writing this, I didn’t know how long it was going to become. I didn’t realize how much I would have to say about making good memories, and what a huge topic it could become. There is a part 2,3,and maybe even a part 4 to this blog post, so please come back and check it out!


What are some good memories you have from your childhood? What are some good memories you are creating with your children now?

~Beth