I talk a lot about planning for homeschooling on this blog, but today I would like to talk about developing a  plan for parenting.  How does one go about helping the child and the family love and have joy together?  

This is how my personal planning for parenting goes, and perhaps this outline will help you develop your own plan for your own family:

THE VISION:

Think of the four areas that are predominate in the child’s life:  the spiritual, the educational element (not just “school” but real-life common sense, etc), the element of work within the family life (and as the child is maturing perhaps the notion of work outside of the family), and relationships within and outside of the family.  This idea is from Rick Johnson’s “That’s My Son”, but I think it is applicable for all children, both genders.

Next, assess where your child is.  What seven-year-stage are they in?  What techniques can one use within this stage most effectively? 

Ask yourself, where is my child in each area right now and where are they going to be in the next six months?  This can be difficult if this is your first child since you may not have a great sense of the “big picture”, but try to think about this.  Meditate and pray on it. 

What areas are most challenging for my child right now?  What would make this better?  What needs to happen not only from my child, but from me, from other family members to help this child?

Then the plan comes in.  How could I help uplift my child to the next level, past this challenge?  How can I envision and think of this child at the next level?  How am I keeping my heart open with this child, and how I am showing this child my emotional warmth and love?  What is my plan?

Who do I need to help with my plan?  Do I need a mentor for my child?  Does my child need to learn a particular skill? 

I find this really helpful when I meditate and pray about each of my children, and then I add my notes to my Homemaking Notebook. 

Live big and love your children,

Carrie