"The ABC's of Christian Parenting" by Robert and Debra Bruce

The ABC's:

A: AFFIRM your child every day as a gift from God, no matter what yesterday's problems were. (Matt. 7:11)

B: BUILD upon your child's talents, seeking to discover God's plan for him (or her!). (Matt. 25:15)

C: COMMUNICATE with your child in a way that glorifies Christ, always asking before speaking, "Would I say this to a friend?" (Luke 2:14)

D: DEDICATE yourself to the body of Christ through commitment to a congregation, regular worship attendance, Bible study, prayer and service. (I Chron. 29:20)

E: EXERCISE self control when you're angry, committing your feelings to the Lord rather than using them against your child. (Eph. 4:26)

F: FORGIVE your child's wrongdoings as the Lord forgives you, and start over together with God's grace and love. (Matt. 6:12)

G: GIVE your child everything she needs instead of everything she wants, even if you have to say "no" sometimes. (Matt. 6:8)

H: HUG your child 10 times every day, especially when he is unloveable. A warm touch can erase even the largest strain in a relationship. (Mark 10:16)

I: INCLUDE Bible study and prayer time in your daily family routine, and challenge your child to do the same. (Matt. 18:20)

J: JOIN in agreement with your spouse, and stand firm together on rules, expectations, and discipline. (Eph. 6:1)

K: KEEP commitments you make outside your home, so your child can observe as you model responsibility. (James 5:12)

L: LIVE each day to the fullest, appreciating the beauty of God's world and the hope of your faith, instead of hurrying through the day. (Phil. 4:8)

M: MANAGE aspects of your child's life that could lead to stress, such as too much activity or television or inappropriate freedoms. (I Cor. 13:11)

N: NURTURE your child lovingly so he can experience God through your example. (Psalm 133:10)

O: OPEN up doors of opportunity for your child as you encourage the development of his skills through education. (1 Tim. 4:14)

P: PATIENTLY wait upon the Lord as He answers prayers for you and your child. (Isaiah 30:18)

Q: QUESTION the reasons for your child's unacceptable behavior as you look beyond the act to its root causes. (Prov. 4:7)

R: RESPECT your child as an individual rather than as an extension of you or your spouse. (Isaiah 11:6)

S:STRIVE to create quality time with your child every day that enables you to listen to her joys, hopes, concerns and fears. (Psalm 90:12)

T:TRUST God to guide you as you prayerfully make daily parenting decisions. (Matt. 21:22)

U: ULTIMATELY, trust your child when he leaves home, knowing you have fulfilled your commitment to God as a Christian parent. (James 1:12)

V: VERBALIZE your thoughts and feelings when you're happy or sad, letting your child know you are still approachable. (Titus 2:7-8)

W: WAIT patiently for your child to pass through stages, realizing that some behaviors, while unpleasant, are quite normal. (Heb. 12:1)

X: EXPECT the best from your child at home, at school, and at play, while also extending grace for human frailty. (I Cor. 13:9-10)

Y: YIELD yourselves to the Lord's way as you seek His guidance each day. (Eph. 5:9)

Z: ZEALOUSLY start each day in prayer and praise, marveling at God's work in the life of your family. (Col. 3:23)

Planning for Graduation

For those with upcoming seniors, a high school graduation ceremony needs to get going in the planning stages as soon as the senior year begins. There are only a few locations large enough in Gainesville that are also affordable. A reservation should be made as soon as possible. The end of May and beginning of June are hectic months for everyone. The locations in this town get reserved quickly for various parties, weddings, graduations, etc.

As homeschoolers, one of the hardest parts about schooling at home is realizing that we are also responsible for all extracurricular activities and planning; but this responsibility can also be one of the most exciting aspects. We get to decide the "when and where" as well as the "what color", among everything else one must decide.That said, from experience there are a couple of easy ways to get hands on graduation supplies.

NCTC, whose graduation gown color is a royal blue, will sell gowns to RRCHS and also offers a few extras that can be purchased through their supplier. While not all inclusive as to supplies, the price for the gown is completely affordable. The other option is to go outside town for a graduation supply company. One that has been used several times by Red River Christian Home School is a company that was started by a home school mom out of frustration at the lack of quality graduation caps, gowns, and supplies from one supplier. The contact information for this company is: http://www.homeschooldiploma.com/ or 1-877-466-2563

Their list of supplies includes: diplomas & covers, apparel, announcements, "honors" items, accessories, and group packages. This company is very competitive and a joy to work with.

Additionally, they offer discounts for early bird and group packages. The first deadline for getting a discount is December 1. Now you can see why you would want to have quite a bit of planning behind you in the fall.

Fort Washita and the Fur Trader's Rendezvous (Spring 2010)

Check out Fort Washita in Durant, OK around April for their Fur Trader's Rendezvous. If you have never gone it is loads of fun. Here is a link if you want to see what it's all about. There is no charge. They do have food booths and lots to buy. Some families bring a picnic so they can spend money on the fun stuff.

Wear your comfy clothes and shoes, and bring your camera!

Bicycle Safety Class

There will be a bicycle saftey class at the Frisco safety town May 22 at 9:30am. It is greared towards 1st thru 3rd grade. If you are interested please e-mail Denise Wilson .

Creative Writing Workshop

Many children struggle with writing and often lack confidence with this essential skill. Some may also feel that writing is "boring" or a waste of time. Children, as well as many people, lack enthusiasm about writing because they may view it from a perspective that is mechanical rather than one of creativity and imagination.

This course will help children overcome the struggle of writing. The objective will be to inspire students to be creative, as well as, teach them the art of expression and communication through writing. They need to view writing as fun rather than boring. During this class we will make writing an adventure. We will NOT get hung up on mechanics, but will focus on creativity and imagination. We will learn to write with confidence, develop a sense of story, and write for a purpose. We will focus more on mechanics after we are comfortable with writing.

At the conclusion of the class, each student will create an original work and publish it in the form of a book; an achievement that will inspire and instill confidence. Students will be involved in all areas of the writing process by creating, illustrating, editing, and publishing their book. The young writers will learn in a positive classroom environment that encourages them to share their thoughts in meaningful ways with others.

Homework will be assigned during this course. Students will be expected to come ready to work and have fun. Each student will need access to a word processing program. Each student will be expected to bring notebook paper, pencils, and two art pencils. We will need one HB and one 2B art pencil for the class.. These can be found at Hobby Lobby or other craft supply stores. All other materials will be provided.

Dates:
May 4th-7th and May 11th-14th
Time: 9a.m.-12 noon
May 11th 1 p.m.- 3p.m. Individual tutoring if necessary
Ages: 10-14
Cost:$80
A $20 non-refundable deposit is due by April 17th.
Maximum class size: 10
Place: 872 West Line Rd.Whitesboro, TX 76273
For more information contact Laura Ayers at 903-815-0346 or 903-564-5915.
Email address: ayersfamilyrox24. 7@verizon. net

Laura is a certified teacher. She taught in public school for five years and has home schooled for the last five years.

And The Winner Is . . .

Kari Davidson!

Congratulations Kari!

Please keep checking in on our RRCH blog - it is coninuing to grow.

Homeschool family interviews coming soon . . .

Our First Contest

What if you could:

- shop for curriculum in a HUGE exhibit hall & see all the curriculum hands on?
- choose from an incredible line-up of speakers?
- speak with homeschool leaders and vendors?
- attend fabulous workshops?
- meet other homeschoolers & be encouraged?

What if you could do all this for FREE?

You can!

May 8th & 9th 2009 there will be the 25th Annual Homeschool Book Fair at the Arlington Convention Center.

For a list of all the exhibitors scheduled to be there click HERE!

To be entered into the contest simply leave a comment below between NOW & Thursday, March 19. On Friday, March 20 we will enter your post # into a random number generator & announce the winner.

Good Luck!!