Leanne's Blog

Vacation Bible School... Hard work, but worth it!

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 02:25:00 GMT

Getting Ready For VBS!

Vacation Bible School starts in the morning. I have had ateam of people working with me for months getting ready for the 12 hours wewill spend with the kids this week. Stuff has been piling up in offices forweeks. People have been cutting out sheep for the kids to find when we learnabout the lost sheep. Others have cut clay, donated items, and generously givenof their time.

I have no idea how many people or how many hours has goneinto this year’s VBS but I know many people have worked hard!

Tonight I can’t help but wonder if the kids will ever knowjust how much work goes into everything we do for them. They don’t have a clue that all thesepeople have given hours of time so that they will feel loved and have a goodtime this week.

And I think that is the point of it all. This is pure love.Doing for others without expecting anything in return. Making the week extraspecial for children because they are extra special. And creating a space where every child is welcomed cared forand where they can experience God.

I hope they never find out how much hard work went into thisweek. I never want them to, for one-second, wonder if we did it because we “had”to. And I hope that when these little ones smile, laugh and hug us, we knowthat when we love, love is always returned.

A New Way to Sneeze…A New Way to Cough… A New Way to Be Kind!

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:18:00 GMT

Only a few months ago, the media began telling us that the flu was sweeping across the country and threatening to make us all very sick. We have known for a long time that most germs are spread through touching. In reaction to this flu epidemic, someone suggested that we teach children to use their elbow to cover their mouth when they coughed or sneezed rather than their hands and thus, the germs would be caught in a shirt sleeve and not passed through touch!

I am not sure who had this idea. Perhaps it was a doctor, perhaps a teacher, perhaps a parent,but whoever it was, it was a great idea. In only a matter of weeks children all across the United States were coughing and sneezing into their shirt sleeves!

Then their parents started doing it and now we all have learned to cough andsneeze this new way! In fact I was sitting in church last week and found italmost comical to see people of all ages coughing and sneezing this new way!

Sixty-five and seventy-five year old people who had coughed and sneezed into their hands for their entire lives had, in a matter of weeks, learned a new way to do it!

I find it absolutely fascinating that in only a matter of months we have all learned a new behavior. I can’t help but wonder if we could possibly do this same thing for other behaviors. Do you suppose if we really tried, we could teach our children and ourselves to smile more? Or could weteach our kids and ourselves to be kinder and more patient? Do you think wecould learn to react while driving in compassionate ways rather than with roadrage?

It took us a few weeks to learn to sneeze and cough a new way…I bet we could learn new ways of caring, loving and being compassionate if we tried! And lets not kid ourselves... living in a society filled with anger and lacking compassion will make us much more sick than the flu! Let's learn new ways to do lots of things in addition to a new way of sneezing.

Let’s Stop Pushing and Start Wondering!

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:34:00 GMT

I just saw a television commercial for a product thatpromised parents that it would teach their children (two years old) to read!The parents in the commercial were delighted that their child would be soimpressive compared to the less educated two year olds!

I went to a local bookstore and it had a whole section ofbooks designed to help your child advance one grade level over the summer and,as they advertized, “Be Ahead of the Other Children by Fall!”

Okay….stop! STOP!

First of all, your child does not have to be the best,brightest and “ahead of the other children,” to be the precious and wonderfulchild they were created to be!

Second, your child will learn lots of things this summer ifyou let them enjoy it. They will remember what it feels to run and play and beso tired that they fall into bed, exhausted. They will watch the flowers bloomand plants grow and wonder about life cycles. They will watch the rain fall andclouds pass by and wonder about weather patterns. Children learn all of thetime and much of their learning comes, not through formal education, butthrough exploring and appreciating the world around them.

Third, pushing children to excel academically is noguarantee that they will be tops in their class, nor does pushing them topractice, guarantee they will be best at sports or music.

We are living in this weird competitive time where everyoneis caught in a cycle of believing that we need to be the best at everything.And unfortunately, we are rushing our children, pushing them to be better, workharder, and the stress we are causing is hurting them!

I am not saying that children should not have chores or beexpected to try… but I am asking us to seek balance in their lives! Life for achild should have times of striving, trying hard and working hard…but it alsohas to have equal times of rest, play and free exploration where they simplywatch, touch, taste, feel and wonder about the world around them.

We have the “pushing and striving part” down! We know how todo that and our structures such as competitive sports and dance, music lessons,books that make our kids smart, swim lessons, and on and on are reinforcing theidea that “pushing is what is best for kids!”

I invite you, this summer to slow down and work on the otherhalf… the wondering part. Make sure your child has lots of time…yes, LOTS oftime to do nothing except play outside and enjoy being a kid.

Raising a child is like a math equation. On oneside…responsibility and schedules and on the other side… nothing but play, restand wonder. 50/50, not 90/10!

And by the way…when you slow life down for your child, youslow down for yourself… and adults need time to wonder just as badly as kidsdo! Have a great summer!

Trying to be a "Big Kid!"

Thu, 27 May 2010 03:54:00 GMT

I just got home from a High School graduation celebration.There were lots of teens at the party playing basketball in the driveway of thehouse. I noticed one little boy, about 6 years old, watching the older boysplaying ball. His eyes were all aglow and he would laugh when they laughed andcheer when they made a point. It was obvious that this little boy wanted, morethan anything, to be invited to play. He wanted to be a “big kid!”

Watching him reminded me of how much children look forwardto being “big” and older than they are and it also reminded me that we, asadults in their lives, can help them to “feel big.” It is important thatchildren learn early that they are competent and strong… not “just a child,” asis so often communicated to them verbally and non-verbally.

We can help them feel strong and confident by creating spacesthat they have mastery of. Perhaps they could have their own water pitcher(child sized) and pour their own glass of water when they are thirsty. Ageappropriate chores allow children to become experts over an area of theirlives. Helping them to learn the importance of caring for an animal gives thema sense of meaning and purpose. Asking them to help us do something gives thema sense of being needed.

Helping a child master their environment takes energy andtime. It is much easier to “do it for them” than to help them learn it forthemselves. It is sometimes messy when we let them try and do things forthemselves. But it is important. Children often get the impression that, aschildren, they are second-class people. Helping them master their environment andto become experts at something new reminds them that they have purpose, thatthey are competent, and that they don’t have to be a “big kid” to be wonderful!

Immigration… watch what you say around the kids!

Thu, 20 May 2010 05:15:00 GMT

Every time I turn on the television, walk down the street, or meet friends for coffee these days it seems that the hot topic of immigration comes up! This blog entry is not about my views on the topic…rather it is my observation that we need to be very careful as we discuss it around our children!

First Steps Spirituality Center is Celebrating our 10-Year Anniversary!

Fri, 14 May 2010 10:50:00 GMT

I cannot believe we have been providing our care to hurting children and teens for ten years! The time went past quickly, but new insights and lessons have been learned nearly every day! These are 10 of the most important things I have learned during this time:

Helping Kids Cope and Heal from the Earthquake in Haiti

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 01:01:00 GMT

Like all of you, my heart just breaks for all the victims of the earthquake in Haiti! And as one who works with children, I am concerned about our children who are watching and worrying as well! Below are some thoughts and suggestions I have to help our kids cope and heal from this event! I hope they are helpful for you!

Where the Wild Things Are

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:17:00 GMT

I went to see the movie, "Where the Wild Things Are" last night and I have to tell you that I am not sure it is a movie for kids...

For the Fun of It!

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:55:00 GMT

One of my responsibilities at my church is to work with our preschool and I have to say it is delightful. These little ones teach me so much... this past week they reminded me of how much fun life can be when we relax and just do things "for the fun of it!" instead of "because I have to," or "because it is the right thing to do," and without worrying about "getting it right." It all started...

Fourth of July

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 03:46:00 GMT

I was just sitting here watching fireworks on television and thinking about, as a child, how exciting the 4th of July was... how much I loved my country and how much faith I had in my government! I can't help but wonder what children today think...