Saturday, May 18, 2013
Your Child has a Conscience
Another Parenting Tip from the National Center for Biblical Parenting…
God has placed a conscience inside your child to help your child do four things: Do what’s right, deal with wrongs, be honest, and care about others.
The Bible uses the word conscience 30 times in the New Testament. Twenty of those times by the Apostle Paul, five were written to Timothy to help him understand the importance of the conscience as a young pastor.
The biblical concept of the conscience is important for parents to understand. After all, if it’s standard operating equipment inside of your child, placed there by God, you’ll want to educate it and help strengthen it.
The conscience helps a child become internally motivated. Unfortunately, many children rely on external prompters, including their parents, to get things done. And even more unfortunately, many parents encourage their kids in that direction by over-emphasizing rewards and punishment.
We’re not suggesting that you have to get rid of incentives. We do know though that the primary goal is to help children develop an internal motivation to do the right thing.
Be on the lookout for internal motivation in your kids and affirm it. When your child takes initiative to help, apologizes for a wrong, tells the truth, or does the right thing even when it’s tough, use the opportunity to affirm the God-given initiative coming from the heart.
As you work to strengthen and develop the conscience in your child, you’ll see more and more internal motivation. When you focus on the conscience good things happen.
To help your children understand the biblical concept of the conscience you might want to get Hero Training Camp, the Conscience Development Course for Kids. Learn more here.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Ed's Bookstore Tour
Happy Mother's Day! - A Story From Ed Miller...
I've been on the road all this week and I've dropped in on a number of bookstores to see if they had copies of The Christian Parenting Handbook.
My first stop on Thursday evening was the Barnes and Noble in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. They didn't have copies in stock, but some were on the way. I was glad to hear that. No books, but I did grab a nice cup of coffee!
I left Minnesota early Friday morning and landed at Newark Airport where my car was parked. Got in the car and headed north. My route took me right past the church where Joanne and I were married (and where Joanne grew up) so I stopped in at the "Bible House." I went to the "parenting" section and guess what was on the top shelf? Dobson's Dare to Discipline was the first thing that caught my eye and then I saw that beautiful clean white cover. Yes, they had a copy of The Christian Parenting Handbook! I had a great conversation with the manager and he loved the Mother's Day Special.
I was headed to Young Life's Saranac Village in the
Adirondacks where InterVarsity Christian Fellowship holds 3 weeks of training for college students. I was the coordinator of this program called Basileia for many years. I'm volunteering this week with many of my old I.V. friends. I made one last stop at a Parable Christian Bookstore just north of Albany. They didn't have a copy either, but it was in their system. This is a chain of stores, but the local stores have some say in what they carry. I encouraged the associate there to carry a number of Turansky/Miller books.I actually did find one copy of the book in one bookstore. I'm sure there are more out there. Let us know if you find one!
There's still time to print out the Mother's Day Special and take it with you to your local Christian bookstore. That is if you purchase before midnight tonight, May 11 you can receive $400 of parenting resources for free.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Benefit of Reporting Back
from Joanne Miller
So What's the Difference?
In the past two weeks I've had many parents and ministry leaders ask me "What's the difference between the book,Parenting is Heart Work and your new book, The Christian Parenting Handbook?
Great question! Here's a summary of my answer:
Parenting is Heart Work teaches about our study of the heart through the Scriptures. This book answers the question "what is the heart?" and then applies the findings to the way we work with our kids. It talks about softening the heart to make it teachable, learning to understand our children's heart, and disciplining for heart change.
The Christian Parenting Handbook, on the other hand, provides parents with 50 strategies they can use throughout family life to parent in a heart-based way, each one a separate, practical idea for going past behavior to the heart.
• • • • •
The Benefit of Reporting Back
One way to teach children responsibility in the everyday work of family life is to have them report back after completing a task. Many parents give assignments, assuming that their kids are completing the jobs, often resulting in frustration when they later find out that the jobs weren’t done, or were only done part way. Most children don’t naturally feel an internal sense of responsibility. You can help develop responsibility by requiring kids to report back. Children who do a job part way, easily get distracted, or don’t complete tasks need closer supervision, smaller tasks, and more frequent times of checking in.
Even older children sometimes have a problem with irresponsibility. Yelling isn’t necessary—more accountability is. It takes work to require kids to report back, but your investment now will give your children a valuable gift. Reporting back after completing an assignment is an adult skill. Employers appreciate it when employees report back. Whether children are three, eight, twelve, or fifteen, they need to learn this valuable skill.
Responsibility can be defined in different ways for different children. For the child who is easily distracted, responsibility could be defined as “sticking to a task until it’s completed and you report back.” For a child who tends to do a halfhearted job, you might define responsibility as “doing a job thoroughly without being reminded.” For the child who tends to do what you said and not what you meant, you might say, “Responsibility is completing the job up to the expectations of the person giving the instruction.” In each case you’re teaching children what it means to do a job with a sense of obligation to complete it well.
When receiving an instruction, the child should feel a little uncomfortable. That uncomfortable feeling is what responsible people feel when they have an unfinished assignment. Just imagine your own to-do list. If the time is ticking away and your to-do list isn’t getting smaller, you feel a bit uncomfortable and put in more effort. The uncomfortable feeling is lifted once kids report back and their work is checked.
Many parents start instructions well but don’t end them effectively. Instead of a feeling of satisfaction of a job well done, the child feels guilty, wondering when Mom is going to find out that he pushed the clothes under the bed or didn’t sweep the walk. Parents give their children a gift by requiring that the child report back.
This parenting tip is from Chapter 44 in our NEW RELEASE book, The Christian Parenting Handbook by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN. Find 50 practical strategies to equip yourself as a parent.
So What's the Difference?
In the past two weeks I've had many parents and ministry leaders ask me "What's the difference between the book,Parenting is Heart Work and your new book, The Christian Parenting Handbook?
Great question! Here's a summary of my answer:
Parenting is Heart Work teaches about our study of the heart through the Scriptures. This book answers the question "what is the heart?" and then applies the findings to the way we work with our kids. It talks about softening the heart to make it teachable, learning to understand our children's heart, and disciplining for heart change.
The Christian Parenting Handbook, on the other hand, provides parents with 50 strategies they can use throughout family life to parent in a heart-based way, each one a separate, practical idea for going past behavior to the heart.
• • • • •
One way to teach children responsibility in the everyday work of family life is to have them report back after completing a task. Many parents give assignments, assuming that their kids are completing the jobs, often resulting in frustration when they later find out that the jobs weren’t done, or were only done part way. Most children don’t naturally feel an internal sense of responsibility. You can help develop responsibility by requiring kids to report back. Children who do a job part way, easily get distracted, or don’t complete tasks need closer supervision, smaller tasks, and more frequent times of checking in.
Even older children sometimes have a problem with irresponsibility. Yelling isn’t necessary—more accountability is. It takes work to require kids to report back, but your investment now will give your children a valuable gift. Reporting back after completing an assignment is an adult skill. Employers appreciate it when employees report back. Whether children are three, eight, twelve, or fifteen, they need to learn this valuable skill.
Responsibility can be defined in different ways for different children. For the child who is easily distracted, responsibility could be defined as “sticking to a task until it’s completed and you report back.” For a child who tends to do a halfhearted job, you might define responsibility as “doing a job thoroughly without being reminded.” For the child who tends to do what you said and not what you meant, you might say, “Responsibility is completing the job up to the expectations of the person giving the instruction.” In each case you’re teaching children what it means to do a job with a sense of obligation to complete it well.
When receiving an instruction, the child should feel a little uncomfortable. That uncomfortable feeling is what responsible people feel when they have an unfinished assignment. Just imagine your own to-do list. If the time is ticking away and your to-do list isn’t getting smaller, you feel a bit uncomfortable and put in more effort. The uncomfortable feeling is lifted once kids report back and their work is checked.
Many parents start instructions well but don’t end them effectively. Instead of a feeling of satisfaction of a job well done, the child feels guilty, wondering when Mom is going to find out that he pushed the clothes under the bed or didn’t sweep the walk. Parents give their children a gift by requiring that the child report back.
This parenting tip is from Chapter 44 in our NEW RELEASE book, The Christian Parenting Handbook by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN. Find 50 practical strategies to equip yourself as a parent.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
An Important Fact to Remember
A personal note from Scott Turansky...
Launch Week was quite an event for me personally. Seeing all the positive reviews of the book, watching people scramble to get copies, and selling out at all the major online retailers was exciting. The week before Launch Week my wife sent me this quote that encouraged me through the process. I thought I'd share it with you. It helps us all maintain perspective.
"I often remind myself that success in light of eternity has nothing to do with books sold. Success in light of eternity means obedience to the Audience of One. In a hundred million years it will not matter if I was published, if my name appeared on any best seller lists, if I received any writing awards. In a hundred million years, what will matter is my obedience to my Lord. If He says "well done," then whatever happened here below was good, and I achieved success in the truest sense of that word."
Thanks all for sharing the news of the launch of The Christian Parenting Handbook. We pray that it blesses a lot of parents and grandparents as they seek to serve the Lord in their families. Here's a video thank you from Joanne and me.
Launch Week was quite an event for me personally. Seeing all the positive reviews of the book, watching people scramble to get copies, and selling out at all the major online retailers was exciting. The week before Launch Week my wife sent me this quote that encouraged me through the process. I thought I'd share it with you. It helps us all maintain perspective.
"I often remind myself that success in light of eternity has nothing to do with books sold. Success in light of eternity means obedience to the Audience of One. In a hundred million years it will not matter if I was published, if my name appeared on any best seller lists, if I received any writing awards. In a hundred million years, what will matter is my obedience to my Lord. If He says "well done," then whatever happened here below was good, and I achieved success in the truest sense of that word."
Thanks all for sharing the news of the launch of The Christian Parenting Handbook. We pray that it blesses a lot of parents and grandparents as they seek to serve the Lord in their families. Here's a video thank you from Joanne and me.
Monday, May 6, 2013
The Christian Parenting Handbook - Week 2
We've decided to extend the $400.00 Bonus Deal!
Read on for specifics.We're waiting for some sales data for The Christian Parenting Handbook Launch Week. We sold out of the paperback at all of the major retail outlets. While we're waiting, we decided to introduce a new strategy for this week.
Before we go there, please remember that you can still purchase the eBook at any time from Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You just won't be eligible for the $400 Bonus Package from last week. The paperback edition is still available from the National Center for Biblical Parenting Store for $12.74, but no bonus package. We targeted our sales to the major retail outlets last week because the NY Times gets sales data from there for the Bestseller's List. The first week a book is available is the crucial period. We're beyond that now and we have a new plan.
Here's the Special Deal for this week. Print this out and take it with you to your local Christian bookstore.
_______________________________________________
The Christian Parenting Handbook
Bookstore Special
May 10-11, 2013
_______________________________________________
NOTE to Christian Bookstores: If you don't carry this book, from Thomas Nelson or other books by Turansky/Miller, please order from your distributor or contact the National Center for Biblical Parenting directly and ask for our bookstore special. Reach them at parent@biblicalparenting.org or 609-771-8002.
We want to show our support for the local Christian Bookstores around the world who provide a very important personal touch for their customers. Get the $400.00 Bonus Package with every purchase at a local Christian Bookstore this Friday or Saturday. This deal is only good for May 10-11, 2013. Go to your local store and do any of the following:
- Purchase a copy of The Christian Parenting Handbook if they are in stock. Save your receipt.
- Ask them to carry the book and consider carrying additional titles by Turansky/Miller and the National Center for Biblical Parenting. They can contact us at parent@biblicalparening.org or 609-771-8002.
- If the book is not in stock, ask them if they will order it for you. Get a confirmation that the book was ordered.
If there is no Christian Bookstore near you, you can also purchase the paperback from the Hearts and Minds Web Store during the same time period. This is an independent Christian bookstore that has an online store as well.
Send your receipt or proof of purchase/order to us and we'll get the $400 bonus package to you. Please tell us your email address or the email address of the person you wish the special bonus package to go to.
- Scan and send to gift@biblicalparenting.org
- Send it to NCBP, 76 Hopatcong Drive, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
- Fax it to us at: 609-771-8003.
We're doing this to honor local Christian Bookstores, but also to honor all of the loving and hard working moms out there. This will make a wonderful present for one of those moms this Mother's Day.
To learn more about the National Center for Biblical Parenting and how to obtain our resources, please call us at 609-771-8002 or email us at parent@biblicalparenting.org.
Happy Mother's Day!
Who Won the Ipad Mini and Other Prizes? Read below
A big thanks to all the people who purchased The Christian Parenting Handbook this past week. We had a great Launch Week and many people are on their way to developing more of a heart-based approach to parenting. Thank you for all of your support.
There were many events of Launch Week to attract attention to the book's release. One of those activities was our Mega-Giveaway. Here are the winners! Each winner should have already received an email with instructions for obtaining their product. The winners are:
iPad Mini - Julie H (...as@gmail.com)
Wii with Sports Game - Vanessa A (...son@gmail.com)
Kodak Digital Frame - Ashley D (...ond@msn.com)
$200 Amazon Gift Card - David W (...rod@gmail.com)
$100 Amazon Gift Card - Shannon R (...ed@pgcps.org)
Congratulations!
Please help us spread the word about The Christian Parenting Handbook. It's a book that contains 50 practical heart-based strategies for all the stages of your child's life. Here are some reviews that people have sent us already:
If you are looking for wisdom from God to raise your children in the uniqueness of their personality, The Parenting Handbook is what you need to read! Focusing on the heart instead of outward behavior is the focus of this book, which is an approach that encourages lasting godly character. The short chapters, relevant stories and practical tools make this book a ‘one of a kind’ and easy to read!
—Julie Kurz, Consultant For Family/Children's Ministries, Reconnect Ministries, Division of Church Assistance Ministry (CAM)
“The Christian Parenting Handbook” represents the very best of Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller’s thinking. I love all of their work—and this latest book is no exception; it is simply masterful. The short chapters mean a busy parent can read for a few minutes and gain an insight. The book is solidly based upon Scripture, and in typical Turansky/Miller style, full of real-life illustrations that every parent can relate to. Their heart-based strategy is exactly what parents need to know to create a healthy environment in their home and raise great kids!
—Larry Fowler, Executive Director of Global Networking, Awana and KidzMatter
“Insightful, Practical, Encouraging and, as always, focused on reaching a child’s heart rather than merely changing behavior. An “aha” book that provides real life help—help for everyday situations. Parents will keep this Handbook handy!”
—Karl Bastian, the Kidologist, founder and president of Kidology.org
There were many events of Launch Week to attract attention to the book's release. One of those activities was our Mega-Giveaway. Here are the winners! Each winner should have already received an email with instructions for obtaining their product. The winners are:
iPad Mini - Julie H (...as@gmail.com)
Wii with Sports Game - Vanessa A (...son@gmail.com)
Kodak Digital Frame - Ashley D (...ond@msn.com)
$200 Amazon Gift Card - David W (...rod@gmail.com)
$100 Amazon Gift Card - Shannon R (...ed@pgcps.org)
Congratulations!
Please help us spread the word about The Christian Parenting Handbook. It's a book that contains 50 practical heart-based strategies for all the stages of your child's life. Here are some reviews that people have sent us already:
Congratulations on yet another excellent book! It's truly one of THE BEST parenting books that I have ever read! You know that I am a huge fan of all of your other resources, and highly recommend them often! —Kathy Anderson
If you are looking for wisdom from God to raise your children in the uniqueness of their personality, The Parenting Handbook is what you need to read! Focusing on the heart instead of outward behavior is the focus of this book, which is an approach that encourages lasting godly character. The short chapters, relevant stories and practical tools make this book a ‘one of a kind’ and easy to read!
—Julie Kurz, Consultant For Family/Children's Ministries, Reconnect Ministries, Division of Church Assistance Ministry (CAM)
“The Christian Parenting Handbook” represents the very best of Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller’s thinking. I love all of their work—and this latest book is no exception; it is simply masterful. The short chapters mean a busy parent can read for a few minutes and gain an insight. The book is solidly based upon Scripture, and in typical Turansky/Miller style, full of real-life illustrations that every parent can relate to. Their heart-based strategy is exactly what parents need to know to create a healthy environment in their home and raise great kids!
—Larry Fowler, Executive Director of Global Networking, Awana and KidzMatter
“Insightful, Practical, Encouraging and, as always, focused on reaching a child’s heart rather than merely changing behavior. An “aha” book that provides real life help—help for everyday situations. Parents will keep this Handbook handy!”
—Karl Bastian, the Kidologist, founder and president of Kidology.org
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Launch Week - Day 7
This is the last day of Launch Week!
Most of the major retail outlets are sold out of the paperback, but you can still purchase the eBook from Amazon and Barnes and Noble. If you purchase it by the end of the day on Sunday May 5, you can qualify for the $400.00 bonus package of parenting resources. This contains a variety of our resources in digital and video formats. Just send your purchase confirmation to gift@biblicalparenting.org.
ChristianBooks.com is SOLD OUT
Amazon is SOLD OUT
Barnes and Noble is SOLD OUT
BooksAMillion is SOLD OUT
Parables is SOLD OUT
Family Chrisitan Stores is SOLD OUT
Mardel is SOLD OUT
Amazon is SOLD OUT
Barnes and Noble is SOLD OUT
BooksAMillion is SOLD OUT
Parables is SOLD OUT
Family Chrisitan Stores is SOLD OUT
Mardel is SOLD OUT
Have you purchased your copy yet? It's not too late.
The paperback edition is still available from the National Center for Biblical Parenting Store for $12.74 and those purchases qualify for the $400.00 bonus package deal. (Deal valid till the end of the day today, May 5.)
It's also not too late to enter our Mega Giveaway. Just complete the form below by 5:00 pm EDT on Sunday May 5.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)