Have you ever stopped to wonder why you and your siblings are so different from each other? Goodness, you grew up in the same family. Shouldn’t you be more like each other? Do you ever wonder as a parent why you can’t ever seem to get along with a certain child, while life is always a breeze with one of your other children? Perhaps birth order explains some of these differences.

As conscientious parents we eagerly work to give our kids the skills they need to be a success in life. One of the most important abilities we all desire for our child is the ability to communicate effectively. This requires thinking, speaking and writing prowess. With a few intentional moves, your child can be a phenomenal writer. A well trained child who is raised to write moves confidently toward his future. Here are few thoughts about bringing your student along from the beginning so that you RAISE a WRITER.

Have you ever calculated the number of hours you spend in your car? If you have children, you might be transporting them back and forth to school daily. When your vehicle is full of little people, the daily car time can lead to trash spilling out as the car doors open or fights over who will sit where. Whether you function as a couple, a single mom, a small family, a large family, a grandparent or just by yourself most of the time, the following ideas might create more pleasant travel time.

If you have children, they need to be part of the daily and weekly responsibilities of cleaning and maintaining the space they live in with their family. Implement this method to expect quality work and inspect a finished job. It is only fair that everyone who lives in a space contributes to the maintenance of the living area. Keep in mind that if your child does not learn to clean, cook and organize when they are growing up, what makes you think that they will know what to do when they become an adult? Many young adults are completely unprepared for adulting. Don’t let your kids be unqualified for independent living. Create a cleaning routine with teamwork!

What is blooming outside your window? What is blooming inside your home? Any parent who loves the Lord personally should consider how to communicate spiritually with their child. Are your child’s spiritual roots growing deep? Are they planted a river of Biblical truth? Are they blooming from seeds planted by an intentional parent or mentor?

Suicide in very young children continues to rise in alarming rates. From January through September 2021, children’s hospital cases related to self injury, suicide ideation and attempts in kids ages 5 to 17 rose 53 percent from the same period in 2020. What is happening and what are we doing wrong?

As a parent, you likely observe your child’s strengths and weaknesses in academics as well as other situations such as church and social opportunities. Our strongest qualities are often partnered with our greatest weaknesses. Establishing a pattern of intentional evaluation and planning creates a customized plan for developing the best in your child.

Home is God’s idea. Family is God’s idea. No matter the size of your home or family, living in your space necessitates daily and weekly cleaning. When routines are established, the rhythm of life creates more time for enjoying living in your home.

In 2014, on the day after Christmas, we loaded up the van and drove to Destin, Florida to spend five days with 24 family members.  It was a first for all of us. While that may sound overwhelming, it was a very memorable time that we were eager to duplicate. This first annual Vance Vacation was aimed at spending quality time together to build our family community. It worked. Check out how we accomplished such a large task. Don’t miss the helpful download full of “how-to” details.