Working Class Parenting: Motivation, Education and Inspiration For Parents

Found this good video from Babycenter.com  by financial expert Jean Chatzky  in which she talks about her top 3 myths about kids and money and they are.. 1-You should save for your kids college before you save for your retirement.     MYTH! There is financial aid for your child's college, but not for your retirement. Save for retirement first, then college. 2- Older kids(13-19) shouldn't have to many financial responsibilities or have to work.     MYTH! Children in high school can work up to 15 hours a week without hurting their grades. Working and taking care of the money they earned teaches financial responsibility. 3- Kids get cheaper the more you have.     MYTH! Some things get cheaper, but big items like college or summer camps add up quickly in a large family. Take time to think about that when planning a family. Question: Do you have a MYTH! about kids and money you learned by being a parent?

My wife asked what is " Humble Confidence "? I told her it is one of the 5 principles of Working Class Parenting. 1- Education 2- Family Finance 3- Faith and Compassion 4- Love and Discipline 5- Humble Confidence She said "That's great, but what IS....Humble Confidence?" I tried to explain that it is when parents teach their kids to be confident (Believe in themselves and who they are), but at the same time be humble (to know it's not all about them and they are not better or above other people). Found a good article by  Pastor Cecil Thompson about this subject and I like the scripture he starts with. Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV) I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. That is Humble Confidence. ...

Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone dealing with Hurricane Sandy right now. Working Class Parenting is located in Florida and we know how scary and devastating a hurricane can be. So please stay safe and know that God is with you tonight and tomorrow as you recover. This storm is such a large news story that a lot of parents are dealing with questions and concerns from their children about hurricanes. Here are 3 resources to help parents if your children want to discuss Hurricane Sandy. 1- ABC News - Good article on how to talk to your kids about this storm. 2- Red Cross - Ways to help people after the storm. 3- Sesame Street - For young children this provides tips, activities and videos about hurricanes in an age      appropriate way Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Today's theme: Faith and Compassion Today's post is by Jomary, wife of Kurt Schulz, Co-founder of Working Class Parenting. When my daughter was 4 years old, we started looking for a church that would have a children's program that my daughter could grow spiritually with. Finding one was not as easy as I thought. Some good churches do not put as much effort into their children's programs as I had hoped. We experienced everything from the lesson being through a television using a Christian video to an open play gym with no lesson. I realized that not every church has the means or the volunteers to support a highly structured children's church program. During the process of trying out different churches, I realized I was looking for 4 things:

So my daughter ventures of on her first missionary trip. The objective was to connect with resident missionaries in the shanty towns of South Africa. They would interact/evangelize with the locals and provide VBS for the little ones. Out of a group of approximately 30 people my daughter, fourteen, was the youngest by two years. Many hinted to the fact that she might be to young or the trip to intense (physically and emotionally). I spoke it over with my daughter and in her words, “If I’m going to do this dad, I’m going all the way”.

I am having a personal dilemma. How do you decide what to do with all your child's art projects (and there are lots of them)! I've listened to a few motivational speakers that talk about getting the belief back, that you can do anything by remembering when you were a child and thinking that every piece of paper was special. That you were special. Then the speaker asks, "When did we lose that feeling, when did you stop believing in you?" I have a fear that 20 years for now, my daughter will jump up at this imaginary conference and yell, "When I found a pile of my unicorn pictures in the trash, that's when!" Unrealistic, sure. Daily thought that runs through my head, Yes. So what to do. Every time I take one of her creations to the garbage am I throwing away the early work of the next Jackson Pollock . Kind of looks like it to me. Art! Art? I know most people now say take a picture and save it, and there is an app just for saving your ...

 This is the poster on my daughters play room door. My wife and daughter did it together after we got the book " The 7 Habits of Happy Kids" by Sean Covey son of Stephen R. Covey who wrote "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" The 7 Habits for kids: 1- Be Proactive     You're In charge 2- Begin with the End in Mind     Have a Plan 3- Put First Things First      Work First, Then Play 4- Think Win-Win      Everyone can Win 5- Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood      Listen before you talk 6- Synergize      Together is better 7- Sharpen the Saw      Balance feels Best I like that my daughter sees this before she goes in to play. Question: Do you have any inspirational pictures in your child's room? Would love to see some pics