Day Twenty: Things You Want Your Children to Know

Wow. This could be a really, really long blog. There are so many things that I want my children to know. I'll try to keep it short, but I don't want to leave anything out.

• Love.
• I want my children to know that their parents love them. I don't want them to ever doubt how much they are cared for- or how much they mean to us. I also want them to know that they have a strong family network behind them at all times... even when they make mistakes. Andrew and I are very blessed with amazing families, and I am so thankful that our children will have the same support system we do.
• Kindness.
• I want my children to know kindness and compassion. I want to teach them by example how to love each other and the world. In a world where there is so much negativity, I want them to be beacons of hope to others around them. I want them to feel kindness and compassion so they will be able to show kindness and compassion to others.
• Strength.
• I want my children to know strength. Most often, strength comes with trials- and I want them to know how to handle the difficult times. Do I want my children to suffer? No way! Will I want to take their pain away? Absolutely! But, I know that in my own life, learning from the trials has made me who I am today.
• Understanding.
• I want them to have a knowledge base of many different things. I want them to understand history, english, science, and math. I want them to be well-rounded. I want them to be educated. I also want them to be understanding of others. I don't want my children to be blind to the world around them.
• Respect.
• I want my children to respect their elders, peers, and society. While they may not always agree with the actions of others, I want them to respect them for who they are. I also want them to respect their parents and show that respect in their actions. Therefore, I want to be a respectable parent so my kids have no reason to be disrespectful. It's a tall order, but I will do my best to fulfill it.
• Imagination.
• I want my kids to have an imagination- and use it during play. I feel strongly about exposure to technology, and I do not plan on my kids seeing a TV show or movie until they are over two years of age. I want them to provide their own stimulation- and I do not want them to let various things (TV, video games, etc) think for them. I want them to know how to PLAY- inside and out. Too many sensory issues (in my personal opinion) stem from too much technology and constant stimulation- I do not want that for my children.
•   Christ.
• Most importantly, I want my children to know our Lord and Savior. I want them to grow up in an environment that exemplifies Christ's love. I want them to be raised in God's word, and I want them to practice what they know. I want them to know that with Christ's help, they can make it through anything. I also want them to know that they are trusted with the ultimate gift. I don't want them to take their faith lightly- and I want them to demonstrate Christ's love, compassion, and hope to people around them. I don't want them to use it as an excuse for bad behavior (such as hateful actions), but I want them to have a definitive line of right and wrong. I want them to feel the strength, hope, peace, and love that I feel through my relationship with Jesus Christ.

I think this sums up the major details. Like I said, I could go on and on about what I want my children to know, but these are the biggest ones in my book.