Live a Life of SMILES Week 2
This past week our life of SMILES looked like this:
Serving others= serve within the family
This past week we focused on serving and being a blessing to each other. Serving the family is the beginning of creating that selfless mindset that will eventually extend beyond the boundaries of family. We encourage siblings to help each other out and LOOK for ways to be a blessing to each other. Can I make my brother’s bed for him? Can I bring him a bottle of water? Can I sharpen his pencil? Serving around the home can be a blessing to all members of the family. Acts of service goes beyond regular chores- it’s things like making breakfast or dinner for the family, mowing the yard for dad or washing his vehicle, picking flowers for mom or cleaning the inside of the family van. It is a choice to look beyond ourselves and open our eyes to someone else’s needs.
Making memories= shared experiences, big or little
Shared experiences and connection-building times are crucial to our relationships with our children and the health of our family. The following are some of the ways we make memories as a family…
We have seen the positive outcomes of one-on-one dates with each of our boys. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate date; just the intentional time to do something special with one child strengthens that relationship. One time, my youngest and I went to get a Frosty at Wendy’s and walk the downtown square. Another time, my eldest and I went to a bakery/ice cream shop and had a book date while devouring a treat. And another time my middle son and I went to a coffee shop and played chess while enjoying a special drink for one of our dates. My husband has also taken each boy individually to a donut shop on Saturday mornings for Daddy Donut Dates-they love that!
Our family enjoys hikes, picnics, museums, festivals, parks, farms, and nature centers together. All of these are memory makers. We vividly remember one hike in the Shenandoah National Park that was so nerve-wracking my eldest froze at the top of the mountain (he was a little scared of heights). However, it was such a great opportunity for his little brothers (who aren’t scared of heights) to rise up & help their older brother. It also allowed my eldest to realize he CAN do hard and scary things because we DID make it off that mountain in one piece! :-)
Making memories together could be something incredible like swimming with manatees (if you have never had a 10 foot long, 1,000 pound gentle giant hug your leg, then please go to Crystal River in FL during the winter months and find out for yourself-it’s pretty magical!) or trying glass-blowing together or walking up the steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty (watch out-they are narrow and steep!) or observing the landscape diversity in Yellowstone N.P. (whatever you do, don’t step off the boardwalks!) or spending a day at Disney World.
On the other hand, making memories could be on a smaller scale (but still incredible!) like weekly family game nights, picnics at the local park, kayaking along the coast, Saturday morning walks, sunsets around a campfire, or milkshake Mondays.
Intentionality= reading the Bible as a family every day
When we began homeschooling over 3 years ago, we quickly realized that the slow mornings we now enjoy were and are such a blessing. There was no “Hurry, get in the van!” “Put on your shoes!” “Did you brush your teeth?” as we piled into a van sometimes still eating our breakfast and sometimes more than a little irritated and frustrated. Instead, we now enjoy a family breakfast while reading aloud from the Bible, one book at a time. We have the minutes to talk about the passage, discuss questions, and practice active listening skills. We have kept this rhythm for 3 years and are still going strong. After we finish a book of the Bible, we watch the video summary created by “The Bible Project” which can be found on YouTube. The Bible Project is a great ministry that has loads of valuable resources for free. The video summaries are not only straightforward and informative, but engaging for our whole family. Before we begin another book of the Bible, the boys complete an illustrated summary page to document their learning and then add it to their Bible binders. It has been so interesting to see their pages over the last few years. We started with the more kid-friendly and easier to understand books of the Bible like Joshua, Exodus, Genesis, Daniel, and Philippians, just to name a few. Some of the other books with more mature content, we will save for when they are a bit older.
Learning= local historic sites & museums
Most towns have a local history museum or historic site. If there is not one of those in your town, then try the next town over! This week we visited the next town over and visited the Old Jail Museum. We received a free guided tour of the place and learned that the sheriff and his family lived in the back half of the jail while the prisoners were kept in the front half. A bit unnerving if you ask me! The museum was set up with antiques and exhibits that explained not only the history of the structure, but information about the local Cherokee tribes that lived in that area. We even got to walk in the old jail cells and learn some of the stories of past inmates. In addition to the Old Jail Museum, there was a Cherokee exhibit out back where we were able to walk through the Cherokee Indians’ summer and winter houses (replicas, of course). Taking the time to learn something new on a weekly (or daily) basis is so vital to the health of our mind and family.
Exploring
National and state parks are such a treasure! Our family has a goal of visiting all 63 national parks in the U.S. We have visited about half of them! Each national park is unique in its own right and offers different experiences to its visitors. This past May, we paid a visit to the national parks in the southwest. Some we had been to before, like the Grand Canyon & White Sands; but some were brand new to us like Rocky Mountain & Great Basin. Exploring the national parks (and state parks!) gives your family such opportunity to see various wildlife (like a mama moose with her twin calves!), experience history (like touring the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde), hike to incredible places (like waterfalls, glacier lakes, & phenomenal views), walk through caverns, and more! Observing (and experiencing) the natural wonders and the memories that our family makes while traveling through the national parks is priceless.
Stories
They Call Me River by Maciek Albrecht
This beautifully illustrated story is a metaphor for the cycle of life. The story is told from the river’s part of view and explores themes of growth and change. Simple, but enchanting. (Fun Activity Idea: create collage art)
Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
This story is told from the lighthouse’s perspective and tells of the day to day life of the lighthouse keeper and his family. The whimsical illustrations along with the themes of changing seasons and the passing of time make it a charming book. Heart-warming and timeless.
Living a life of SMILES is about choosing a mindset of serving others. It's safeguarding time to make memories with your family. It’s being intentional about what is most important. It’s having a growth mindset and realizing that we can learn something new every week (or every day). It’s having the courage to explore. It’s recognizing that stories are incredible treasures whether they are picture book stories, people’s stories, stories in history, stories in the Bible, or family stories.
I can’t wait to hear about how your family lived a life of SMILES this past week! Please share your ideas and let me know how serving others, making memories, intentionality, learning, exploring, and stories played out in your life!
With Smiles,
Kathryn
