Samuel obeyed God when he chose David to be the new king.
1 Samuel 16:1-13

BIBLE VERSE:
“We must obey God”  Acts 5:29

Hi Preschool Parents,

Our lesson this week is designed to help the children choose to do right because they love God. When you meet someone, how much weight does outer appearance have over inner qualities? Children may not understand the concept of what we're like on the inside. But they do understand the difference between being kind and unkind. When Samuel went to anoint God's choice for king, he expected that tall and good looking Eliab (one of Jesse's other sons) would be the man. But God told Samuel that He did not look at the outward appearance; He was looking at a person's heart. So when God chose the youngest, the smallest, the least experienced - David, Samuel obediently anointed him. Samuel understood that God was looking for something he himself could not see.

Think about the inner traits of others you admire. Now which of your inner traits do you think most pleases God. To help children develop inner traits like patience, kindness, or self-control, notice and then thank the child who has been kind or patiently waited for a turn. Show by your words and smile that you value these qualities. Ask God to help your child to obey God and do what is right. Encourage your child to be like Samuel and obey the Lord. Those inner qualities are what the Lord is looking for!

"And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him." 1 John 3:22

"Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?
Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams." 1 Samuel 15:22

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

See you all this Sunday!

Praying for your family,
Melanie Ekblad
Nursery Preschool Director

Preschool Pumpkin Patch Party
Sunday, October 31st

How do I get my toddler to listen to me and do what I say? He's right in the middle of the "terrible two's" and his favorite word is no. It seems he knows exactly what it takes to drive me up the wall. How should I handle this? The task of administering discipline can be frustrating and unpleasant, but it is a crucial element of parenting. Somewhere between the ages of 18 and 24 months children need to begin to recognize, understand and respect parental authority. This basic lesson should be taught with wisdom, discernment, and creativity. It must also be administered in an atmosphere of genuine love. The key to the entire process is the skillful use of consequences, both negative and positive. Children have to understand that different types of behavior produce different results – some pleasant and some not so pleasant.
A time out – two minutes for a 2-year-old, three minutes for a 3-year-old – can be a useful method of extinguishing willful undesirable behavior. A spanking or a slap on the hand may also be effective, as long as it is applied with love and restraint. There are also some occasions when the best way to discourage flagrant disobedience is simply to ignore it. When a child is acting out in order to gain attention, his naughtiness tends to disappear as soon as he loses his audience.

On the positive side, it’s a matter of the utmost importance to model what you teach. If you want your child to learn kindness, be kind. If you’re attempting to extinguish aggression, it doesn’t make sense to be harsh and aggressive yourself. You can also have a powerful impact on your toddler’s behavior by inventing ways to recognize and highlight his positive actions. We’re not thinking here in terms of rewards, which can promote selfishness if offered in excess, but rather of family celebrations. A good way to do this is to place a glass jar in a prominent place and allow your child to put a marble in the jar every time he does something you want him to do. Then, when the jar is full, you can celebrate by taking the entire family out for ice cream or another fun activity.

If your child is extremely rebellious or disobedient, it might be worth asking yourself a few simple questions. Is he well fed? Are you making sure that he gets enough rest? Is your own schedule so hectic and chaotic that it’s placing stress on the rest of the family? It may also help to engage in a bit of self-examination with regard to your own expectations and the motivation behind them. To a certain extent toddlers must be allowed to be toddlers. Parents who want perfection from kids at this age are expecting too much at this stage of development.