How do you handle frustration and conflict in your home--especially between your children? Some parents try to eliminate all conflict for their children and make frustration non-existent. But what does a child really learn that way? Frustrations in life will happen. Everyone will have bad days, days when they are not on top of their game, days when things do not go as planned. Being misunderstood is part of the human experience. Thankfully, we have a Friend who is familiar with the feeling.
Instead of eliminating conflict, we'd much rather teach our children how to deal with it.
I was recently so inspired by this post. "What a lovely idea!" I thought and immediately set out to create a peace retreat in our home.
I started by rearranging the furniture in our little apartment to make room. I bought a little stool/storage ottoman from Target on clearance and a scented candle. And I started making a prayer book. It has pictures and collages to help the little ones (especially the ones who cannot yet read) to meditate on the Prince of Peace.
But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
Luke 5:16
Right away the children started using the peace retreat. When the noise and commotion of this big family got overwhelming, I'd find one of them sitting there looking at a book or praying. A couple days after setting up the peace retreat, Captain (four years old) was very frustrated with his older siblings. Clearly, he wasn't being understood and that made him angry! I picked him up and put him on the stool. "Would you like to spend some time with Jesus, Cappy?" He nodded, his eyes full of tears.
I lit the candle and left him with the prayer books. Ten to fifteen minutes later he got up and went to his room, a changed boy. That night as I tucked him in he said, "Mom, the next time I'm naughty, I'll put myself in the peace retreat."
There is a notebook there where the children have doodled or written prophetic notes while spending time with Jesus. There is a picture of two stick figures walking together--one big person and one small person. I'm told that it is Jesus and Luc. On another page there is a note that says "I love you, Israel." In the same handwriting on the next page it says, "Jesus, why did you write that?"
It warms my heart to see my children having conversations with the One Who Is Peace. I love it that they are learning to separate themselves from their play, the TV, their books and all other things and to spend time with Jesus.
Often Moms need a peace retreat with Jesus, too.
9 comments:
That is lovely Daja! I want to do it too!
Beautiful, Daja.. absolutely positively beautiful. I think we need a corner of peace retreat in our home too. Thank you for the inspiration! Love you!
Just passed this link on to all of my friends. Amazing idea. Can't wait to set up our cozy little corner!
I also love the idea of a peace retreat and how you added the notebook to yours. To watch and observe how our Father moves within the hearts and spirits of our little ones moves me beyond what I'm able to describe.
We are so rich!
I need to do this too! I have one frustrated 4-year-old lately and he needs to escape the clamour of several small brothers sometimes! We pretty much live out of one room in the day so I am wondering where I can put a peace retreat?? I will think and pray on it. GREAT idea! Thanks for the link!
I think this idea is traveling like wildfire! I can only imagine the ramifications of it all. Glory to the Prince of Peace!
This is excellent! I'm going to try this.
This is excellent! Will try.
Hi my name is Lena, just found your blog and loved the idea for having our children take their frustrations to Jesut... I will have to do that. Often times I am at a loss of how to make my children play nicely, to share, or just to be kind... this is another thing for me to try. Thank you...:)
PS: My youngest dgt was born on January 6th, 2009. Same as your dgt? :)
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