June Newsletter by Jeff Kammerer

Parent Newsletter Kids Edition

June 2012 POWERSOURCE ASK GOD: 1. To be with all your extended family members, whether nearby or far away. 2. To bless grandparents as they share their faith with your children. 3. To help you nurture the heritage your children receive from older relatives.

Second Cape May Baptist Church

Grandparents Can Share the Faith In today’s mobile, diverse society, several factors are affecting children’s relationships with their grandparents. “Long-distance grandparenting” is common because fewer people live near extended family members. At the same time, however, there’s an uptick in the number of children being raised by their grandparents. And thanks to the increase in blended families, some kids have more than two sets of grandparents. Regardless of how often your children see their grandparents, the older generation has many valuable stories, lessons, and values to share. Most importantly, grandparents can become involved in their grandchildren’s spiritual journey. The best way to start is by just being involved in children’s lives. Talk to them about things that matter. Spend time with them, either in person, on the phone, or via e-mail or Skype. Do activities that kids enjoy and get to know their interests, their friends, and their dreams. Most importantly, love them, hug them, and pray for them. Share faith through your interactions, and let grandkids know they’re a blessing from God.

INSIGHTS • 31% of adults are grandparents. Of that number, 8% provide day care on a regular basis, and 3% are rearing a grandchild. (AARP) • 6.2 million U.S. households are multigenerational. (grandparents.com) • 72% of grandparents think that role is the single most important and satisfying thing in their life. 63% say they can do a better job caring for grandchildren than they did their own children. (grandparents.com)

Read more:http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/opinions/from-theeditors/article/surprising-facts-aboutgrandparents.html#ixzz1oYwpRaX4

“Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power.” (Psalm 145:4) “Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged.” (Proverbs 17:6)

TEACHABLE MOMENTS 1. Walk and Talk—Stroll around the neighborhood with your grandchildren and share reflections of your childhood, church, and God. Read aloud Deuteronomy 6:6-7 and talk about why God wants families to spend time together. 2. Pass It On—Food is a great gift from God to be shared in all sorts of ways. Share your heritage by teaching grandkids how to prepare a special family recipe. Begin a new family tradition on holidays. You can even share what you create with other people who might appreciate a homemade treat.

3. Stay Connected—The book Grand Days (Group) is filled with dozens of ideas for sharing faith moments between grandparents and grandkids. The projects, games, and outings will work whether grandparents are nearby or far away. They’re also ideal for older adults who serve as “stand in” grandparents in a church or neighborhood.

Talk to children about the importance of passing on a legacy of faith: 1. What do you enjoy most about being with your grandparents? What do you wish you could do more of with them, and why? 2. What are some lessons you’ve learned from your grandparents? What have they taught you about God? 3. What do you think it will be like to be a grandparent someday? What will you want your own grandkids to know about you?

FAMILY EXPERIENCE Use these activities to reinforce the important role of grandparents: • Lifted Higher—Have a grandparent lie down on a blanket. Then have a child grab a corner and try to pick up him or her. Add a new child to each corner for each new try. Then switch roles and have an adult try to lift a grandchild on the blanket. If needed, have another adult grab a corner. Read aloud Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Ask: “How did you feel during this experience? Who was easier to pick up—a child or an adult?” Say: “It’s easier for an adult to carry or lift a child. God has given adults the special privilege of ‘carrying’ children closer to him and his Word.” Close in prayer, thanking God for the ways grandparents support us and our faith. • Spotlight Interview—One of the best ways to learn about people is to interview them. Within our own personal histories, we can see God’s hands at work. Grandparents and grandchildren can connect in meaningful ways by conducting fun interviews of each other. First, set ground rules, such as no interruptions and no commentary. Next, determine the recording format, whether low- or high-tech. Finally, brainstorm questions. Examples include: What’s your first memory? What’s your most valuable possession, and why? What’s your favorite book? What’s been the happiest moment of your life so far? What did you do for someone else today/this week/this month? What did/do you like the most about school? What’s the most memorable birthday or Christmas celebration you’ve had, and why? Then ask away!

MEDIA MADNESS

MOVIES

MUSIC

Title: Brave

Artist: One Direction

Genre: Animated adventure

Album: Up All Night

Rating: Not yet rated

Artist Info: This U.K.-based boy band, also known as 1D, got their start on Simon Cowell’s X Factor. The five members, ages 18 to 20, now have throngs of fans, from preteens to moms.

Cast: Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Craig Ferguson Synopsis: In this first girlcentered Pixar film, Princess Merida wants to blaze her own trail. When she’s granted an illfated wish, she must learn all about true bravery. Our Take: This movie can spark family discussions about individuality, dreams, and goals.

Summary: “What Makes You Beautiful,” the up-tempo pop single about inner beauty, was a charttopper. Our Take: Although many songs focus on relationships, One Direction’s lyrics are clean overall.

GAMES, SITES & APPS Title

Content

Rating & Platform

Double Fine Happy Action Theater

These 18 interactive scenes will bring parties and family night to life. Players can swat balls, feed birds, create art, and have tons of virtual fun.

E; Xbox 360/Kinect

Minecraft

This wildly popular game is split into day and night cycles. Players focus on survival while building elaborate structures.

Rating pending; PC, Android, iOS, Xbox 360

This site, created by Sesame Street for military families, allows parents and children to share pictures and play games together in real time.

FamiliesNearandFar.org; Best for children who can use computers (with supervision)

Families Near and Far

This page is designed to help educate parents and isn’t meant to endorse any movie, music, or product. Our prayer is that you’ll make informed decisions about what your children watch, listen to, and play.

CULTURE & TRENDS • More dads-to-be are being toasted at “Dadchelor” parties, for one last male-bonding hurrah before diaper duty begins. (ABC News)

• Bike helmets are becoming so trendy that kids won’t argue about wearing them. New “lids” look like brains, disco balls, unicorns, and more. Accessories such as mohawk strips also make head protection look extra cool.

QUICK STATS • 73% of kids ages 6 to 11 say learning to share, be kind, and help others is just as important for life success as learning to read, write, and do math. (prnewswire.com)

• 85% of kids say they’ve listened to music with parents in the last week. (Youthbeat, C+R Research) • One in 10 new fathers experiences postpartum depression. The risk peaks when babies are between 3 and 6 months old. (online.wsj.com)

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

9 Rescue Mission

Worship Service and Children’s Church

8:30 and 10:00am

20 Life Groups Begin!

Worship Service and Children’s Church

8:30 and 10:00am

17 Father’s Day Worship Service and Children’s Church

MSM (6th-8th) HSM (9th-12th) College

8:30 and 10:00am

Worship Service and Children’s Church

8:30 and 10:00am

Life Groups

7:00 - 9:30pm