Talking and Learning

"The wise in heart will be called prudent, and sweetness of the lips increases learning." Proverbs 16:21

I have just a simple thought based on this proverb. How sweet is the speech in your home? Are you encouraging your children? Are you their best cheerleader? Are your words life giving or death dealing? People are intricately woven together - mind, body, and soul. We often acknowledge this in theory but don't apply it practically. If your child's body is sick, you realize that he won't be at peak performance academically, and you wouldn't demand it of him. But what if his spirit is broken? What if his heart is hurt? What if she's afraid? And what if those hurts and bruises are all because of careless and impatient words spoken in the family? All these things can affect the ability to learn (and to enjoy learning). Let me encourage you to begin each day with a prayer to see each of your children through God's eyes - whole people, not just bundles of demands or recalcitrant antagonizers designed to make your life more difficult. Then, speak graciously and take every opportunity to build them up. Not only is this good for their souls, it also enhances their learning potential! And when the time comes for hard lessons (in school and in life) or discipline, the strength they've gained from good words from a prudent parent will go far in helping them meet the challenges.