Get Spiritual
Parents can often have difficulties conveying their religious and spiritual beliefs to their children, but no matter what they are there is always opportunity and room to bring them into daily family life whilst having fun and spending time as a family in the process. Listed below are a few fun exercises as suggested by parenting columnist Doreen Nagle.
Once a week share some inspirational readings with your family. Try to choose something that your child isn’t already learning about through the curriculum as this way you will hold their interest. Don't stick to one theme; for instance, alternate reading about how to behave one week with material about compassion the next and humanity the week after that.
Give each member of the family some drawing and painting materials and get them to each have fun drawing a place that makes them feel calm, happy and relaxed. Then discuss these sanctuaries together and look at what elements can be borrowed from your own home, for instance, an apple tree or the smell of freshly baked bread. Once you’ve done this then make time to implement some of these things. Bake some bread as a family or plant a new tree in the garden.
Plan your family holiday around a spiritual theme. For example if compassion is an attribute you would like you children to pursue then plan a holiday where you can spend time as a family helping people. Volunteering holidays are becoming an increasingly popular way to spend family holidays and are a good way to show your children what it mean to be compassionate. Check out www.idealist.org/kt/familyvolunteer.html for more information on this concept.