The Essentials of a Healthy Home

I listened to this broadcast on  Focus on the Family's website and it was absolutely amazing.  Pastor Tommy Nelson discusses the most important things that we need to provide our children to ensure a healthy home. 

The 8 Essentials of a Healthy Home are:

1. A child needs a house that is peaceful.  ~ A place where you child feels loved and at home.  Not a place of constant conflict but a place that is calming.
2. A child needs plenty of time with each parent.  ~ Mom's and Dad's make sure to take time to be alone with each of your children, making them feel special.  It creates a solid, open, relationship between parent and child as well as aids in self esteem.
3. A child needs to be taught God's truth to have a firm foundation. ~ Even when your child is still small teach them God's truths.  Try including things in your prayers with your children that are foundational to the faith.  Before a meal, pray for the food to bless your bodies, but also thank God for sending his son Jesus to die for our sins because we were sinners and a lost people ~ thank Him for redeeming us.  These small prayers help solidify the gospel in our children.
4. A child needs a Godly example. ~ Not a perfect example...a Godly one.  An example that is willing to ask forgiveness when a mistake is made and stand up for God's truth when it's put to the test.
5. A child needs good self esteem.  ~ Not false self esteem, but build up your child thoughtfully, not with empty words.
6. A child needs to feel accepted by his family.  ~ Allow your child to feel like they are accepted no matter who they are or what they do.  This does not mean that you should tolerate everything, but help your child realize that when you disapprove of something they did that you don't disapprove of them, you disapprove of their actions.
7. A child needs affection and parental touch.  ~ Obviously appropriate touch is key.  When you child crawls up in your lap, take a moment to love of them.  Let hugs and kisses be infinite and don't hold back.  Touch your child with love and affection, this helps them feel accepted, to build self esteem and creates a strong bond.
8. A child need discipline.  ~ A few tears won't hurt your child.  It is, however, important that when you are "training up your child in the way that he should go", that you are training them the way the learn the best.  Be sensitive to what is effective in each child-which could vary between siblings.

For more of the information that Pastor Nelson spoke about, check out the link about for Focus on the Family.