Teaching Character When You’re Busy: Making the Most of Your Time

Do your conversations with friends ever go something like this?

“Hi, how are you doing?”

“I’m pretty busy, how are you?”

“I’m so busy too! Life just never slows down, does it?”

Well, that’s how my conversations begin, anyway :)

There are lots of things we need to do as moms, wives and women. Household chores, work of many kinds, making meals, bringing kids to and from different events or appointments, nourishing a relationship with your spouse, not to mention the spiritual focus we’re supposed to have each day! When you have so many things calling for your attention, how do you zero in on teaching your child character? Is it possible to thrive and not just survive during these challenging moments of motherhood?

Yes, I think so! And it doesn’t have to be incredibly time-consuming either. Teaching character amid life’s busy schedule takes some preparation, which initially may take some time, but as you grow and learn about the Lord and His Word along with your children, you’ll find that the business of guiding your children’s spiritual growth comes more and more naturally!

In the first two days of this series, we talked about the most essential thing we need to grasp about teaching character in our children and how we can lay the foundation for effective training and teaching. Now let’s look at some practical techniques for redeeming the time so even the busy moments of our days can be used in a most excellent way {see 1 Corinthians 12:31 leading to chapter 13}! Just to warn you, this post is a bit longer than most but I hope that it will be helpful and encouraging to you!

First of all, I want to start off by saying that throughout this post I use the words training and teaching. I actually wasn’t very fond of the term “training” because it sounded to me like I was making my children obey–training them–like a dog. I’ve taken some time to look this term up in the dictionary and in the Bible. Here’s what they say!

training: {noun} the education, instruction or discipline of a person that is being trained. {verb} to develop or form the habits, thoughts or behavior by discipline or instruction

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” 2 Timothy 3:16

I’m realizing now that training is not a negative thing but something that is a part of our Christian walk and that Scripture is the primary tool used to make this happen! So here I use both terms, with the overarching understanding that it is really the Holy Spirit that trains and teaches my children as I rely on the Lord’s wisdom and knowledge!

Use Your Time Wisely – And Yes, that May Mean Creating a Routine

In the last post, I shared some thoughts on doing devotions as a family. So what is the best time of day to do so? Yep, you guessed it, in the morning. I’ve found that my children are much more attentive and better listeners when they’re fresh from a night’s sleep and are sitting at the breakfast table than they are during the time in the evening when we are supposed to be “winding down” {ahem}. Doing morning devotions is actually a habit we’ve fallen out of since I found out I was pregnant 2 months ago and was going through my horrid all-day sickness.

You can make morning devotions work for your family! Teach your children to get their clothes ready the night before {help them out a few times first}. This is a great opportunity for character training about responsibility and diligence! Print out a simple morning routine for them to get everyone moving. Not every morning will be the same but even for mommas who like to just go with the flow, a basic routine is incredibly helpful if you want to make the most of your time. And remember that a “routine” doesn’t have to be something intimidating: it just has to be some general events that I put into practice enough times to make it a habit. {Read also my four simple tips for creating a daily routine.} This is what our kids’ routine looks like:

During breakfast is the time when we will ideally begin doing morning devotions again. If you need some suggestions for what to use for kids’ devotions, I’ll have some ideas in Friday’s post!

Other ways that you can use your time wisely during the day:

• Do devotions on the go. On the days when time falls through the cracks despite your best efforts, squeeze it in during moments in the car. Talk about a Bible verse or ask your child what you can pray about together and then do so right then. Check out Focus on the Family’s “Devotions on the Go.” {click on the link and then scroll down to Family Devotions by Topic}. I wish you could have these specifically as an app but if you subscribe for free to Thriving Family magazine, you can get the whole magazine as an app, which includes the Devotions on the Go. 
• Listen to Scripture music, at home and in the car!
• Pray over your children each morning, it only takes a few moments.
• Point out the beauty of creation as you go on a walk or ride to school. Learn a few verses about creation that you can be reminded of as you talk about it!
• Pray with your children at bedtime and spend those few moments to connect with them. I’m amazed at the spiritual discussions that arise when we just talk with our kids. 
• When you do a service project with your kids, remind them of the eternal significance of their actions. Matthew 5:1-12 comes to mind for these moments!

Run Like Mad from the Things That Hinder Your Efforts in Teaching Character

When we’re busy mommas, the last thing we need is to have someone or something compromising our efforts. What are some things that may be working against us?

• TV shows 
• Time with electronics {that includes my time with electronics too}
• Books
• Flawed children’s devotionals {here’s what I really think about kids’ devotionals}
• School environments

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1

Be sure to check out the other ladies taking part in the intentional living series {which this series is a part of!}. There are some wonderful topics being shared! Find the list of blogs and post topics here: 5 Days of Living Intentionally.

Shared at True Aim Education, Raising Homemakers, Raising Mighty Arrows and Walking Redeemed.