Tag: grandkids

Eye See You

Jennifred Jones

My son said this might be more of a mom thing. Maybe he is right.

But I like eye-gazing into my grandkid’s eyes. Eye to eye. Just staring and looking into their eyes while they look back into mine. First it is out of a love for them, as it was for my own children. I want them to know and feel it in their little bitty eyes and self that I love and care for them, that I see them and want them. Second, it is a means of security for them that someone is holding them and spending time with them. They are important to someone bigger than they. Gaze as long as they will let you. It seems a peace will come over them while you are holding them just looking.

This will work for older children too. Sit with them and look at them…don’t need to say a word. Just sit and smile and put your arm around them if they’ll let you. Most kids only want to know someone is looking at them. You be that someone.

Gazing one on one with others is also good. We want to be looked at eye to eye when talking with others – showing we value them and feel what they have to say is important to us – to another human being. We’re not doing a quick glance, but eyeball to eyeball facing the other and talking person to person. We are adding and showing value to them just by seeing them in our everyday experiences.

Is there someone in your life that needs your eyes to gaze into theirs to bring them love, peace and assurance?

The ‘Scream’ Door

Jennifred Jones

When we were little, before central air conditioning, mother left the doors open on good days to let the fresh air blow through the screen door. For some reason my brother called it the scream door. Maybe it was because mom would go to the door and yell for us kids to come in or stop fighting or whatever else we were doing outside that she didn’t want us doing.

I don’t want to be a screamer.

There were times when my kids were small that I used to find myself raising my voice and yelling at them — a lot! I hated to see the look on their little faces when I yelled at them, but I was desperate to gain control. We have 6 kids, all grown now, and sometimes I didn’t know the best way to handle things so I’d end up yelling.

One day after I’d gotten them all to bed, at that time we had 4, I began to think about my yelling at them and realized I didn’t want my kids growing up and all they could remember was their mother yelling at them. How horrible would that be?!!!

I made a quality decision right then that I’d not raise my voice and yell at them anymore and asked God to hold me to it and help me.

Everytime I was tempted to yell at them I’d remember what I didn’t want to be remembered for and I’d be able to control my voice. I also found myself apologizing to all my kids for yelling at them and told them how much I really loved them and wanted them. I’ve had to apologize to them a lot since then about other things, but I believe I have my kids’ hearts and they have mine.

Now that the grandkids are coming along, I don’t want them being yelled at and I am so glad God helped me change my example. I’m sure they will go through trying times as I did, but they will work it through and hopefully make the better choice each time.

Is there someone you need to talk to about your voice?

A soft answer turns away anger.

You will end up doing good things.