Classical Music and Charles Gounod

Dinner Topics for Friday

Waltz from opera "Faust", by Charles Gounod




 
O, Divine Redeemer, by Charles Gounod 

This is heavenly!

Classical Music and Edvard Grieg

Dinner Topics for Friday

"Morning" from Peer Gynt




Concerto in A minor, Yun-Yang Lee

Christianity, Parents, and Marriage

Dinner Topics for Thursday Here Christian leaders make a clear statement on Biblical values and moral absolutes. The Family A Proclamation to the World The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/christianity-parents-and-marriage/

American Culture and Ten Commandments

Dinner Topics for Wednesday The Tenth Commandment is: Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife …nor anything that is thy neighbor’s. This may be the tenth commandment, but it definitely is not an

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President Obama Scandal Update 2

From Rush Limbaugh Show President Obama: Scandal Update 2 RUSH: I mentioned in the first hour that I wanted to go through some of the scandals, or if you will, some of the irregularities.  Here

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American Culture: Gender and Feminism

Dinner Topics for Tuesday Is there a War on Men in America?

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/american-culture-gender-and-feminism/

Abortion Victim: Fathers

Another victim of abortion By Anne Reed It is a simple fact that conception of a child requires the equal biological participation of a female and a male counterpart – mother and father. The baby is obviously the first victim

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/abortion-victim-fathers/

President Obama, Scandal, and Social Media

Obama mining Facebook, Twitter to predict crimes Controversial program may offer insight into Verizon scandal

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/president-obama-scandal-and-social-media/

World War 2: D-Day Anniversary and Ronald Reagan

D-Day visit Anniversary of June 6, 1944

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/world-war-2-d-day-anniversary-and-ronald-reagan/

Stress Management, Classical Music and Robert Schumann

Dinner Topics for Friday Listen to Music by Robert Schumann From Wikipedia Robert Schumann[1] (8 June 1810 – 29 July 1856) was a German composer and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era.

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/stress-management-classical-music-and-robert-schumann/

Classical Music and Robert Schumann

Dinner Topics for Friday

Robert Schumann Spring Symphony

Traumerei

Parenting: Teaching Justice and Mercy

Dinner Topics for Thursday Teaching Justice and Mercy June Value: Justice and Mercy, Introduction and part 1 From Richard and Linda Eyre

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/parenting-teaching-justice-and-mercy/

Parenting Value: Justice and Mercy

Dinner Topics for Thursday

From Richard and Linda Eyre

Justice & Mercy

Obedience to law, fairness in work and play. An understanding of natural consequences and the law of the harvest. A grasp of mercy and forgiveness and an understanding of the futility (and bitter poison) of carrying a grudge.
Introduction
Justice and mercy -- these words seem too abstract, multifaceted, maybe even too religious for children to understand. Yet when they are broken down into their simplest form, they are the basic values for every household -- the values around which everything else revolves.

There is both security and unity in the justice and fairness that exists in the home. The beginning lies in the developing of clear family laws and providing for repentance and apology as well as for consistent justice. 

Perhaps the two most important things we've ever learned in our family about justice and mercy were taught to us by our oldest daughter as she was growing up. The first lesson came when she was about seven. We had tried to set up some "family laws" for her and her five-year-old sister. We had done so democratically by asking them to suggest laws. We wrote their suggestions on a list, along with our own and ended up with twenty-four family laws, ranging from "don't hit anyone" to "don't plug in plugs."

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One Sunday seven-year-old Saren came home from Sunday School with a suggestion. "Dad and Mom," she said, "I think we've got way too many laws. I can't even remember half of them. I learned today that Heavenly Father only gave us ten laws! We need to simplify!" 

And simplify we did. We worked our list down to five one-word laws that each child knew and understood; we connected them with natural-consequence punishments, and we felt that we at least were beginning to teach the value of justice in our family. 

About three years later this same oldest daughter, now ten, reminded us, of the other principle that needs to go hand in hand with justice. Again it was Sunday, and again we had just returned from Sunday School. One of her little brothers had become angry with his sister and pushed her down. We were in the process of administering the punishment of sending the boy to his room, but Saren noticed the look on his face, which said he was sorry for what he'd done and concerned that he had hurt his sister. "You know, Dad," Saren said, "if someone is sorry and wants to apologize and promise not to do it again, he shouldn't have to have the punishment. In the Bible they call it repenting." -- Richard

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Saren was right of course. One reason for repentance is to avoid punishment. And more is often learned from repenting than from being punished. Our five family laws now carry provisions for repentance and thus give us frequent opportunities to learn the two most difficult (and perhaps most important) skills of life -- namely to repent or improve and to forgive.
This value carries such importance -- and such relevance to our happiness. Children who learn to obey laws, to treat others fairly, and to be both repentant and forgiving can largely avoid the bitterness, the grudges, and the guilt along with the mental or physical imprisonment that are the consequences of not understanding or living the value of justice and mercy. 

General Guidelines
 
Set up simple family laws. This will help children know their limits and understand what is expected of them. It is best to do this in two "sessions." The first session is briefly to discuss with children the importance of laws. For example, there are government laws about stealing or cheating or hurting others. There are traffic laws that make it safer to be on the roads, and so on. We also need laws in our family so that we can be happier and so that everyone can know what is expected. Then ask the children for their input. What laws do they suggest? Make notes. Then tell them that you (as the parent or parents) will work on the laws and hold another family session when you are ready to discuss them. 

After you (as parents) have decided on your family laws, write them on a chart and hold a second family session to explain them. 

We suggest five simple, one-word laws that children can fully understand and easily remember:

• PEACE (no hitting, fighting, yelling, whining, etc.).
• PEGS (make a pegboard for each child, each with four pegs -- one representing family job, one for homework and practicing (if the child is learning a musical instrument), and one for evening things (room clean, teeth brushed, in bed on time). The law is to get each peg in each day.
• ASKING (don't go anywhere, invite anyone over, etc., without permission).
• ORDER (room straight, pick up after self).
• OBEDIENCE (do what parents say).

Discuss how each law makes family members happier.
Establish rewards to go with the keeping of each law and punishments to go with the breaking of each law. This helps children learn cause and effect and understand elementary justice.
Enhance the "payday" system for pegs by having a bonus for each of the other laws they have done well on keeping during the week (peace, asking, order, obedience). Adjust the payday reward system to match the ages and needs of your children. 

The main punishment for disobedience to the five family laws should be the absence of reward. On payday praise a child who did well and basically ignore (rather than chastise) a child who did poorly. 

Certain laws also need specific punishments. These should be as close to "natural consequences" as possible. Some examples and suggestions:

• PEACE: As discussed earlier, have a "repenting bench" where children who argue or fight have to sit until they can tell you what they (not the other child) did wrong.
• ASKING: If a child does something or goes somewhere without permission, then the answer should be "no" next time to remind him.
• ORDER: Other family members pick up a child's things and throw them on his bed. He has to put them away that evening.
• OBEDIENCE: Establish the password of please. When you ask a child to do something, say please. His trigger response word is "Yes, Mother" or "Yes, Father." When a child doesn't obey, or forgets the response word, say, "Let's start over." Ask him again, emphasizing please. If he still does not obey and say, "Yes, Mother," send him to his room.

Add provisions for "repentance." This is a good opportunity to teach children the powerful values (and skills) of asking for and giving forgiveness. Once family laws are established, along with rewards and punishments, add the principle of repentance. Teach small children that repentance consists of saying you're sorry for a specific thing, asking for forgiveness, and promising that you'll try never to do it again. 

Try to use repentance rather than punishment wherever possible. Let children avoid sitting on the fighting bench if they repent to each other, or avoid going to their room if they say they are sorry for not obeying and quickly rectify the situation. 

Set the example. Show that justice and mercy are your values and that you, too, are trying to repent and forgive. When you make a mistake, lose your temper, fail to meet one of your responsibilities that involve a child, and so forth, make an obvious point of apologizing to the child and asking his forgiveness. 

Strive to be viewed by your child not as one who is perfect but as one who is really trying to do better. 

Be fair and consistent, but also tender and merciful. Again, teach this value by example. It is important to try to let neither rewardable behavior nor punishable behavior go unnoticed. Try to be consistent. On the other hand, don't make "quick justice" your whole goal. Always opt for repentance and forgiveness first, and only resort to punishment (showing your regret that it is necessary).
  "Parenting-by-Objective"
Review the activities and stories that go along with this month’s value. Make sure everyone in your family understands the value so they can see how they can apply it in their own lives and situations.

Talk about the Monthly Value every morning and remind your family to look for opportunities to use the value throughout the day. They may also observe how others don't understand the value. Get your children to share their experience with the value each day at the dinner table or before you go to bed. Be sure to share your experience each day as well. It will help your children know that you are thinking about the value too.

Dinner Topics Newsletter: Parents, Fathers, and Christian Traditions

Dinner Topics Newsletter: Parents, Fathers, and Christian Traditions Dear Valued Readers, VOTE FOR EPICWORLD DINNER TOPICS. Do you enjoy this web site? If you do, please consider voting at the link in the right-hand sidebar beneath the Follow button. If

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/04/dinner-topics-newsletter-parents-fathers-and-christian-traditions/

Parents, Students, and Gender Insanity

Yet Another Reason to Home School It looks like if we want our children to have Judeo-Christian values, we’ll have to teach them ourselves. Unless you want to burden yourself with an almost impossible task of de-programming, keep them out

http://dinnertopics.wordpress.com/2013/06/03/parents-students-and-gender-insanity/

U.S. Constitution and the Immigration Trap

Dinner Topics for Monday Warning! Pay close attention here to the sneaky way this will make America a one-party system. Not good. Watch out! The gang of 8 immigration bill is a trap. Well, what

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College Students, Scandal, and Big Government Abuse

See what your tax dollars are paying for? Answer: Brainwashers R Us Solutions: Home school, Christian schools and colleges College Students Sign Thank You Card to IRS for Anti-Conservative Discrimination On Thursday, the Centennial Institute released a video from Caleb

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