February 2010
For the Unity Temple Youth and Family ministry blog, click here.
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Upcoming Youth event
What: Bowling
When: Friday February 26, 7-9 pm
Where: Mission Bowl
5399 Martway
Mission, Kansas 66205
913-432-7000
Cost: $7.50 per Uniteen, $10.50 per adult
Questions: Call Brandon Nagel at 913-649-1750, x3009
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From Katie Barnes, Youth Education Director
We get more of what we focus on...what are you focusing on with your kids?
A fellow parent from Unity recently shared with me her frustration at her own lack of patience dealing with her child when she needed to get something done and couldn’t be 100% present with the child. The more focused she became on an adult conversation, the more focused her child became on acting out. I, too, have found that when I am busy and needing to attend to my grown-up stuff, it is more likely for my kids to act out. Telling them to “hold on” or “wait until I’m finished” does little to buy their patience. It usually makes matters worse.
Here's a technique that I have found to work: I spend fifteen minutes on the floor or at the table, playing or reading with them while giving them my full attention. During this time, I don't talk to them in a conversational way, but instead comment on what they are doing. I say, “Okay, I see you are putting the blue block next to the red one,” and so on - kindly narrating what they are doing. By focusing closely on their movements and activities, I am telling them that they are important to me and that I am very interested in what they are doing, After this close interaction, I can usually have thirty or so minutes to get something done. If they still need my full attention, I let them know that I will set a timer for thirty minutes and, when it goes off, they will have my undivided attention again. Give it a try and let me know if it works!
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What’s up in 2010 for Youth Education?
The focus of the youth program in 2010 is on Unity’s 12 Powers of Man. Our year-long lesson series, entitled “A Celebration of Our 12 Powers”, is based on a 12 month curriculum written by Unity Licensed Teacher, Reverend Diane Venzera, and was designed with four main objectives in mind:
The 12 Powers of Man come from divine ideas, or truths, that are available to us through our twelve mental/emotional/spiritual faculties: Faith, Love, Strength, Good Judgment, Power, Imagination, Understanding, Will, Order, Zeal, Elimination, and Life. These are the God-given qualities that are available to each person and can be used to develop inner balance, peace, and harmony. Each month we will learn about one of the 12 Powers through creative experiences, stories, games and science. The lessons are designed to meet the children at their own unique developmental levels and are complimented by several exceptional children’s books. The teens use a metaphysical interpretation of the Bible entitled The Message by Eugene H. Peterson for most lessons. For more information about Reverend Diane Venzera's innovative curriculum, click here.
