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The A.W.E. To-Do List
This devotional was written by Jim Burns

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.—Hebrews 3:13

When our children were much younger, Cathy and I came up with a daily “A.W.E. (Affection, Warmth, and Encouragement) To-Do List.” We don’t follow it legalistically but rather use it as our guideline for intentionally bringing A.W.E. into the home. We try to keep the spirits of our children open and give them a sense of security and love.

1. Say “I love you.” Remind your kids every day that you love them. The positive reinforcement and verbal reminder of unconditional love will give your children to go on even during tough times, and it will help them say no to temptation.

2. Show physical affection. Meaningful touches and hugs, kisses, and even high fives bolster a young person’s self-image. A real sense of security, self-worth, and meaning comes from appropriate affection.

3. Listen. When your kids know you are really listening to them, they will sense how significant they are to you. Listening is the language of love.

4. Use eye contact. As parents we sometimes become so busy that we can forget how important body language and eye contact are in letting our children know that we care. With our eyes focused on them, we can show our hearts are focused on them as well.

5. Pray daily. A daily time of prayer with our children helps them grasp how important God is in our lives. Prayer time should be a warm, wonderful, loving part of our children’s lives.

Creating a home with A.W.E. isn’t always easy. This is especially true if you came from a shame-based family yourself. But what kind of home would you rather have? What kind of home is more successful? It starts with a proactive approach to parenting, and the result is a close-knit family with kids ready to become responsible adults.