Page 28 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 7_2023

Food for Thought

THE BLESSING

B Y PETER S T OFFBERG

etting children to be is not always easy.
It can feel like it takes every ounce of
strength just to get to the stage where
Gwe can begin the proceedings. It’s getting
tougher too. Kids are finding new and creative
ways of delaying and stretching it out all the time.
I’ve never actually tried to catch a bag of weasels,
but the image comes to mind when I think about
our children’s typical bedtime routine. It can be a
physical and mental challenge of note, but what a
privilege and what an opportunity.
Even that beautiful sensation of Lego bricks lodging
themselves in the soft instep of your tired feet as you
negotiate your way towards their little beds is worth
it. Bedtime is a fantastic opportunity for parent-child
bonding, and surprisingly, even for their neurological
development. A chat, Bible story, prayer and blessing
can form part of a nightly routine that may put our
children at a significant advantage.

This is confirmed by Dr G. Reid Lyon from the
National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development. According to research, bedtime stories
provide children with an array of benefits from
improved logic and literacy skills all the way through
to lowered stress levels. So clear are the advantages
that British philosopher Adam Swift thinks parents ON SITE SUNDAY SERVICES @ 9h30
who read to their children at bedtime should think www.familychurch.online
about how they are unfairly disadvantaging other
people’s children! Yes you read that last sentence DAINFERN COLLEGE AUDITORIUM
correctly.

It’s not just an advantage to the children either. Some than the day’s news headlines. The Bible tells us that
of the most precious and rewarding moments can faith comes from hearing the Word of God, and a
come at the time when little minds are reviewing the stronger faith certainly leads towards a better night’s
events of the day and trying desperately to maximise rest.
time with us parents.
The cherry on the cake of the bedtime routine in our
Filling our own minds with Bible stories and the home is the blessing. I haven’t found any scientific
candid prayers of our kids is far more stress-relieving study to cite in its favour, but God encourages us to
bless one another and that’s enough. My wife and I
can read or tell stories, pray for our children and hear
their prayers, but we had better not leave the room
without having blessed them! There’s a blessing
included on this page, why not try it for a few nights
with your children?

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28 DPL issue 7 2023