Teaching Your Children How to Behave In Company:
Having your friends visit can be a great opportunity to teach your children some virtues. For example they will need to learn patience while mummy is talking to her friend or perhaps practice being generous with sharing their toys with other children who come over.
Explain to your children what is going to happen before company arrives. This way they are more prepared. Eg: “Some children will be coming today and it would be nice to share your toys. You may give mummy any special toys to keep away.”
Don’t forget to give your children a lot of positive attention while your guests are over and include your children in your conversations where possible. If you are constantly reassuring them or complimenting their good behaviour, it is unlikely that they will seek your attention through negative behaviour.
I like to have some incentives for good behaviour, such as a treat after the guests leave!
If your children have NOT behaved well while you had company over, try to avoid punishing as this builds a negative image for them every time you have guests. Instead encourage them to do better next time and talk through the behaviours which were inappropriate.
Preparing to Have Guests Over:
Just how neat does your home have to be to entertain someone? Don’t stress too much in having the perfect, tidy house. With kids around, it is more than likely that toys will be scattered. As long as it is generally clean and presentable. Remember, your friend is coming to visit YOU and not your house!
You could check ourt this handy article on ‘How To Clean The Whole House In 5 Minutes’.
Think ahead! For example, approximately what time will your guests be leaving? Is it going to be around the kids lunch time? If so, you could prepare some sandwiches ahead of time to avoid rushing around afterwards.
Keep the children’s routine the same (this is very important!). For example if bed time is usually at 8pm then try as much as possible to stick to it. You may have to excuse yourself from the dinner table for 5 minutes or so to settle your children into bed.
With every visit, treat your guests ever so specially, as if it were the last time you were to see them! Sounds a little dramatic I know, but every person should be given that utmost love and Christian charity. This is a good example for your children to see that it is people who matter the most!
Once your guests leave and you are left to clean up the mess, I find it helpful to offer it up for that friend and her intentions. This way, the tidying does not become such a chore and it is a little more meaningful!
What Can You Talk About With Your Friends?
Talking to friends usually comes naturally. If we have been close to someone for a while, the conversation will usually just flow. As we grow deeper in friendship with a person however, we could consider helping them more in their spiritual life. Perhaps chatting to them about topics such as bringing up their children in the faith or their children’s schooling etc. Try to make every meeting with someone fruitful.
Where Could You Meet New Mums?
If you haven’t met any new mums recently, you could begin with your neighbour next door! I have also met very lovely mums down at the local park and through my mother’s group. Always be on the look out to make new friends with other mums. Just by stopping to chat to someone in the shopping center or car park may be the beginning of a lovely friendship.
If you are looking to connect with other mums, check out our ‘Mums and Bubs’ Page or ‘The Village’ page to learn more about how you can keep that community spirit with one another.
Originally posted 2015-04-09 12:00:10.