Now that four of Gil and Kelly Bates' 19 children are married and three have children of their own, it's time to discuss parenting.
Do you have any parenting advice to share with Zach & Whitney Bates, Michaela & Brandon Keilen, Erin & Chad Paine, Alyssa & John Webster, and other young couples who either have children or are hoping to start a family soon?
Photos courtesy of the Bates family
Do you have any parenting advice to share with Zach & Whitney Bates, Michaela & Brandon Keilen, Erin & Chad Paine, Alyssa & John Webster, and other young couples who either have children or are hoping to start a family soon?
Zach, Whitney, and Bradley Bates
Erin, Chad, and Carson Paine
Alyssa, John, and Allie Jane Webster
Michaela and Brandon Keilen
All of the Bates sisters are beautiful, but Erin takes the cake. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteAnd she is the only one pictured above right after having the baby, and she's still beautiful!
DeleteAgreed!!! :) You can tell that she has beauty both inside and out!!
DeleteErin shines from within for sure! They are all beautiful but she has that special sparkle!
DeleteI just love this family ! I love all the children ! This is such a remarkable Christian family with real Christian values. Oh, The married children are so precious. Thanks for the photos !
ReplyDeleteRead "The Child Whisperer". It's the best parenting book and one of the best books you'll ever read. http://www.amazon.com/Whisperer-Ultimate-Handbook-Successful-Cooperative/dp/0984402136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441157358&sr=8-1&keywords=the+child+whisperer&pebp=1441157359074&perid=0VWK0RVWTH3862TB85Y6
ReplyDeletePut God first and love each other. Your parents did great, so will you!
ReplyDeleteWho do u think is gonna have a baby next? I say Zach and Whit. Does anybody have an idea for a name?
ReplyDeleteI think Michaela will.
DeleteWhat do u think if she did she would name the baby?
DeleteMake sure that your children know that they are the THIRD most important thing in your life: God first, spouse second, then the children. They will then have a good, firm base to stand on as they mature.
ReplyDeleteDon't be afraid to be (appropriately) affectionate with each other in front of the kids. It may gross them out, but it adds to the stability. :)
Don't be afraid to have conflict in front of your children. If they never see you disagree, compromise, and continue to love each other, forgive each other, and work together toward a common goal, how will they know how to treat a spouse of their own? And obviously, no matter how angry you might be with your spouse, never make the child judge who is right. They can't make those choices.
Your words of wisdom have a lot of weight:) Thank you for sharing!
DeleteI want to high five you for this. Perfect.
DeleteAlways ask God to guide you,and to give you strength with more love.:) :) :)
ReplyDeleteRev. Andrew Murray's book, Raising Your Child to Love God, is perhaps the greatest parenting book of all time. It really goes deep - explaining biblical principles of parenting - and encourages your faith and helps you with your calling as a parent. Murray had 8 children, none of which rebelled and all of whom became either a missionary, pastor/pastor's wife, or a ministry-minded businessperson. He believed that each generation of Christian family members ought to grow stronger as they follow the example of their elders , see the evidence of answered prayers, and are a witness to how God has come through in the tough times.I highly recommend it for all of your readers.
ReplyDeleteJust love one another as you were loved by your parents and God . Keep God first and remember to pray with each other and He will help you in whatever you do .
ReplyDeleteCommunication that doesn't leave one guessing.
ReplyDeleteParents, especially pregnant and first time moms, get way too much unsolicited advice, I say give encouragement not advice, tell them they are going to be great and trust that their parents have taught them a thing or two!
ReplyDeleteEat together as a family. Even when the children are young, they will see dinner time as a special time with both parents. Remember to keep the Lord first and pray together at meals and as a family. Good Luck!
ReplyDeletePut God first in everything. Honor biblical roles.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I would encourage them to seek privacy for their families. As much as I love watching them, if I were in their shoes, I would seek privacy for my new family. No tv shows or social media accounts and stay out of the lime light.
If you are open to God with heart, soul, and mind, God's love will fill you with such abundance it will pour over onto your children. They will readily, at all ages, know the great love God and you have for them. Look to your family, parents and grandparents for the practical applications of parenting. Ask questions. No parenting question is too silly.
ReplyDeleteTreat them as individuals and respect them enough to let them meet/experience other people and environments (male or female). Just as the Bates family has. They listen to their children and don't treat them props. The Bates are super parents.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a parent, but I would like to share some of my feelings about children and families that I've gleaned throughout my life.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, keep your marriage a priority because tension in marriage can effect children far more than some people think. My parents acted like newlyweds all throughout my childhood. I can honestly say that I never once wondered if my parents marriage would survive. We didn't have much growing up (dirt poor is probably a more accurate description) and a lot of times my parents had to live on nothing but love. For them, love was enough.
Second, be aware of where your children are at all times. Especially young children. Terrible things can happen in public places if you lose sight of your children for even a second. I read about a woman who "accidentally" left her newborn child in a shopping cart at a Walmart and left the store, not realizing she didn't have her baby with her until 40 minutes later. That's insane and I really hope child services will look into this incident to determine if her children are really safe with her.
Third, be honest with your children about difficult subjects. Not just drugs and alcohol, but also sex and abuse. So many people sweep child sexual abuse under the rug and pretend it doesn't exist. Or they teach their children about stranger danger without realizing that sometimes the danger is in people we know and have taught children to trust. Children need to understand the difference between safe/unsafe touch and they need to understand that they have a safe place to go if something does happen.
Fourth, love your children because they are a blessing. Teach them to know and love God and, if they have siblings, to love each other. I was unfortunate not to have known God as a child and now, at 32 years old, I'm struggling to get to know him. I wish I'd had God in my life much earlier because I really could have used His help.
Your post is very inspiring. Thank you for your very kind and wonderful information. You are so right about everything
DeleteThank you, Christa! :)
DeleteAlyssa is very cute❤️ I love the way she does her hair.......
ReplyDelete