Dear Parents,

We are thrilled to welcome you and your child to Hope Academy for the upcoming school year. Our mission is to provide a quality education for children of all backgrounds that inspires: Academic Growth, Self Discipline, and Personal Transformation, within a Supportive Environment in the Name of Jesus Christ.

As we begin our new school year together, I want to share some borrowed insights that I believe can help strengthen your relationship with your child and contribute to their overall development. The following "fights" or struggles, worth having, are from an interview with David Morris by Anthony Bradley.

The 8 "Fights" Worth Having with Your Children: Insights from David Morris 1. The Reading Fight – Make Your Kids Read Fostering a love for reading is crucial for cognitive and emotional development. Make reading a regular activity in your home to help your children build knowledge, empathy, and critical thinking skills. An excellent site for ideas of what books to read: Book Reviews | Reformed Perspective. I also know that today we all watch much more than we read and I highly recommend, Home - Plugged In as a way to keep informed about what new shows, movies, and books are suitable for children.

2. The Outside Fight – Make your Kids Play Outdoors In an age dominated by screens, it's essential to make your kids spend time outside. The natural world offers countless lessons and benefits, from physical health to mental well-being.

3. The Work Fight – Assign Chores at Home Giving your kids age-appropriate chores teaches responsibility and work ethic. Chores are a practical way to instill life skills and a sense of contribution within the family. For excellent suggestions and appropriate chores for young children see Age-Appropriate Chores For Kids - Focus on the Family.

4. The Meal Fight – Eat Together as a Family Family meals are more than just about eating; they’re about connecting. Regular family dinners have been linked to lower risk of depression and decreased substance abuse among children. It also gives an excellent occasion to pray and read scripture together as a family.

5. The Boredom Fight – Allow for Boredom In a world full of constant stimulation, letting your kids experience boredom is important. It encourages creativity and problem-solving. Make part of each week, tech free. Challenge yourself as well to make one day of the week tech free. An excellent book is, The Tech-Wise Family and you can find more here: Tech-Wise - Barna Group

6. The ‘Me First’ Fight – Teach Them to Go Last It’s valuable for children to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around them. Making them go last helps them to practically put others' needs first.

7. The Awkward Conversation Fight – Embrace Uncomfortable Talks As your children grow, the conversations you have with them will become more challenging. Encourage open dialogue early in their life as awkward conversations become more difficult the longer you delay.

8. The Limitation Fight – Help Them Understand Limits Teaching your kids to live within limits helps them develop self-control and resilience. Setting boundaries is a crucial life skill that prepares them for personal and professional challenges.

These “fights” are not just about setting rules; they’re about fostering essential life skills and values. I hope to expand on each of these "fights," over the school year. I believe that engaging in these "fights" with your child is about setting a foundation for academic growth, self discipline, that results in personal transformation.