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We Choose Virtures

Affiliate links included. I became an affiliate for We Choose Virtues because I am totally in love with it.

I read an article once about nagging your kids. It was kind of a scientific thing and I can’t remember all of it, but basically it was about how when we are yelling and nagging at our kids for the 50 millionth time in a row, all they hear is the actual nagging, “Pick up your toys! Turn off the light! Do the dishes!”

In actuality, I don’t care about the toys, the lights or the dishes. What I care about is my kids obeying. What I really want them to know is, “You are part of the family. Your help around the house is a gift to us. Learning to focus on cleaning now will help you focus as an adult later.”

So, instead of hounding them on the actual chore or activity, we need to be nagging encouraging them on the heart issue. I don’t always remember to do this, but when I do, I can see such a difference in my kids’ attitude and mine towards them.

The main reason I don’t focus on the heart issue is because I don’t really know how to word it. You can’t pull out a Bible and say, “The Bible says to do the dishes!”

You know what has helped me and given me the tools, the words and direction? The We Choose Virtues program. I’ve written a full review about it, when we first started it as our morning devotion on our homeschool days. Now that we’ve been through all 13 virtues (and started them over this week), I can see how it helps me as a parent.

For example, when the kids are dancing around the dishwasher and using spatulas as swords; instead of turning around and yelling, “DO THE DISHES!”. I can easily say, “I need you to be diligent with the dishes. What does that mean?” They’ll respond, “I start fast, work hard and finish strong.” To which I can respond, “Are you working hard?” And then they (usually) start working hard.

Isn’t that a better conversation? A better lesson?

I would not have been able to have this conversation (even though I’m fairly well-versed in the Bible and in the character qualities I want for my kids) without the definitions, declarations and devotions from We Choose Virtues (how ’bout that alliteration, eh?).

Our virtue this week is,  “I am Helpful: I find things that need to be done and I do them.” HELLO. Isn’t this the kind of kid you want? The kind of employee? spouse? parent?

I could go on and on about We Choose Virtues. It’s like they chose all the verses from the Bible you want to instill in your kids, then made easy to remember declarations for each one. It is one of my favorite weapons in my arsenal. (Maybe tools in my toolbox would be a better description?)

 

We Choose Virtues Family Pack

This isn’t a homeschool/school virtues thing. They have an awesome Family Kit which includes:

Parenting Cards (which have the virtue definitions and the devotions/activities)
Flash Cards (smaller cards with the definitions–perfect for putting on the dinner table or on the fridge)
Virtue Poster (includes all the virtues and definitions–we have ours taped inside our pantry door for easy reference!)
Three Rules Poster (the three rules are 1)obey 2)be kind 3)be a helper. how awesome is that?!)
+ free downloads like coloring sheets, awards and a teacher’s guide.

If you’re a homeschooling family, there’s a homeschool kit that includes some extras. And if you just want the bare minimum, all you need is the Parenting Cards. 

We Choose Virtues

You will love using We Choose Virtues around your kitchen table or in your schoolroom!

ohamanda.com


Comments

  1. Wow! What a great give away!

    Choose one?! Ugh…I’d have to start with “self-control”….and when I say “I”…I mean, I need it as much as they do 😉

  2. Gentle! My little boys are just at that stage where hitting and bashing is part of daily life. I could use a dose of gentleness as well, of course:)

  4. Oh, this would be SOOOOOOO wonderful to win!!! It’s tough to choose, but I would say either Content or Self-Controlled 🙂

  5. Everyone one of these virtues are what I want to teach my 5yr old son! This is exactly what I need. Thanks for sharing. I’m tired of yelling, nagging, etc… and it doesnt work. :-/ God is so good & always on time!

  8. Wow! What a great product! Would love to win them—for all of my children’s benefit. If I could pick one virtue, it would be self control. (for me, too) For the tongue, the attitude, etc. Thanks for sharing!

  11. I just found your blog this week and I love it! I would say self control… if I have to choose just one!

  13. I have never heard of these, thank you so much for sharing! My daughters need to work on obedience, while my son needs to work on self-control. Such a great tool and reminder for kids and adults both!

  15. There are so many great virtues, several of which the children are struggling with, but if I had to choose one, I suppose contentment. I want them to be content in all things, even in the tough, but they are awfully blessed.

  16. I was going to say diligence, but I think perseverance is really the virtue we all need to focus on. I homeschool my 7 kids aged 5-15 and it gets a bit hectic. If I knew they were sound on these virtues, I would know that everything else will fall in line! 🙂

  18. This is so awesome! I student taught at a school that was character-based and they had character traits like this that they emphasized daily with the students. It was so neat to hear 1st graders encouraging & praising each other to be “diligent” and “respectful”. In our house, patience is a much-needed virtue (for me as much as my sweet girls!).

  19. I would have to say obedience would be first. Bit of an issue here at the moment! And then gentleness, and then…

    Well, our whole family (Mummy and Daddy, too) could do with a refresher course. It would be great to do this all together.

  21. We could really use some help with perseverance in my house. I would love the opportunity to use this program with my kids!!

  22. This looks like a great program. My boys are working on diligence in completing chores and school work. It’s something I am working on too!

  23. O gracious, I guess the top two (I can’t pick just one) would be obedience and attentiveness… Because the two really seem to go together in my mind. Can’t obey me if you haven’t been paying attention to what I’ve said! LOL Yes, this curriculum would be SO helpful in our house! Thanks for the giveaway! 😀

  24. I just found your website yesterday and absolutely love it! What a great resource and blessing you are to be so transparent with your life as you purposefully raise your children. I guess I’d choose patience right now since I need to work on it just as much as my precious little toddler!

  28. Hey Amanda, love your work!
    Just wanted to ask do you think it would be suitable for mine at 8.5 yrs and 6.5 yrs?
    Thanks Megan

  29. Thanks fo the review. I like how it equips parents with the vocab and accessible examples in teaching virtues. I have three little ones and self control would be the main one for our family.

  31. Obedience!! My children are obedient, but usually only after I repeat myself 50 million times. I get very frustrated and it’s just not a good situation overall! Thanks for posting this. It’s very important to shape those hearts early.

  33. Obedience: right away, all the way and with a happy spirit. They all know the definition but it’s not quite making it to the physical part. Very frustrating!!!

  34. This is what I have been looking for. I know the NEED to get into the bible with my kids everyday, but being a working mom makes it difficult to find the time to create the lessons myself. These cards would be a wonderful gift!

    • I got so excited I didn’t read the part of the virtue! Self Control and Diligence are needed in my house (along with the others!) 🙂

  35. I love, love, love this! The most needed in our home right now is obedient. We are working on following through with the expectation of first time obedience with our girls. thanks for this giveaway!

  36. What a wonderful giveaway! The virtue I’d like to strengthen in my children is obedience. Not only to obey my voice “the first time, every time”, but more importantly that they learn to obey God’s voice the first time every time!

  40. I feel being content is sooo important, especially in a world that is so competitive, selfish, wanting.

  42. Kindness and self control would be great places to start! With 5 boys sometimes fighting happens. 😉

  43. Love this!
    One of my children could most benefit from more self-control focus, and the other with diligence.
    What sweet encouragement…thanks so much for sharing this!

  44. I’d like to focus on “selfless” at this point with my kiddos. I think that is the root of a lot of our arguments lately. This looks like a great resource!

  47. Choosing one…hmm…like others obedience comes to mind but that’s probably more for me than for my 5 year old wild thing boy. Self controlled, since he also tends to be quite impulsive, a little high strung, and maybe a bit hot headed at times!

  48. My son is 2 1/2 and we have another one coming in March. I would say obedience would be number one, but for selfish reasons…..thinking things will be easier for me if I could get him to do what I ask the first time since I won’t be able to be as hands on when guiding him once the baby comes.

  49. I don’t think I can pick just one virtue! We need to work on a few like self-control, kind, gentle, obedient.

  50. For my two-year-old it would definitely be “self-control”, and for my four-year-old “helpful”.

Hi there!


I like to think of fun ways to lead my kids to Jesus and I like to share them with you. If you're new here, start here for some fun family-time ideas!

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