I’ve noticed that as parents, it’s tempting to either want to brag about our kids, or complain about the difficult stuff.

But what if there was a different way to view our kids that didn’t involve us getting prideful and jealous, OR annoyed and demeaning?⁣

What if we viewed our children as holy individuals who we need to teach, and who we expect will make plenty of mistakes along the way as they learn?⁣

Of course, I’m not even close to the first person to suggest this. ⁣

The Lord reminded us in D&C 74:7:⁣

“Little children are holy”. ⁣

This certainly doesn’t meant that their actions are always holy. ⁣

But it does mean that they, their souls, who they really are, are holy. ⁣

They are literally protected from Satan’s influence. ⁣

Former Primary President, Joy D. Jones, once said:

“There is a uniquely special time in children’s lives when they are protected from Satan’s influence. ⁣

“It is a time when they are innocent and sin free. ⁣

“It is a sacred time for parent and child.”⁣

Now, this doesn’t mean that kids younger than 8 aren’t capable of doing something that they know is wrong. ⁣

I think any parent of a 3-year-old can tell you that. ⁣

But… they aren’t held accountable for them yet. ⁣

It flips the narrative on parenting just a bit, and I love what the repercussions are. ⁣

Yes, let’s share our kids’ amazing accomplishments and vent to a friend after a super frustrating day. ⁣

But let’s also help remind each other that our children are holy. ⁣

And we have a sacred responsibility to teach them in word and in deed. Setting positive examples and treating them with love. ⁣

These kids are holy, and they deserve our best.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Holy children  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

It’s a piece of parenting advice I’ve been leaning into recently.

I’ve proved it time and time again.

One of my kids kept doing something they shouldn’t do over and over, and any correction I was giving was clearly going in one ear and out the other.

“What you focus on, grows.”

I wanted to keep correcting, but I decided to ignore the behavior and instead start asking him questions about a fun play date he had recently.

He got so excited and started talking all about it.

I was able to build positive interactions and compliment him.

The bad behavior stopped, and it ended up being a fun little connection moment with him.

“What you focus on, grows.”

I’ve found it to be so true in my life, too.

When I keep complaining, my problems seem bigger and worse.

When I keep showing gratitude, my blessings seem bigger and better.

When I try to find more opportunities to serve, I serve more.

When I judge someone, I start finding more and more things to judge about them.

“Let God be magnified.” (Psalm 70:4)

I want God to become more and more magnified in my life.

I want to continue to focus on Him day after day.

I want to think of Him, speak of Him and love Him.

I want to make more space for Him in my mind and in my schedule.

Because what I focus on, grows.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post What you focus on grows first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

There are so many people with wisdom and education and training that have helped me to become a better mom by teaching through social media!

It’s awesome.

I used to look up to a lot of these “parenting influencers” with the idea that I agreed with everything they said.

If they suggested this way to deal with a tantrum, then yup I’m all on board. If they suggested we try this new twist on a chore chart, then yup we are doing it.

There’s been one issue with parenting that I’ve been looking for some more support with recently, and so I looked to what many of these parenting experts were saying.

Their advice seemed to all be pretty much the same for how to deal with my situation. But I heard that still small voice whisper:

“This is not what your kid needs.”

And I felt peace.

The gift of discernment is more important on social media now than ever before.

Advice and ideas are everywhere.

Good advice and ideas even! Many of these parenting accounts have brought blessings into my life for how I interact with my children.

But I don’t just “follow” blindly.

I’ve learned that I can take each new idea to the Lord. He’s the best parenting expert out there and He can point me the right way.

Life coaches, health experts, news commentators, finance coaches, psychologists, and yes, even religious accounts (the irony is not lost on me!) are everywhere.

“Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad”. (1 Kings 3:9)

Like Solomon, I’m learning I have to plead with God daily to be able to discern what is right and what is wrong.

For some things, I need to know what is right or wrong for my situation. (Like my parenting example! The Lord clearly told me it’s not what my kid needs, even though it works for others.)

But for other things, I’m having to literally decide whether it is truth OR truth twisted until it’s no longer pointing me toward God.

Understanding hearts, righteous judgments and discernments, we’ve gotta be asking for and claiming these privileges now more than ever!

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Wisdom on social media first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Either parents feel the pressure to subtly act like their kid is the best in every way.

Or parents feel the pressure to nag on their kids and hate on all the bad things they do.

(This is, of course, a huge overgeneralization, but I’ve noticed that these really are the two biggest trends: brag on them or complain about them)

But… what if there was a different way?

What if there was a different way to view our kids that didn’t involve us getting prideful and jealous, or annoyed and demeaning?

What if we viewed our children as holy individuals who we need to teach, and who we expect will make plenty of mistakes along the way as they learn?

Of course, I’m not even close to the first person to suggest this.

The Lord reminded us in D&C 74:7:

“Little children are holy”.

This certainly doesn’t meant that their actions are always holy.

But it does mean that they, their souls, who they really are, are holy.

They are literally protected from Satan’s influence.

Former Primary President, Joy D. Jones, gave a powerful talk in the most recent conference about little children, and this stood out to me when she said:

“There is a uniquely special time in children’s lives when they are protected from Satan’s influence.

“It is a time when they are innocent and sin free.

“It is a sacred time for parent and child.

“Children are to be taught, by word and example, before and after they have ‘arrived unto the years of accountability before God’.”

Now, this doesn’t mean that kids younger than 8 aren’t capable of doing something that they know is wrong.

I think any parent of a 3-year-old can tell you that!

But… they aren’t held accountable for them yet.

It flips the narrative on parenting just a bit, and I love what the repercussions are.

Yes, let’s share our kids’ amazing accomplishments and vent to a friend after a super frustrating day.

But let’s also help remind each other that our children are holy.

And we have a sacred responsibility to teach them in word and in deed. Setting positive examples and treating them with love.

These kids are holy, and they deserve our best.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Holy kids first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.