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motivation

Is Any Time a Good Time For a Good Scare?

Cartoon of a girl and a ghost

I’ve never been much of a horror movie fan. The term good scare sounds like an oxymoron to me. With all the news about pandemics and quarantines these days, I’m in even less of a mood for a good scare.

I’ve had to take some breaks from the news lately. Yet, I’ve also wanted to stay informed. It is possible to do both. Much of the news can be condensed to one half-hour segment. We don’t need to be immersed in all of the updates 24/7.

No time is a good time for a good scare. This isn’t a convenient time. But since we are in a crisis, there are some things you and I can do to balance the bad news.

  • Go on a media fast for the morning. Don’t start your day with the news, until you’ve had a chance to get your bearings for the morning.
  • Read some inspirational material before you begin your day. a paper version would be better since you won’t be distracted by news alerts.
  • Spend some time in prayer or meditation.
  • Text or call a friend and let them know how much you appreciate them.
  • Write a gratitude list.
  • If you’re working from home, get showered and dressed as if you were leaving for work.

There are many things we can’t control. But we can control how we start our day and what goes into our minds. Nix the scary stuff first thing in the morning.

Cartoon of a girl and a ghost

Categories
children's ministry cartoons K! Magazine Kidzmatter Magazine Magazine

The Things We Do For Kids

Injured man on a hover board says, "A hoverboard and a fractured ulna are a small price to pay for connecting with kids."
Published in "K! Kidzmatter Magazine"

Yes, I’ve been on a hoverboard before. But for some reason, I escaped unscathed. Still, it was enough of a harrowing experience to create a cartoon about it.

Parents and teachers do a lot of things to relate to kids. The other day, my sister sent a video of her dancing with her daughter. She was doing what she needed to do to keep her kindergartner entertained. There has been a lot of that activity going on while we have been cooped up in our houses and apartments for the last two weeks with a COVID-19 quarantine.

I’m willing to bet it will be worth it when you share the memories in a few years. It may seem things are dire at the moment, but kids will probably remember this time as a fun break that allowed them to connect with their parents in a way they never would have been able to do otherwise.

So embrace today and find another new way to connect with your son or daughter. Just be careful of those hoverboards. You don’t need a broken ulna right now!

Injured man on a hover board says, "A hoverboard and a fractured ulna are a small price to pay for connecting with kids."
Published in “K! Kidzmatter Magazine”
Categories
motivation

How Do You Endure in a Pandemic?

Cartoon of a girl scolding a kitten. She says, "Come down from there! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Many of us are getting stir crazy these days. And it looks like we have another month of self-sequestering.

Even the pets are feeling it. Some may be like the cat in this cartoon. They may need to run up a tree and cause some commotion. I saw a video the other day of a cat that was very upset she had to share the house with her owners. Let’s face it. Cats are the kings and queens of social distancing!

Staying inside and hunkering down is the right thing to do as we attempt to stem this pandemic. But there are some proper ways to take risks and keep your edge as we wait this out.

  • Use the Internet to learn a new skill. What is it that you have been meaning to learn but never got round to?
  • You can take e-courses. Some are free including Yale’s Happiness Course.
  • Reach out to an old friend through the phone or social media.
  • Use social media to spread a message of encouragement. 
  • Read a book about something you always wanted to know. You don’t have one handy?
    • Your library probably has ebooks to check out.
    • You can read free ebooks at Project Gutenberg

Find something useful to do. It’s possible. But I also understand if you’re feeling like climbing up the walls, or even an occasional tree!

Cartoon of a girl scolding a kitten. She says, "Come down from there! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Categories
children's ministry cartoons K! Magazine Kidzmatter Magazine Magazine teaching

The Magic of Flannelgraphs

Cartoon of a teacher and a boy attached to a wall. The boy says, "You're right, Mrs. Slocum. Flannel graphs are fun when you are part of the story."
Published in "K! Kidzmatter Magazine."

One of the challenges of being away from children’s ministry for several weeks is missing the quirky things like flannelgraphs. This cartoon reminds me of the many Bible stories I heard as a child and the little paper illustrations that the teacher would place on the board as she told the story. As a visual person, those flannelgraph illustrations probably had as much of an impression on me as the story itself.

I remember wanting to be part of the story. So this cartoon was a natural one for me to come up with. Like the boy on the flannelgraph wall, I would have loved to be in the middle of Jesus, the disciples, a loaf of bread and a fish.

To all the parents and teachers that are trying to keep the kids entertained and educated, It may be the simple things like a flannelgraph that will keep a kid’s attention over the latest, wifi-powered technology.

Cartoon of a teacher and a boy attached to a wall. The boy says, "You're right, Mrs. Slocum. Flannel graphs are fun when you are part of the story."
Published in “K! Kidzmatter Magazine.”
Categories
children cartoons relationship cartoons technology cartoons

Do You Make the Best Use of Technology?

cartoon of girl and a boy with a web cam

The boy in this cartoon found a solution to his problem. He knows that if there is any chance he will have a social life in the future, he needs to show evidence he can talk to individuals of the opposite gender. When I drew this, the only thing that came to mind about “social distancing,” would have been the plight of poor, nerdy boys.

Technology can help us if we are smart about it.

  • It can help us keep connected as we continue to practice social distancing
  • It can help us get work done at home
  • It can keep kids going to school even as the schools are closed

But technology can also cause problems.

  • It can distract us from work or school
  • It can fill us with anxiety when we hear the same doomsday scenario over and over
  • It can keep us from disconnecting and make us feel like we have to be always on

How have you used technology wisely? What are some tips for those who may struggle with using it wisely?

cartoon of girl and a boy with a web cam