Modeling Neighborly Hospitality for Your Children
Six years ago when we purchased our home we realized we were moving into an “older” neighborhood. We were the youngest couple by a landslide!
Throughout the years, homes have been put up for sale and more families have been moving in. It has long been my prayer that children would fill up the neighborhood, and not just any children but children who were close to my own kids ages.
I grew up in a neighborhood with lots of friends and I have such vivid memories of summer days playing outside all day long or pool parties in one of our neighbor’s backyards. Or we would play hide and seek in everyone’s front yards and the grown ups would sit in lawn chairs in a central driveway. We had so much fun those many summers ago and it made my heart sad my own children might not have similar experiences.
Last summer the house next door to us and the house across the street both went on the market. I prayed young families might move in. God heard my prayers because two young families, both with young children around the same age as my own kids, did in fact move in!
It’s been a long, cold winter keeping everyone indoors, but now the weather is warming up and summer is here. It’s time to get outside and encourage my children to make friends with our neighbors. Although it has occurred to me that while I would love for my kids to get to know the neighborhood children and possibly develop friendships, it has to start with the parents first.
Our kids need to see us model neighborly hospitality first.
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