04.04.T03-AP — Action Planning Worksheet: Adding Greater Value to the Children Under My Influence

Turning Parenting Principles into Lasting Impact

This chapter teaches that adding value to a child's life is an intentional process. It involves introducing children to God, instilling Godly standards, clarifying those standards, monitoring progress, disciplining wisely, modelling expected behaviour, investing quality time, remaining consistent and praying purposefully.

Use this worksheet to identify the standards you want to strengthen in the children under your influence and develop a practical plan for doing so.

Part A: Taking Stock

1. Which lesson from this chapter challenged you most strongly?

☐ Introducing children to God

☐ Instilling standards early

☐ Teaching self-reliance

☐ Clarifying standards

☐ Monitoring progress

☐ Discipline and accountability

☐ Making adjustments

☐ Modelling expected behaviour

☐ Investing quality time

☐ Consistency

☐ Praying for children

☐ Other:

2. Why did this lesson challenge you?

3. What does this reveal about your current parenting or mentoring approach?

Part B: Identifying the Standards That Matter Most

The chapter encourages mothers to intentionally identify the standards they wish to instill in their children.

4. Which three standards would you most like to strengthen in the children under your influence?

Standard 1

Standard 2

Standard 3

5. Why did you choose these standards?

6. Which of these standards is currently weakest?

Part C: Introducing God More Intentionally

The chapter emphasises introducing children to God from an early age.

7. What practical step can you take to strengthen a child's relationship with God?

☐ Family altar

☐ Bible reading

☐ Prayer time

☐ Scripture memorisation

☐ Christian devotionals

☐ Church involvement

☐ Other:

8. What will you begin doing differently during the next month?

9. How will you know whether progress is being made?

Part D: Building Self-Reliance

The chapter highlights self-reliance as one of the key standards taught to the author's children.

10. In which area does your child need greater independence?

☐ Personal study

☐ Time management

☐ Household responsibilities

☐ Decision-making

☐ Spiritual growth

☐ Problem solving

☐ Other:

11. What responsibility can you gradually transfer to the child?

12. What support will you provide during that transition?

Part E: Clarifying Standards

The chapter stresses helping children understand the standards being taught.

13. Which standard do your children seem to understand least clearly?

14. How will you explain its meaning and importance more effectively?

15. What practical examples can you use?

Part F: Monitoring Progress

The chapter uses the timetable and alarm-clock example to demonstrate monitoring.

16. What feedback mechanism will you use to monitor progress?

☐ School reports

☐ Behaviour observations

☐ Family discussions

☐ Chore completion

☐ Personal goals

☐ Other:

17. How often will you review progress?

☐ Daily

☐ Weekly

☐ Monthly

☐ School termly

18. What signs will tell you that improvement is taking place?

Part G: Improving Discipline and Accountability

19. Which recurring behaviour currently concerns you most?

20. What may be causing that behaviour?

21. What corrective approach will you use?

22. How will you encourage the child to take responsibility for his or her actions?

Part H: Making Necessary Adjustments

The chapter highlights the importance of adjusting approaches when something is not working.

23. Which parenting strategy appears ineffective at the moment?

24. What adjustment might improve the situation?

25. When will you implement that adjustment?

Part I: Modelling the Standards

The chapter repeatedly emphasises that parents must model the standards they expect.

26. Which standard do you most need to model more consistently?

☐ Honesty

☐ Reliability

☐ Respect

☐ Faith

☐ Discipline

☐ Time management

☐ Accountability

☐ Self-control

☐ Other:

27. What specific behaviour will demonstrate this standard to your child?

28. What change must you make personally?

Part J: Investing Quality Time

The chapter highlights intentional family time and meaningful interaction.

29. How much quality time do you currently spend with your child each week?

30. What activity would help strengthen your relationship?

31. When will you schedule this time?

Part K: Strengthening Consistency

32. Which standard have you been inconsistent in reinforcing?

33. What causes that inconsistency?

34. What practical step will help you become more consistent?

Part L: Praying for My Children

The chapter concludes by emphasising intentional and specific prayer.

35. What are your three greatest prayer concerns for your child?

Concern 1

Concern 2

Concern 3

36. What scriptures will you use when praying about these concerns?

37. What do you believe God wants to accomplish in your child's life?

My Child Development Plan

Priority Area 1

Standard to strengthen:

Action I will take:

How I will monitor progress:

Target review date:

Priority Area 2

Standard to strengthen:

Action I will take:

How I will monitor progress:

Target review date:

Priority Area 3

Standard to strengthen:

Action I will take:

How I will monitor progress:

Target review date:

My Commitment

38. Which lesson from this chapter has the greatest potential to transform a child's future?

39. What is the first action you will take within the next seven days?

40. Complete the statement below.

I will add greater value to the children under my influence by:

Looking Ahead

41. If you consistently apply the principles from this chapter, what would you like to see in your child five years from now?

42. Which of the author's examples do you most hope will be reflected in the lives of your children one day?