Tag: baby

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Math and Taking Care of a Baby

baby

Have a young person who loves children but who doesn’t see the point of math? Try walking them through some ways you use it when taking care of a baby!

  • How Many Supplies to Get: How many diapers do you need a week if baby uses 5 a day (5 x 7 = 35)? How many jars of baby food if baby uses 2 a day (2 x 7 = 14)? Multiplication comes in handy when figuring out your shopping list.
  • Costs: How much per diaper is diapers in bulk versus those in a smaller package (divide package cost by diapers in package)? If a baby dose is 2 mL, how many doses are in a 10 mL bottle (10 divided by 2 = 5)? Division aids in analyzing costs, as does comparing numbers (you’ll need to compare your results to see which is truly less expensive).
  • Timing: When does baby need his next bottle if he eats every 3 hours and last had one at 9 am? How long of a nap did he get if he went down at 1:30 and woke at 2:45? Mommies and daddies have to do lots of mental time calculations as they care for baby.
  • What Eaten: How many ounces of food is baby getting? Add up each amount they’ve had to find the total.

If you sit back and think hard enough, you might be surprised how much math you use in a day–even when carrying for little ones. Math applies outside of a textbook like this because God governs creation in a consistent fashion, and He gave us the ability to have dominion over it (Genesis 1:28). Whether that be in a science lab or changing diapers, math helps us with the tasks He’s given us to do.

I’m super excited about my new high school Consumer Math course, as it will help students see how they can use basic math in tons of different settings they’ll encounter as adults–and how to do so with the heart of one stewarding God’s resources, not pursuing money itself. We’re making the finishing touches on it now, so keep an eye for its release soon! (And keep the whole team in prayer as we complete it.)

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Story: What’s Important?

Story: What's Important?

“What happened here?” Sarah exclaimed in dismay as she surveyed her bedroom. It looked like all of her things had been pulled out and gone through. In the middle of it all sat her little one-year-old daughter, playing contentedly with what she obviously considered the greatest treasure of all: a worthless cardboard jewelry box. Kaitlyn held the box up to her Mommy with a great big baby grin, confident she’d found a treasure her mother would love.

Sarah forced a smile. Her little girl had so much to learn about treasures! Kaitlyn had unceremoniously thrown away or strewn across the room as worthless all Sarah’s important jewelry, keepsakes, letters, and other valuables. On the other hand, Kaitlyn was treating all the unimportant things—such as a roll of toilet paper and the all-enthralling cardboard jewelry box—as great treasures.

“Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.” Proverbs 3:13-15

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:45-46

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Story: Worry or Rest?

Story: Worry or Rest?Wash the dishes, take out the trash, finish an email—Amanda had more to do in life than there were hours left to do them. She tried to fall asleep, but sleep just wouldn’t come.

Her financial situation also weighed heavily on her mind. She had lost her job, and money was tight. The load of it all threatened to crush her.

Amanda got up and tiptoed to the edge of the nursery where her baby brother slept sweetly. Baby Jeremy didn’t feel any of the pressure she did. He didn’t know what tomorrow held—he just knew his parents would take care of him.

Amanda laughed as she tried to picture how worried Baby Jeremy would be if he knew all that he needed tomorrow. He needed so many things he couldn’t possibly get for himself—after all, he was just a baby, and babies can’t dress themselves or fix their own breakfast. But if he knew all he needed the next day and felt the impossibility of getting it, would he say what she’d been saying—that there was no way? Would he stay up late fretting too?

How silly that would be! Baby Jeremy had parents who loving took care of all his needs. He didn’t need to understand how his needs would all be met—it was enough to know his parents would take care of him.

Amanda stopped short in her train of thought. Didn’t she have a Heavenly Father caring for her too? A smile suddenly illuminated her face, and a weight fell from her shoulders. She could curl up and rest, even without answers, just like Baby Jeremy, confident that her Heavenly Father had it all under control.

“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Matthew 6:30-34