Our weekly challenges are designed to encourage and give you tips and ideas for daily help in your Christian parenting walk. We share them daily on social media, but here’s the weekly recap.
Monday: There have been a lot of things happening in our world over the last few months that are confusing and scary to kids who are more sensitive. Other kids may barely have noticed anything was different. This isn’t new. Every parent has horrible things that happen in the world they must explain to their kids. Those children most emotionally impacted by current events will often ask their questions…big, difficult questions. Before answering, pray a breath prayer. Ask God to give you the words He wants you to say to your child. Speak intentionally. Filter what you say through scripture, not human opinions. What you say will impact how your kids see the world and interact with it for years to come. Speak, but pray and say what God wants you to say.
Tuesday: Succulents don’t take a lot of attention to thrive. Your kids aren’t succulents. They don’t need to be treated like they are the center of the universe, but they do need a lot of time, attention and teaching. Think of yourself as a Christian life coach for your kids, preparing them for the Olympics of life. Train them to be who God created them to be…mighty men and women of God. It will take a lot of time and effort, but the results are worth it.
Wednesday: Your kids may not have the vocabulary yet to adequately express their thoughts or feelings. Or they may not be able to organize their thoughts well, so what they are trying to say may seem very disconnected and jumbled at first. The key is patience. Repeat back what you think they are trying to say in your own words. Keep trying until they feel understood. If your kids think you don’t understand what they are saying, they’ll eventually stop trying to tell you what they are thinking and feeling. It will be almost impossible for you to get to see their hearts. Or they won’t tell you anything until they get so frustrated it finally comes out as yelling. Taking a few extra minutes in every conversation will help build strong, healthy communication patterns between you and your child.
Thursday: Even if you are raising identical twins, they are different. They will need different things from your parenting. All kids need things like love and attention, but siblings may even need those things expressed differently. Differentiating your parenting takes more work, but the results are much better when you give each child what he or she needs.
Friday: The Bible tells us God does not allow us to be tempted without providing a way to escape. Unfortunately, your kids may never be taught to look for an escape route or what they might look like. Teach your kids escape routes for common temptations for their age group. Help them practice scenarios using them. Then when they are tempted, they will be better prepared to escape and avoid sinning.