I’m not getting any sleep. I love my baby, but I’m so tired.
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1 Corinthians 13
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Screen time—what’s too much?
$929. That’s how much the average family is going to be spending on Christmas presents this year.1 Much of that money is going to be spent on mobile devices like tablets, iPhones, and more. You might be a parent buying one of these things. Have you figured out how long you’re going to let your child be on these devices? Let’s face it—it can be addicting. Be ready. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, here’s how long your child should spend on a mobile device.2 18 months and under: no time, unless it’s video chatting. 18-24 months: limited use with you. 2-5 years: an hour a day. And 6 and older: two hours a day. Make sure you have media-free zones, too, like dinner and bedtime. And lead by example.
I hate the snow! Why can’t we live in Hawaii?
If you live in areas where this time of year is uncomfortable for the cold-blooded, you’ve probably heard something similar from your kids. Here are some suggestions. First, tell them the cold is God’s creation, too. Point out that the snow is actually a picture of salvation. Before it snows, the ground is brown and ugly. But the covering of snow makes everything beautiful, just like Jesus’ blood does for us when He saves us. Then remind them of how good it feels on that first warm day of spring. It wouldn’t be so memorable if it wasn’t for the cold. And, it could always be worse. Yakutsk, Russia—average high temperature in January? -37 degrees. Brr!
My daughter can be so frustrating. Teenagers!
It’s 7:30, and you’re getting ready to leave for work. You have a tight schedule, and any delay is going to make you late for that important meeting. Your 17-year-old daughter is still in bed. Do you wake her up and make sure she gets to school, or do you let her sleep and suffer the consequences? That’s a fine line, isn’t it? Here’s my two cents. If your teen’s in the habit of not being responsible, let her sleep and pay the price. But, if she’s a first-time offender, wake her up. I’m reminded of Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (NIV). It’s easier to train them with a loving tone than an angry one.
Tempers—"Oh, no, it broke."
While Christmas brings a lot of joy, it can also bring a lot of frustration—especially when there’s that one thing all the kids fight over. Maybe it’s to put that special ornament on the Christmas tree. One Mom wrote to me saying a special Christmas ornament was broken because one of their kids got angry at a brother, threw a pillow, hit the Christmas tree—and it broke. If it’s an heirloom, that can ruin your festive spirit not just this year, but in the years to come. Remember though, it’s not something you can take with you. Use it to teach your kids that our actions have consequences. Sin has consequences. As believers, yes, it’s already been forgiven—but God can use our sin to draw us closer to Him.
Our kids are being lied to. What are you going to do?
You’ve heard the lies. “You were born that way.” “You can pick what gender you are.” “A lie really isn’t a lie.” “There’s more than one way to get to heaven.” “There’s a heaven? There’s a god?” “We’re all gods.” How can our kids find the truth? Only in God’s Word. How are they going to find the truth if they’re not reading or listening to it? Our Keys for Kids devotional will not only help the kids in your life read meaningful stories but will force them to read their Bible. That’s the only way to help our kids navigate our negative, anti-God culture.
Keeping Christ in Christmas
In a culture where Christians are marginalized and mocked for believing in the miracle of salvation through Christ alone, it’s sometimes difficult to remember to keep our families focused on Jesus at Christmas time. How do you do it? I’d love to hear your ideas. Share them at ParentMinute.org. For the Yoder clan, it starts at the Christmas tree. The top of the tree is dedicated to focusing on the Christmas story. Angels told the world of Jesus’ birth. Manger scenes and characters of that first Christmas top our tree. A nail near the trunk of the tree reminds us Jesus came to die for our sins. Then, we read sections of the Christmas story each Sunday during Advent. Make it a tradition in your family. It’ll be something they’ll never forget.
Is Santa real—or not?
It’s what makes the Christmas season for a lot of people. There are Christians and non-Christians alike who talk about Santa Claus. Now, I’m NOT here to tell you whether it’s right or wrong to believe in Santa. Frankly, it’s up to you. But I will take a stand and say whatever your thoughts are on Santa, if you reject the Christ of Christmas, you really can’t celebrate Christmas. Many parents have been asking me emphatically to make sure that I stress Christ is the reason for the season. The question is, what are we doing to keep Christ alive in a culture that denies Christ? I saw a post the other day from an atheist that said, “Make Christmas great again—skip church.” Seriously? Without Christ, there is no Christmas.
My kids are asking a lot of questions about death.
“Hi Greg. This is Katelyn. Older kids on the playground told my 1st grader a kid was killed at their school, and he haunts the playground. And that’s why the swings move—not because of the wind. It’s ghosts. Suggestions?” Oh, no! Kids can be mean, can’t they? First, ask your 1st grader if it was windy. If they say yes, then they’ve already proven your point that ghosts aren’t running through the playground. I wouldn’t suggest saying there’s no such things as ghosts because then you’ll get: “Well, what about the Holy Ghost?”—like Katelyn’s kids did. Remind them kids can be mean—that’s sin and we should pray for them. Make sure you do and then encourage your kids to share Christ, the only answer to life after death.
My daughter is so nervous. I’m nervous for her!
That dreaded Christmas program. Your daughter has a major part. She agreed to do it, but with just days before the performance she does NOT want to do it. She’s scared to death, and you don’t blame her. Have you ever thought that maybe she’s scared because YOU are. Seriously, I’ve seen it happen. On the other hand there are some parents who want their very shy kids to have the leading roll to get them out of their comfort zones. Well that can be a disaster. While that may be something we may enjoy, our kids might not. Let them decide – encourage them. Help them. Where do I draw the line? School programs. Yes, they HAVE to do those group events.
My kids are asking for so much!
Can you blame them? They see ad after ad on their favorite TV shows, free online games on their mobile app, then friends are talking about what they have in their families. When our kids are friends with families where the kids run the home, it’s easy to learn selfishness and greed. But as parents we can make a difference. Yes, kids will complain about us placing limits on Christmas gifts and helping them understand their selfishness and greed, but suggest ways they could show selflessness and generosity. One year my middle daughter asked if she could forgo getting presents and use the money to buy gifts for the poor. We agreed – we did her gifts anyway. It brought us great joy see her pick gifts for someone in need.