I think my kids would die without their cell phones.
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1 Timothy 4:12
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Hebrews 13:7
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What are you doing this Memorial Day?
It’s an extended weekend in the United States. Who doesn’t look forward to that every year? The unofficial start of summer, especially for those of us who live in the north. But it’s actually a time to honor fallen soldiers—those who Abraham Lincoln said, “gave the last full measure of devotion.” I hope you will do that by attending a local parade. After all, someone’s son or daughter gave their life so we could be free. But I hope you and your kids will also remember fallen soldiers of the faith—those who “gave the last full measure of devotion” to God. They died so the Gospel could be shared. Many of the apostles were killed. Many Christians face death today. Use Memorial Day to pray.
My kids don’t stand for anything.
That’s a HUGE concern. We all want our kids to be solid believers. But how can we expect them to know everything we know when they’re so young? Well, we can’t. But we can lay the groundwork for it. The first thing is read God’s Word to our kids. And make sure you talk about it. When you see issues on TV or your kids tell you about faith-compromising stories from school, point them to God’s Word to answer those issues. Even more importantly, DON’T PREACH. This is an area where I failed. Don’t dictate—ask questions like: “What does the Bible say about that? Who’s saying it? What’s our response to that?” If they’re answering your questions, they’re more apt to firmly believe it.
How do I teach my kids to be responsible at school?
That’s a GREAT question. Our kids are so different. Some kids come out of the womb responsible. Others need a little training. Others have to have their hands held all through school. Here’s what we did. We held their hand as they entered school. Helped them establish good study habits. Then, we made ourselves available to help, ask questions, and let them kind of find their own way. Then, at parent-teacher conferences, we determined whether or not to give them a longer leash or continue guiding them closely. Most of my kids responded really well to this. It worked for us. My oldest daughter became an honor student and graduated with honors from Clemson University. Yep, I’m a proud dad.
The phone will keep them quiet
It's easy to let your phone or tablet babysit your kids for you, but everything they see shapes their mind. What can you do to point them to God?
What went wrong? They used to love Jesus
How do I show God's love to my kids who have walked away from God?
Raising kids is so hard
How do I help my child who is experiencing gender confusion?
How do I avoid identity confusion?
How do I help my kids understand who God made them to be?
My baby's too young for devos
How can I start teaching my baby about God?
My kids keep coming back—what do I do?
The last thing we would ever want to see is our kids homeless. We’ve allowed our kids to return home for a season to get back on their feet. When is it too long? In my opinion, when our kids act entitled, take advantage of our hospitality, or become lazy and stop looking for work and fail to get adequately employed. The fact that we’ve taken our kids back proves that we love them. Before we do it, make sure there are ground rules. Things like: clean up after yourself; buy your own groceries (or at least help); if you have conflicting values, have firm rules. And, most importantly, have an exit strategy. These can be trying times but can also be a turning point for our kids.
We’re just NOT getting along anymore.
It’s hard when our kids reach adulthood. Especially if they still live at home. When do we cut the strings? Some say, “Well, when you’re 18, you’re out of here!” Others, they just don’t want it to end. But when there are more difficult battles than peace, it’s time. How should we handle it? Well, never during an argument. We need to make time and calmly tell our kids that we love them—help them realize the arguing and disrespect are just too much. Maybe it’s God’s way of preparing us for leaving the nest. We shouldn’t cut them off though. Help them to establish a budget and a plan and to look for a place to live. Hopefully, they’ll see how much you care by how you walk them through the process.