Here’s a good website that also provides excellent, Gospel focused email helps for families.
Solving a Child’s Big Spiritual Problem – Connected Families.
Solving a Child’s Big Spiritual Problem – Connected Families
25 05 2012
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Tags: connected families, discipline, grace, hypocrite, spiritual problem
Categories : Family, Parenting
How are your Children Handling the Sexualization of Our Culture? | A Stepping Stone on the Road to Recovery from Pornography Addiction
2 03 2012This link will increase your awareness of the great trap of sexualized kids. My friend Andy Lundy has brought this to our attention and we should carefully consider this. There is also a link to a CBC documentary called “Sext Up Kids.” Parents, are you talking about this appropriately with your kids? Are you being their defender and protector?
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Tags: addiction, culture, internet protection, kids, pornography, sex, sexualization
Categories : Children's Ministry, Parenting, Teacher/Leader Resources
Kids Feel What Parents Expressively Feel – Desiring God
17 02 2012Kids Feel What Parents Expressively Feel – Desiring God.
Watch this little video from John Piper and help your children get caught up in the wonder of God.
I LOVE reading stories to my children. The most moving ones for me are Bible stories. There are times when I step into the story so strongly that waves of emotion wash over me. Sometimes tears even begin to well up as I consider the greatness of God’s love. I read the story of Elijah from Manga Messengers (Tyndale) the other night and I felt fear, anger, Elijah’s mocking ridicule and such a sense of awe that can’t really be explained. Your children will see that and feel it too. (This is a powerful principle for telling stories in children’s ministry settings as well).
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Tags: Bible stories, desiring god, emotion, God, john piper, Manga Messengers, stories, storytelling
Categories : Children's Ministry, Parenting, Teacher/Leader Resources
Three Factors that Shape A Child’s Life
3 02 2012
Wikipedia Image
How a child develops is a complex wonder. There are so many variables like family history, environment, peers, location and more that play a special role in the formation of a child. Here are three factors you can zone in on and leverage as you train up children to be fantastic citizens and faithful followers of Jesus.
Motor Development
I was intrigued recently with the motor development section of Laura Berk’s book entitled, Development Across the Lifespan, as I am running a games event at my church over March break. It’s been a memorable event that uses a lot of gross-motor skills along with some fine-motor. A few quotes caught my attention:
“[Games with rules]…contribute greatly to emotional and social development.” (296)
“[Child invented games]…permit children to try out different styles of cooperating, competing, winning and losing with little personal risk.” (296)
“…these experiences help children construct more mature concepts of fairness and justice.” (296)
There seems to be a bit of a debate over competition and cooperation in games. I’ve particularly noticed two different approaches from the camps of Group Publishing (Thom and Joani Schultz) and Roger Fields (of Kidz Blitz). On one side, there seem to be the people that avoid competition saying it can hurt self-esteem or cause hurt feelings or create the undesirable feel of winners and losers. On the other side, I find people who would say competition is helpful for building up confidence and that positive attitudes and character development can be learned whether a winner or a loser. I would tend to lean towards a good mix of both. I think a child should not be crushed emotionally because they lost a game, but also that they ought to be taught how to handle difficulties with a right attitude. I also find the connection to justice very intriguing as it seems the evangelical world is talking a lot about social justice these days. I’m feeling some teaching points coming on for the games event! And not only that, but giving kids opportunities to use their bodies promotes healthy living.
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Tags: Catherine Stonehouse, competition, cooperation, development, faith, formation, justice, kids, Laura Berk, motor skills, relationships, salvation, training, winners and losers
Categories : Children's Ministry, Parenting, Teacher/Leader Resources
6 Ways to Foster Early Language Development
21 01 2012
The following is from Development Through the Lifespan, by Laura E. Berk.
- Respond to coos and babbles with speech sounds and words.
- Establish joint attention and comment on what child sees.
- Play social games, such as pat-a-cake and peekaboo.
- Engage toddlers in joint make-believe play.
- Engage toddlers in frequent conversations.
- Read to toddlers often, engaging them in dialogue about picture books.
Put these into practice and your child will develop their language skills well. They will experiment “with sounds that can later be blended into first words.” They will learn turn-taking for conversation. Their vocabulary will develop faster. They will grow in their conversation ability, develop language earlier and likely enable greater academic success later. Reading “provides exposure to many aspects of language, including vocabulary, grammar, communication skills, and information about written symbols and story structure.”
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Tags: books, conversation, development, development through the lifespan, infants, kids, language, Laura E. Berk, reading, toddlers
Categories : Children's Ministry, Family, Parenting, Teacher/Leader Resources
7 Family Habits to Strengthen Relationships
10 01 2012The book called Parenting Beyond Your Capacity has a chapter discussing family rhythms. Every family has a rhythm, but not all rhythms are deliberate and strategic. Not all families have a plan, but every family settles into patterns, habits and rhythms that shape their lives together. I want to have a family that doesn’t drift off into eternity, but one which paces itself with planned persistence. Part of the plan includes training and specific habits to guide our growth and journey together. The following is not a complete list, but just some standouts that the Bourque family tries to hold to:
- Breakfast together including a Scripture verse to memorize.
- We use Foundation Verses on my iPhone (from Fighter Verses adapted for kids). You can also access it from the web.
- Prayer before school.
- Just a short, simple prayer to send everyone off with a reminder that God goes with us throughout the day.
- Walk to school, word of encouragement.
- I walk my oldest to school on purpose.
- I enjoy the relational moments, the fun conversations, jumping over the cracks and making footprints in the snow!
- I try to think of ways to encourage her for the day ahead.
- Exs: What will you talk about with your friends today? How can you give your best? When someone is mean to you, how can you respond like Jesus?
- Play with kids after work
- Love this part of the day.
- I get to act like a kid, be a horse to ride, wrestle with my boy to show off his tough side, watch my girl dress pretty and tell her how lovely she is.
- See You Have What is Takes by John Eldredge for using life as a way to help answer your kids’ primary questions. Read the rest of this entry »
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Tags: bedtime, habits, rhythm, rituals, training
Categories : Family, Parenting
How Everyday Moms and Dads Influence the Future
22 12 2011
For one of my classes in seminary I wrote a paper inspired by the Biblical passage in Exodus 20:5-6 and repeated in Deuteronomy 5:9-10, which says,
…I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
I asked myself the question, being a dad of three young children, “How does what I do affect my kids and their future kids down through the generations?” So for all dads and moms, the questions that arise from this passage are extremely urgent. If how I brush my teeth affects future generations, how much more so will the way I treat my wife, work at my job and love my God! And if there is an affect, what kind of affect is it? How severe is it? How lasting? Then also, how important is it that I make very intentional decisions right now about how I live my life and raise my kids, because it will dramatically alter the course of history!? Our sin does have profound penalties on future generations, but do not be crushed by this thought. Rather, relish in the wonderful reward for those who love God: steadfast, unbreaking and forever love in everlasting covenant friendship with God!
If you’re up for it I challenge you to read the research paper I put together in the attached pdf. Doing so may shakeup the course of your life and future family history in incredible ways! While it will require some serious thought, the process will deepen your commitment to God and your family’s future legacy.
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Tags: children, collective retribution, consequences, dads, decalogue, generation, generational curse, generational sin, God, history, legacy, moms, sin, steadfast love
Categories : Children's Ministry, Christian Life, Family, Parenting
What Are Kids Watching?
30 11 2011
I was checking out some kids tv over on YTV. There’s a new popular show called Victorious marketed to tweeners. A recent episode is called Ice Cream for Ke$ha. Tori basically is desperate to win a contest to have Ke$ha for a private concert. Ke$ha is a popular musical artist with a hit song called “Blow.” I don’t recommend your child view her music video on Youtube, however, as it is very sexually provocative. So how do you go about choosing what to watch or let your kids watch? Do you know or care what is being consumed? Media has a subtle influence. It can make sin appear fun and exciting. Yet it can also lead down a path of self-indulgence that leads us away from our selfless Jesus. Be careful little eyes what you see. What do you think? What are some of your kids favourite shows?
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Tags: kids, shows, sin, subtle influence, TV, Victorious, YTV
Categories : Children's Ministry, Family, Parenting, Teacher/Leader Resources
Foundation Verses | Fighter Verses
9 11 2011
Kids need a strong foundation from which they can build their lives. A weak and shifty foundation will cause them to lose faith and lead a life filled with harmful decisions. A strong foundation can give them a great starting point for a life filled with peace and joy-filled decisions. As parents and leaders of kids we can instil the teaching and wisdom of God. One way you can do that is using Fighter Verses for kids. I’ve been doing it with my little ones for a few weeks now using the iPhone app which has an image to go along with it. Try it! You may in fact find that your own foundation gets stronger!
Foundation Verses | Fighter Verses.
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Tags: Fighter Verses, foundation, God, God's wisdom, kids, memory verses, verses
Categories : Children's Ministry, Family, Parenting, Teacher/Leader Resources
The Big List of Consequences
9 11 2011Consequences and discipline are necessary and helpful for any parent who seeks to help their child grow up to be a responsible person who makes great choices. Below is a big list of consequences from about.com for your tool belt. But keep in mind the difference between behaviour modification and Biblical correction. As Godly parents, we don’t want plastic children who comply with our wishes. We want children who’s hearts are transformed by the love and power of God through Jesus Christ. Make that your prayer as you discern how you use consequences to shape your child’s heart.
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Tags: behaviour modification, Biblical correction, biblical parenting, children, consequences, discipline, heart, Jesus, kids
Categories : Children's Ministry, Parenting, Teacher/Leader Resources
