Frequently Asked Questions About Parenting
Parenting is an aspect of marriage that can invite frustration, conflict, and heartache when spouses are not aligned. However, Christ’s example leads us in every area so that we don’t have to wonder what is best for our children. When we make Him the center of our parenting principles, we can communicate with grace, lead with love, and discipline with care. Then we can lead our children toward healthy adulthood and their own pursuit of godly wisdom.
What Does it Mean to Train Up a Child in the Way They Should Go?
“Don’t just put Scripture on your wall; put it in your heart and live according to it.”
What does it mean to train up a child in the way they should go? Children repeat the patterns they see modeled for them as they grow up. The best chance your kids have to grow up wise, is for them to have parents who passionately pursue Christ. So “seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness” so your children will see and want more of the kindness of God.
What is a Biblical View of How to Discipline My Children?
“The goal of discipline is not to have obedient children, but rather raise healthy adults.”
A biblical view of discipline rests on the fact that it should be a way to train our children and is a part of the discipleship process. When we parent out of fear, embarrassment, or anger we miss the love that is always the motivation behind godly discipline. In the end, discipline is not for our benefit, but for the benefit of our children as they learn that every good thing is found in following the Lord.
What is the Biggest Mistake Most Parents Make?
“If parents don’t discipline their kids, the world will.”
Most parents work hard to avoid doing the wrong thing with our children. So it’s ironic that the biggest mistake most of us make isn’t something we do, but something we don’t do. When we don’t allow our children to experience smaller consequences now, they will later suffer the larger, unavoidable consequences of an undisciplined life. When we step in with loving discipline, we allow our children to grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
How Do we Talk to our Children About Sex?
“If God wasn’t ashamed to create it, we shouldn’t be ashamed to talk about it.”
Talking to our kids about sex flows from an understanding that it is a gift created and given to us by God. In His kindness, He allows us to participate in the creation of people made in His image through the gift of sex. Don’t freak out, you can create a safe and God-honoring place for your kids to ask their questions about sex.
How Can I Talk To My Children About LGBTQ Issues?
“We have to be careful not to put any one struggle in a different class of sin.”
When it comes to LGBTQ conversations, it’s not a question of if our children will hear about it, but when. We want our children to be equipped in what the Bible says about marriage and sexuality, but we don’t want them to become Pharisees. All of us are image-bearers and all of us are fallen. It’s good for children to hear their parents say, “We don’t always get God’s best right about sex and marriage, but we are thankful that we can have God’s redemption and healing.”