
7 WAYS WE CAN BE BETTER PARENTS IN 2023 🎉
🗣️1. Talk to kids not just at them — pick up your stuff, wake up, get ready, do your homework, get off your phone. We have to say this stuff but it shouldn’t be all we say. Remember: rules without relationships lead to rebellion 😳 Compliment their outfit, ask about their interests, tell them something dumb/funny you did today, and one question we’ve found helpful (and sometimes hilarious) is “what was the best and hardest part of your day?” See Col 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious…
⏰ 2. Spend “non-performing” time with kids — organized sports and all extracurricular activities are great and teach our kids so much. But for kids it can sometimes feel like they’re always trying to perform and never quite meeting expectations. Less intense activities can build better relational equity : fishing, camping, playing in the yard/driveway, cooking, taking goofy pictures, dance routines (don’t worry that’s mom’s territory), watching sunsets, road-trips, etc. See Eccl 3:12-13 Enjoy life…
✌🏼 3. Discipline and move on — correction and consequences are inevitable but hanging it over their head or talking about their failures with others is not necessary or helpful. They make mistakes but they’re not a mistake. Let’s be careful they not get confused about that. See Eph 6:4 don’t exasperate kids…
🤵♂️👰♀️ 4. Love their mom/dad — kids experience secondary joy and peace from parents getting along. Sadly, the opposite can be true too. Maybe the best thing we can do for our kids is to date their mom/dad. Single parents aren’t exempt. Strive to live at peace with their mom/dad for their sake. See Eccl 9:9 Enjoy life with your wife…. See Rom 12:14 Live peaceably with everyone…
🤐🫡 5. Stop complaining about sports refs or any other authority in their life. I led with refs because my daughter plays basketball and it’s been weak spot for me. Refs, along with teachers, coaches, bosses, police, and other leaders represent authority figures in a kids life. If we disrespect authority we give them a green light to do the same. Their coach can argue calls if needed. And if we need to address another authority we can talk to them, not about them. Let me be clear — It’s not just the disrespect. It’s the *complaining*. Complaining is tired, weak and unbiblical. Got a kid who complains? We need to ask where they’re picking that up? 😅 See Rom 13:1 respect authority… And See Phil 2:14 stop complaining
🙏🏼 6. Pray for them daily — each one by name with specific needs and biblically informed dreams we have for them. Praying expresses dependence, solicits God’s help, and softens our hearts towards our kids. See Col 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer…
📖 ✝️ 7. **MOST IMPORTANT** Stay close to the Lord, grow in our faith and encourage our kids to do the same — Life is full of lessons and parents are the main curriculum for our kids. If parents worship, pray, study the Word, and fellowship with faith family our kids will likely follow. Of course we need to instruct them, but we can’t share what we don’t possess. A devoted life to God is more than a way to make our kids “act right.” It’s a passionate pursuit of the Lord. And kids need a living example for how to do that. See Deut 6:5-9 Love the Lord…teach them diligently…
Parents, I hope these are helpful! They came from a conversation my wife and I had about what we need to continue to do and improve on as parents. They helped us and we need all the help we can get. Parenting is hard! Nobody’s getting it exactly right! But we want to seek God’s wisdom and grace to parent more faithfully for the glory of God and the good of our kids, in 2023 and beyond. #HappyNewYear