How To Talk To Your Kids

Article

How To Talk To Your Kids About Good Friday

Emily Vogeltanz

3M

Why is Good Friday called good? As a child, I remember feeling confused by Good Friday. To me the idea of Jesus being hurt and killed seemed anything but good. Even now as a mother to 4, I’ve seen the same question in the eyes of my children as we’ve discussed the events leading up to Easter.  For many families of small children, we can be tempted to gloss over the brutality of Passover week and simply celebrate with peeps, pastels, and baskets rather than talking about the historical fact and life-transforming truth of these important…

Why is Good Friday called good? As a child, I remember feeling confused by Good Friday. To me the idea of Jesus being hurt and killed seemed anything but good. Even now as a mother to 4, I’ve seen the same question in the eyes of my children as we’ve discussed the events leading up to Easter.  For many families of small children, we can be tempted to gloss over the brutality of Passover week and simply celebrate with peeps, pastels, and baskets rather than talking about the historical fact and life-transforming truth of these important…

Article

How to Talk to Your Kids About Hard Things

Susan Marks

3M

The language changes as they mature and become capable of more information regarding a particular topic, but the goal remains the same – to help them see all of life anchored in Scripture and Jesus Christ.  Many conversations come with ease, while others can feel a bit daunting. Like how to talk to your kids about hard things. Inevitably, life will expose our children to difficult seasons and topics of discussion. Whether they experience it firsthand or see it in the lives of those around them, they are bound to bump up against hard stuff in…

The language changes as they mature and become capable of more information regarding a particular topic, but the goal remains the same – to help them see all of life anchored in Scripture and Jesus Christ.  Many conversations come with ease, while others can feel a bit daunting. Like how to talk to your kids about hard things. Inevitably, life will expose our children to difficult seasons and topics of discussion. Whether they experience it firsthand or see it in the lives of those around them, they are bound to bump up against hard stuff in…

Article

How to Talk to Your Kids About Going to Church

Emily Vogeltanz

4M

My kids have always loved church. There’s music, games, friends, and sometimes even snacks—what’s not to love!? But beyond the fun, how do we talk to our kids about the heart of church? Why do we go? What’s the point? Why is this part of our family’s weekly rhythm? These are great questions to discuss with your kids and maybe even wrestle with on your own as you shape your family culture.  Church is a family to which we belong. By grace, we are God’s children. That makes us family–brothers and sisters placed in a household…

My kids have always loved church. There’s music, games, friends, and sometimes even snacks—what’s not to love!? But beyond the fun, how do we talk to our kids about the heart of church? Why do we go? What’s the point? Why is this part of our family’s weekly rhythm? These are great questions to discuss with your kids and maybe even wrestle with on your own as you shape your family culture.  Church is a family to which we belong. By grace, we are God’s children. That makes us family–brothers and sisters placed in a household…

Article

How To Talk to Your Kids About Christmas

Emily Vogeltanz

4M

I’ll be the first to admit that when it comes to Christmas, my family can get swept up in the present-buying, consumer chaos, and mayhem of the holidays. If we aren’t careful, we miss the miracle of what we are truly celebrating. Chances are, you have felt that tension, too.  As parents, how do we help our kids keep Christ at the center of Christmas? How do we leverage everyday moments in December to anchor our hearts in the true meaning of Christmas this holiday season?  Here are a few practical tips on how…

I’ll be the first to admit that when it comes to Christmas, my family can get swept up in the present-buying, consumer chaos, and mayhem of the holidays. If we aren’t careful, we miss the miracle of what we are truly celebrating. Chances are, you have felt that tension, too.  As parents, how do we help our kids keep Christ at the center of Christmas? How do we leverage everyday moments in December to anchor our hearts in the true meaning of Christmas this holiday season?  Here are a few practical tips on how…

Article

How To Talk to Your Kids About Thankfulness

Emily Gross

4M

Thanksgiving is coming, and I can picture it now—the table is set, the candles are lit, and our favorite dishes filled with nostalgia are sitting on the table. I can already smell my Aunt Nancy’s sweet potato casserole baking with roasted marshmallows on top, and my mom’s cranberry sauce simmering on the stove with brown sugar and freshly squeezed lemon. Just as that special meal is created with care and purpose, we as parents also have an opportunity to intentionally orient the heartbeat of our homes towards thankfulness. The muscles we strengthen as we curate a culture of gratitude in…

Thanksgiving is coming, and I can picture it now—the table is set, the candles are lit, and our favorite dishes filled with nostalgia are sitting on the table. I can already smell my Aunt Nancy’s sweet potato casserole baking with roasted marshmallows on top, and my mom’s cranberry sauce simmering on the stove with brown sugar and freshly squeezed lemon. Just as that special meal is created with care and purpose, we as parents also have an opportunity to intentionally orient the heartbeat of our homes towards thankfulness. The muscles we strengthen as we curate a culture of gratitude in…

Article

How to Talk to Your Kids About Their Feelings

Emily Gross

5M

As parents, we want our homes to be a place where our children feel comfortable asking us anything and talking about everything. We also want our children to know they have permission to feel whatever they need to. Children feel secure when they know they are not the strongest force in the room and that you, as the parent, are a safe place for them to process what’s going on in their hearts.  The world’s voice is loud, but we can remind our children that our Heavenly Father’s voice is stronger. Hebrew 4:16 encourages us this…

As parents, we want our homes to be a place where our children feel comfortable asking us anything and talking about everything. We also want our children to know they have permission to feel whatever they need to. Children feel secure when they know they are not the strongest force in the room and that you, as the parent, are a safe place for them to process what’s going on in their hearts.  The world’s voice is loud, but we can remind our children that our Heavenly Father’s voice is stronger. Hebrew 4:16 encourages us this…

Article

How to Talk to Your Kids About Salvation

Lanie Beth Sinclair

3M

This is a normal and, dare I say, healthy response. Parent to parent, allow me to remind you that you get more than one shot. You get to have continual conversations about salvation and how to live in the light of God’s grace. This particular conversation can be clearly communicated and still have many layers depending on age and life season. Moments add up to hours as we continue the conversation to check in to see if they have questions or wonderings. This layered approach communicates that you want to keep the conversation going, taking some…

This is a normal and, dare I say, healthy response. Parent to parent, allow me to remind you that you get more than one shot. You get to have continual conversations about salvation and how to live in the light of God’s grace. This particular conversation can be clearly communicated and still have many layers depending on age and life season. Moments add up to hours as we continue the conversation to check in to see if they have questions or wonderings. This layered approach communicates that you want to keep the conversation going, taking some…