Becoming a Student of Your Children
Hi Friend,
When I first began blogging, I shared the God Stories of ordinary people. One of the stories that influenced me the most is Kristi Dye's God Story: When I Started Listening." Her story, shared 11 years ago, has influenced my parenting by making me a more intentional Mom. Because of it, I can tell you when the boys were younger, why I:
invited one son to join me with Root Beer and another with Lemonade
played music in the car when one son was upset
invited one to sit on my lap, and another outside
played basketball after supper
invited one son to garden with me and another to read
Now that they are older, my list looks more like:
Playing basketball with one son (still!)
Playing games with another son
Listening to one of them tell me about his latest build
Listening to another tell me about his latest book
Taking one out for snow cones
Taking another to QT
If I hadn't learned to be a student of my children from Kristi years ago, I would be tempted to do things my way. ...To connect with my kids in ways I enjoy. ...To try to help my kids connect with God in ways I thought were best.
Being a student of my children means I look for ways to build a relationship with them in the ways that God uniquely designed them. And I do the same in their relationship with God. I point them to Him in ways that speak to their hearts.
When I try a one-size-fits-all approach, I risk teaching them that God only relates to them in one way. It would have been like only offering them one way to play, such as building with Lincoln Logs, when they were little. They might have grown up thinking that because they don’t like to build with Lincoln Logs, they don’t like to play when, as we all know, there are so many other ways to play!
The same is true with God. When we forget to be a student of our children and show them the many ways they can relate to God, we risk them growing up to think that they don’t like being a Christian or in relationship with God, when that’s not the case at all!
Try this today. Find a favorite Bible story. One of mine is the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 in John 6:1-15. Before you read it with your kids, think through what types of things they enjoy. Do they like to play dress up, build, touch everything, draw, figure things out, and learn about places?
Say they like to dress up or build. You could read the story to them at breakfast or lunch and then encourage them to act it out or build it during playtime. You could even offer to take video or pictures once they’re done.
Maybe they like to touch everything. You could give them some bread (or fish if you have it on hand) and let them eat the bread and fish as you read the story.
If they like to figure out how things work or learn about places, possibly do some research on your phone about the Sea of Galilee and the people who lived at that time.
Perhaps they’re older and like art. Have them draw what the scene might have looked like.
All of these activities would only take a few minutes and little preparation, but they would make a big difference in helping the Bible story come alive for your kids and teaching them to connect with God and the Bible in ways that speak to their hearts.
Today, let’s become students of our children, to learn how to connect with them better ourselves, but most importantly, to help them connect to God and begin to build a lifetime of faith.
Check out Kristi's God Story here to learn more about being a student of your children. So good!
Podcast
One of the biggest fears of many soon-to-be parents is that they might have a special needs child. Cherry was the same before God blessed her with Zachary, her son on the autism spectrum.
Through her God Story, Cherry not only encourages parents with special needs children to lean into God’s plan for their child’s life, but she also encourages all of us to embrace who God made our children to be.
Over A Cup LIVE
This month’s Over A Cup LIVE will help you to become a student of your children (and yourself). We’ll learn about the nine Sacred Pathways from Gary Thomas’ book Sacred Pathways and discover the unique ways God made us and our children to relate to Him.
Note the Date Change: Tuesday, July 22nd @ 1pm CST
This is a paid subscriber event. Upgrade your membership to access this and previous Over A Cup LIVE events!
Tara’s Treasures
If Jesus Came to My School is a precious picture book by April Graney! It imagines what would happen if Jesus were a child and came to school as a student. Through fun, imaginative pictures, the book helps kids see how Jesus can be in their school every day through them! Pick up your copy here.
Anna Wilson is one of my new favorite Christian artists. I love country music, but it’s not always the most appropriate or encouraging. Anna Wilson is both! Check out her new single “God Story” here!
Sacred Pathways for Kids, written by Christie Thomas and me, will help you become a student of your children. It is designed to help you discover who God made your children to be and gives practical ideas to help them connect with Him.
Let’s Pray
Father, thank you for the wonderful and unique ways you made all of us. Please help us to see the special ways you made our children and help them to know you more. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you for joining me!
Grace and Peace,
Tara L. Cole