Daly Focus Blog
It’s a sad reality that many kids grow up going to Sunday school, church, and youth group and still leave home believing Christianity is a list of dos and don’ts. Somehow, the core message of the Gospel doesn’t break through.
One solution is to read the Bible with your children. Many parents want to, but it can be daunting. Kids have short attention spans, and Mom and Dad are exhausted from busy schedules.
So what do you do?
Before having children, author Heidi St. John’s confidence in God felt unshakable. A few years and a few children later, Heidi felt so discouraged that she could barely get out of bed.
She remembers waking one cold January morning and hearing her children arguing in another room. The day hadn’t even begun, and she was already defeated. She willed herself to her feet by opening her Bible and reading from the Psalms. She soon realized that, while she had placed her confidence in her own abilities, King David’s praises were rooted in his confidence in God.
According to the National Institutes of Health, one in five adolescents in the United States suffers severe impairment or distress from a mental disorder. Often, these teenagers and their families feel isolated and alone, not knowing where to turn for help.
In addition, mental illness is still stigmatized to a degree that hinders many people from seeking treatment or receiving the support they need.
Dr. Matthew Stanford understands this problem well. He’s the CEO of the Hope and Healing Center and Institute in Houston.
The middle school years can be tough. And not just for the kids. They can be challenging for parents as well.
As your child enters adolescence, your parenting approach will likely have to shift gears. There’s a lot going on, after all. Not only is a whirlwind of puberty at your child’s doorstep, but his or her priorities are changing. Family often becomes an afterthought, while friends and independence become most important.
What’s a parent to do?
Gender identity is a pervasive topic these days. The culture is locked in debate about everything from access to restrooms to competition in women’s athletics to the ethics and morality of certain courses of treatment for children dealing with gender dysphoria.
For Christians, this isn’t a political matter, a psychological orientation, or even a social question. It’s a spiritual battle. The Bible is clear that God created humanity as male and female, biological certainties that are not dependent on how a person feels or “identifies.” However, we battle an enemy who sows seeds of confusion that corrupt our understanding of God’s beautiful design.
When author Becky Baudouin’s girls were little, strangers would comment about how cute they were. Then they’d share a mommy platitude. Something like, “Enjoy every minute! It goes by fast!”
Becky knew what they meant, but she also thought to herself, “What about moments that are terrible and the only good thing about them is that they don’t last forever?”
Here’s another one: “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Out of balance, this one puts a lot of pressure on mom to act like she’s happy and together when she’s really not.
I refused to go to kindergarten.
On my first day, I dug in my heels and wouldn’t walk to school with my siblings. I told my mom no and meant it. I was so stubborn about it that she personally had to usher me down the block and into the building.
I didn’t want to go, but I’m glad I did because something magical happened that first morning.
Her name was Mrs. Smith. My kindergarten teacher.
Nature has incredible influence over us.
Studies show that plants and flowers help post-surgery patients raise their spirits, experience shorter hospital stays, require less medicine, and recover faster.
An article from the Yale School of Environment reports that spending a cumulative time of two hours in nature each week has significant health benefits.
Nature is also an incredible classroom for teaching children about God’s character. Even young children can perceive God’s hidden attributes through creation (Romans 1:20), connect God’s Word to the natural world, and develop a deep understanding of the rich nature narratives strung throughout Scripture that point to the Creator.
When my boys were 6 and 8, Jean and I took them to Disneyland. That day, they were tired, wanted their own way, and had meltdowns. My solution was to say, “Control yourself, or you will never come here again.”
It was a silly parenting strategy on my part because Jean and I enjoyed going to Disneyland as much as the boys did. Which means I would have never followed through on the consequences I threatened.
If you have a teenager who’s not working a job, the question is, “Why?” Working a job will bring out qualities in your teenager that you won’t always see from them at home.
When teenagers work – whether it’s scooping ice cream, working the drive-thru at a fast-food place, or cashiering at a grocery store – they’re developing valuable life skills. They’ll learn to submit to authority and to handle responsibly when they’re in charge. They’ll learn how to serve others and to be accountable for their choices.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
