Parenting. Marriage and Family

Transcription

1 Parenting Marriage and Family

2 Parenting Parents are stewards of the children God gave to them. Each child belongs to God loved or unloved, accidents or mistakes each child belongs to God. Psalms 127:2 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

3 Parenting God places value on children 1. Jesus blessed children (Mark 10:13-16) 2. Jesus desires the worship of children (Matt. 21:16)

4 Parenting 1. Understand how children grow 1 Corinthians 13:11 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Curiosity of a child is not a sin Parents should not view children through their adult experiences

5 Parenting 2. Discern that each child is unique The number one complaint about parents is They don t understand me Children in a family do not all have the same strengths, abilities, talents or weaknesses It is a bad mistake for parents to compare their children with each other

6 Parenting 1. Overcome negative family patterns 2. Communicate with Affection, Warmth and Encouragement (A.W.E.) 3. Match discipline with grace 4. Teach kids how to love God 5. Learn to speak blessings over your children

7 Overcome Negative Family Patterns Exodus 34:6-7 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.

8 Overcome Negative Family Patterns This passage refers to generational sin You will be challenged by the sin-weaknesses and sin tendencies of your parents lives We must make choices to break from the generational sins of our parents We must become the transitional generation

9 Communicate with A.W.E A Harvard University study showed that a predictor of happiness in children is the kind of affection showed by their parents. It is the nature of children to test limits Do not use shame-based techniques It is the responsibility of parents to set the emotional tone within the home Is the home a place to enjoy, or is it negative, or a war zone?

10 How do we create Warmth? Reduce stress. Do not over-schedule your children. Learn that attitude is everything. What happens to me in life does not count half as much as how I react to what happens. If you constantly react in a negative way you will never be able to create a safe or trusting environment.

11 Encouragement Kids will respond much better to a positive affirmation than a negative angry put down You do not need a perfect home, you just need a peaceful home. Encouragement helps them to remember that they are loved and cared for.

12 Discipline & Grace I love my kids so much that it is hard to discipline them. Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your children, and they will give you happiness and peace of mind. Kids will be kids. They will mess up. They will challenge your authority. Parents need to get on the same page and agree on discipline and grace. You are not your children s best friend. They call you Mom or Dad for a reason. You are too

13 Discipline & Grace Leniency is not the same as love There is big difference between punishment and love Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it A parent s goal is to raise responsible adult and not merely to make them obedient for the moment. Training involves establishing limits,

14 Discipline & Grace Giving things to kids as a substitute for time is not good parenting Parents should not give in to the manipulation of children as a way of avoiding confrontation or rejection. Rules without relationships equals rebellion.

15 Teach Kids to Love God Some parents say I want to give my children the freedom to choose for themselves what they will believe. They already have the freedom to choose ( God gave them that) Your job is to provide direction Parents must accept the responsibility to lead their children toward a legacy of faith.

16 Speaking a blessing Your words have great power over your children Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue Believe the blessing Be the blessing