A lot of times when we’re raising kids, we get the usual input (“helpful advice”) from family or friends, a pediatrician or maybe we even take a class or two or pick one or two parenting books when we hit a tough spot. Along the way, we hear assessments or recommendations from teachers if our kids attend traditional schools.
We thought it would be interesting to talk to someone who—in the course of her job—has interacted with hundreds of children and their families over the years, someone who might see raising our kids through a different sort of lens.
Today we’re talking with AMY SAIN, who’s the children’s minister at a large (2000+) member church here in Middle Tennessee. She’s been in charge of wrangling the kids in the children’s department for 15 years now, dealing with kiddos from preschool through Grade 6. In any given year, this might look like 60 first-graders or 60 fifth graders.
(Amy’s been married almost 30 years to her husband, Robert, and they have three daughters, the youngest is almost done with high school. Amy joined us for the #GIRLMOM episode, which was one of our top 10! In her job, she works with kids from the nursery through 6th grade, creating curriculum for both kids and parents.
These kids come from all different backgrounds, family situations, school settings, etc.. The one thing they have in common—presumably—is that their parents are coming to church and have placed them for an hour or so under your jurisdiction. (sometimes it’s a grandparent or friend who’s bringing them, not always a parent)
We asked you, Amy, to think about some of the top things you’d wish for parents to know as far as the spiritual direction of their children. (preschool thru 6th)
- Set spiritual goals at the beginning (of parenthood) and annually. What sort of goals? Like—memorization? Facts/knowledge? Prayer life? Habits?
- Be committed to and involved with a church body. What are the benefits of this? What if you’re not a “church person” or haven’t had this in your family history? It’s not always fun to get up on a Sunday morning and get everyone ready to go… you already do this 5 days/week for school, etc. Wouldn’t it be better to just have “family time” at home?
- Intertwine God in your daily life. Instead of compartmentalizing and being something you do only on Sundays, talk about God, have small group interactions and interactions with other faithful families regularly.
- Find a few families of like mind to raise your kids with. “Positive peer pressure”; other moms/dads to call on/ask advice from/look to for modeling. Benefits of community. Not total isolation or fencing out others from your tribe…but as a general rule, be characterized by faithful associations/friends.
- Make God natural in your home. (see #3…what does this look like? What if this is a stretch for you? Do you have to hang crosses above every doorframe or what?
- Daily Bible study…. What does this look like by age? “Study” sounds like zero fun.
- Bible movies and Seeds Family Worship.
- Be careful little eyes. (older siblings!!) By the time kids are in 3rd grade, their “innocence” is often already chipped away by what they hear/see. Early exposure before their brains/development is capable of processing, before their moral development catches up, is harmful. You wouldn’t feed your kids just teeny tiny amounts of rat poison and brush it off, thinking it probably won’t hurt much.
RESOURCES mentioned in the podcast. Some of these are online resources to monitor/protect kids from pop-ups and objectionable online content.
Plugged In online
Protect Young Eyes
Bark
Vidangel
Kim Sorguis –Not Consumed (website)
Common Sense Media
What’s in the Bible by Phil Vischer (creator of Veggie Tales)
Spiritual Growth of Children (from Focus on the Family)