EMAIL 1
Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.
Subject Line: Building Strong Relationships at Home
Dear Parents,
We all know that relationships are at the center of our lives and that no relationships are more important than those in our own homes. However, building strong relationships with our children can sometimes be tricky to navigate. And, if we are honest, there are times when cultivating thriving relationships with our children can prove to be downright challenging. If you long to build healthy and thriving relationships with your children that will stand up through trials and the test of time, it’s going to require a strong relationship with God, intentionality, and a lot of investment from you as the parent. Building these relationships isn’t always going to be easy, but the ROI will pay rich dividends for you, for your kids, and for your entire family.
With that in mind, we want to provide you with some ideas, tools, resources, and a little needed encouragement to help you navigate building strong, healthy, and thriving relationships with your child.
This month’s Online Parenting Class video will provide you with some encouragement and a few proven tips on building and deepening spiritual and relational connections with your children at home. To watch the brief video, click the link below.
[ INSERT LINK TO ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]
Thank you for allowing us to partner with you as you lead your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
In this alongside you,
[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]
EMAIL 2
Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.
Subject Line: Practical Tips to Strengthen Your Relationships with Your Kids
Dear Parents,
How strong would you say your relationships are with your kids? Do you wish you knew some things you could do to strengthen those relationships with your child? If you are anything like most parents raising children, it’s a safe bet that your answer to that question is a “Yes!”
In this month’s blog article, you’ll discover some practical tips on building, strengthing, and maintaining your relationships with your kids. Take a few minutes to check it out. You’ll be glad you did.
And if you haven’t watched this month’s Online Parenting Class video, you still have time. Take a few minutes to invest in your family’s long-term relational health today! Click on the links below to read the blog article or watch the video.
[ INSERT LINK TO M2P PARENTING BLOG ARTICLE ]
[ INSERT LINK TO M2P ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]
Thanks again for trusting us to influence your family. It’s an honor.
Praying for you as you lead at home,
[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]
Video Script
Years ago, I heard a great piece of parenting advice from a mentor of mine. He said this, “One of the goals in parenting is to have a REAL relationship with your kids when they are in their 20s.”
Now, depending on how old your kids are, that may feel like a long way down the road, and you may be thinking, “There’s a lot that happens between now and then.” And that’s kind of the point, there’s a LOT that happens between now and then, and what happens in your relationships with your kids over the next number of years can dictate whether or not you will have a REAL relationship with them in their adult years.
As our kids grow up, one of the things that happen is our relationships can quickly become somewhat mechanical, because there are a lot of things that have to get done. Every day we have to get our kids up, and make sure they’re fed and clothed before they walk out the door. They have to gather all of their stuff and get to school and then after school there might be practice or there’s cleaning up and dinner and homework and events and just a lot of stuff to do! At the end of the night, we all collapse and get up the next day to do it all over again.
In the midst of all the chaos, what gets crowded out … is the relationship. We’re all often in the same space and all trying to move in some direction forward, but building deep, meaningful relationships that will last a lifetime can be hard.
So, as we think about the goal of having a real relationship with our kids when they get older, we have to determine what we can do to along the way to build and strengthen our relationships with one another.
- The first thing I would suggest is to give them time, and lots of it. Kids of all ages want our time. Their words and body language may sometimes say otherwise, but they crave healthy relationships with us, and that takes time. In a culture where we are always busy and forever distracted, we have to make quality time with our families (and particularly with our kids) a real priority.
In giving our kids time, we have to remember that they are smart and observant, and they know when time doesn’t equal attention. One night while we were at the table eating dinner, I felt compelled to check something that was buzzing on my phone. My son, using a quote from a TV ad campaign, said, “Dad, device-free dinner?” Simply being in the same physical space doesn’t mean that I am truly present with others in that same space. If I want my kids to believe that I am really there for them, I need to step away from technology and put my full attention on them. If I don’t, they will notice.
As we navigate this principle, we may have to give them time on THEIR time. If you haven’t heard, kids are busy. One day when my daughter got home from soccer practice, she asked me to play a card game with her. I was finishing up something for work, and we were soon to be eating dinner. I had a choice to make. She had the time and was asking me for mine. Thinking about this principle, I walked away from the computer and into a game of Crazy 8s, and I was glad I did.
- Along the same lines, take the time to just talk. In a world where we feel like we always have to be efficient and get things done, we can sometimes struggle with seemingly wasting time. Small talk about nothing with our kids can drive us crazy (at least it can me), but we have to learn to talk about anything so we can talk about everything. When we can get into the habit of having conversations with our kids all the time, we set the stage for the big conversations that will come down the road. We have to build a relationship where our kids will share things with us about their emotions, their thoughts, their dreams, their friendships, and their struggles. If talking to mom and/or dad is not a normal part of their lives by the time they get to their teenage years, it may be hard for them to learn to share the details of their lives. Don’t fall into the trap of always trying to solve life’s problems for them. Just be there for them and listen.
- And finally, be their biggest fan. You don’t always have to be their coach (formally or informally). You don’t always have to be their teacher, although they do need to respect and listen to you. You certainly don’t need to do what a lot of parents do, become their agent, who is always negotiating for them and pushing them down a certain path. Just be their biggest fan. Cheer for them in sports, in school, in theatre, and in their relationships. Make sure they know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you have their back, that you are proud of them, and you will be with them all along the way. If your kids feel like you are FOR them as they navigate their life, if they really believe that you are in it for THEM and you want to help them grow into who God has created THEM to be, your relationship will grow and you’ll have the opportunity to influence them in a far greater way.
Relationships matter, and your relationships with your kids are some of the most important you or they will ever have. Nurture them, invest in them, and give them the time and attention they need. In the long run, you’ll be glad you did.