Stress: Helping Your Kids Deal with Adult Subjects

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Subject Line: Too Soon!

Dear Parents,

Most of us have had the experience of our child asking to see something or do something that they weren’t ready to do.  One of our main jobs as parents is to help our kids understand when it’s the right time to experience certain things.  A lot of the time, though, your child will want to see or do something before they are ready.

So how do you communicate to them that they’re not ready in a way they can understand?

That’s what we’re discussing in this month’s parent video!

To watch the brief video, click the link below.

https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/663397692/f704ecebc7

Thank you for the privilege of partnering with your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

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Subject Line: “Can I Please???”

Dear Parents,

Part of earning your parenting stripes is hearing your child regularly ask to see or do something that they aren’t old enough to do.

This is common and there is a great way to help them understand why it’s not time for them to have that experience.

We give some thoughts on how to navigate that in this month’s parent video.

To view the full video, click on the link below.

https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/663397692/f704ecebc7

As always, I enjoy partnering with your family. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

VIDEO

SOCIAL MEDIA SWAG

Your kids often want to watch or do something that they aren’t old enough to do yet.  Communicating that to them can sometimes be stressful.  We discuss that in this month’s parent video.

How should you communicate to your child that they aren’t ready to see or do something that they really want to do?  We’ve got you covered with a quick communication tip in this month’s parent video.

This month’s parent video gives a creative way to communicate to your kid that they aren’t ready to have an adult experience.

Helping your kid understand why they aren’t yet ready for an adult situation is the subject of this month’s parent video.

VIDEO SCRIPT

I love a good quote. And the quote that I’m going to give you in this video is from two of my friends, Dr. Tim and Dr. Tasha LeVert. Yeah, they’re both doctors. That means what they say is smart,

So here we go. This is what they told me. When I talk to them about my boys wanting to do things too soon, like if they’re in third grade and they want to watch a horror movie or if they’re in fourth grade and they’re ready to get on Instagram and they’re asking for all these things too soon. Here’s a way that you can share with them. It’s what they taught me, and I’ll teach it to you today.

You can tell them, “Hey, being a kid is awesome. There’s so many benefits to being a kid. And you don’t have to worry about all the things an adult has to worry about.” See, this is that time, you know, how we all have to do the adulting things that we don’t really love. This is the time to go into detail with your kid about it.

Teach them about mortgages and how much milk costs and gas and all those things that we complain about all the time and let them know one day you’re going to have to deal with this and you’ll be ready. I think you’re going to be a fabulous adult. But for now, enjoy being a kid as long as you can. There’s so many benefits to just being a kid. Enjoy your life as long as you can.

That opportunity for you starts to shorten when you start doing things that adults do. We don’t want to do that. So let’s hold off. In fact, if I were to treat this like a suitcase, I would tell you that right now, the things you’re wanting to do, they’re too heavy for you to carry. “One day you’ll be strong enough to carry them if you want to might not want to, but when you’re ready, you can carry them.

But for now, I’ll carry them for you and you just enjoy being a kid.” This is one way, maybe to redirect that conversation and help them understand that the position they are in life is a good position and they want to enjoy it as long as they can. And it helps. You have to maybe stop hearing from them all the time about all the things that they’re wanting to try when they get older. I hope this helps, and I hope you learn that you are the ones who carry their suitcases.

So carry them well.

Communication: Helping Kids Navigate Tough Situations

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Subject Line: How does your child let you know they are in trouble?

Dear Parents,

It’s the moments when our children are away from us that we might worry about the most.  When they are at school or hanging out at a friend’s house can be fun experiences for them, but stressful for a parent.  It’s easy to let your mind get anxious about whether or not they are safe when they aren’t physically around you.

One way to help this situation is to teach your child a way to communicate with you if you need you to come and get them.

We give you a helpful communication tip in this month’s parent video.  We hope you enjoy it!

To watch the brief video, click the link below.

https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/663404185/92b7cc598c

Thank you for the privilege of partnering with your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

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Subject Line: Helping Your Child Communicate that they are in Trouble

Dear Parents,

Ever since your child was a baby they’ve most likely been calling out for you when they need help.

When they get a little older they will find themselves in environments where you’re not around.  So how do they ask for help in the middle of a spend the night party or sports practice?  

We give some thoughts on how to navigate that in this month’s parent video.

To view the full video, click on the link below.

https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/663404185/92b7cc598c

As always, I enjoy partnering with your family. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

VIDEO

SOCIAL MEDIA SWAG

Your kids might find themselves in trouble but they aren’t sure how to ask you for help.  They may need some ideas on how to navigate tough situations.  We discuss that in this month’s parent video.

How does your child ask for help in the middle of a spend the night party or sports practice?  We’ve got a tip for you in this month’s parent video that will help your child cue you that they need you.

This month’s parent video is out and it’s all about helping your child navigate tough situations.

Helping your child navigate awkward situations and ask for your help when they’re not with you is the subject of this month’s parent video.  

VIDEO SCRIPT

Have you ever been in one of those situations when you were a kid where you didn’t know what to do? Maybe somebody puts a video in the recorder and plays something that’s very inappropriate. And as a child, you’re like, I’m not supposed to be here. I’m going to get in so much trouble, but I don’t know how to get out of this situation. Or maybe you’re in the hotel pool and everybody’s acting crazy and all the parents are about to call security and you know, as a kid that you don’t need to be

You need to get out of here, but you don’t know how to get out of the situation. How do we help our kids avoid getting in trouble when they’re in a tough situation ? Well, I’ve got some suggestions for you here’s. Two things.

First of all, give them permission to make you the bad guy. Let them say, “Hey, you know what? If I do this, I’m going to get in a huge amount of trouble with my parents. Aren’t my parents, so blah, blah, blah. I know, right?

But I know they will get on to me. So I need to check on out of here.”

Here’s the second thing, and this has been a really cool hack for us and our family, and I want to share it with you. Give them a secret code that they can use either by text or phone and be able to call you and say, “Hey, did I leave the lights on in my room?” That’s random, but what does that mean? Well, if you hear them say, did I leave the lights on in my room? That means get in the car and come get me now.

You can come up with something that they could text or call that would make no sense to anybody else, but it’s a code between you and them that says I’m in trouble. Help me. I’m in a situation that I don’t know how to get out of. This is past what I can handle. Please, please come and help.

And that is your call. It helps your child so much when they start getting into more social situations apart from you to know that they have not lost their ability to call on you for help. And it will help build trust. When you show up in those moments. So now when you’re in those teenage years and you’re advising them on how to live life, there’s even more trust you see how this all goes together.

Allow them to make you the bad guy to a certain level and then give them a code. These are some tips that can help your child get out of some really tough situations.

Timeline: Understanding God’s Story

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Subject Line: Experience God’s Story

Dear Parents,

This month we have a treat for you.  In our parent video we’ve laid out God’s story in a creative way. Our hope is that you might share this with your family and enjoy it together.  Sometimes it just helps to get the big picture of a story so that the little details can come to life.  That’s what we hope will happen for you and your family through this resource.

To watch the brief video, click the link below.

https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/669241383/518dd9ae7d

Thank you for the privilege of partnering with your family. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

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Subject Line: Did you catch the Timeline video?

Dear Parents,

This month we’re sharing a resource for your family that gives them a big picture of God’s story through the timeline.  We hope that it’s meaningful to your family and helps all of you grow in your relationship with God.

To view the full video, click on the link below.

https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/669241383/518dd9ae7d

As always, I enjoy partnering with your family. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

VIDEO

SOCIAL MEDIA SWAG

We’ve got a treat for you in this month’s parent video.  It’s called “Timeline” and it gives you the big picture of God’s story.

We just released the parent video for the month.  It’s all about God’s beautiful story.  We can’t wait for your family to experience the “Timeline”.

You have a very place in God’s story.  We discuss that in this month’s parent video.

This month’s parent video is called the “Timeline”.  It lays out God’s story to help you understand where you fit in God’s Story.. Check your inbox for more information.

VIDEO SCRIPT

You might have heard many people refer to the Bible as a number of things. It’s a collection of true stories or It’s God guide for how to live. Yes, it is all those things, but first and foremost, it is a love story. Let me share it with you in story form…

God imagined a world that was bright and blue. He dreamed of green- avocado green, fern green, moss green. Using His creativity, He spoke into existence the skies, the seas, and two souls.  He chose to give them each a personal name. The boy is named Adam and the girl, Eve. Although God has many names, He wanted to introduce Himself with His personal name: LORD. He created a safe world for them, where they felt loved and accepted. They never felt pain or sadness. 

Their safe place was called the Garden of Eden. It was special here because Adam and Eve did not know about fear, comparison, competition, loneliness, doubt, or death. No one got sick. Ever. They could enjoy Him. He could adore them. They laughed, played, worked, and created together. It was God + Adam + Eve = Greatest Love Story Ever Told.

This world, this God-created, perfect garden of goodness, was their Home. But did you know?!? This world was our Home, too? God created the world for us to enjoy and experience pleasure. But, one day…

…God’s enemy visited Adam and Eve and invited them to a different kind of experience. God’s enemy tried to influence them to focus on what they didn’t have instead of on the good gifts of God. God loved Adam and Eve from the tops of their heads to the bottoms of their toes. They were accepted just as they are, never-ever thirsting or hunting to find love. But when they thought about what they were missing instead of what they had in front of them, they were not happy or content. Was it true, what God’s enemy said? Are we missing out, lacking, and incomplete? If so, what must be done?

Doubt replaced confidence, and it caused them to see the world in a whole new way. They decided something must be done- even if it meant forgetting about all the goodness and pleasure of Home, forgetting about God’s love, and, even if it meant going against God, the kind Creator of their souls.

But did you know?!? They had all they needed. Adam and Eve didn’t see, couldn’t see, or perhaps forgot that the LORD had given them all they will ever need. In the end, the very thing they thought they needed was the thing that caused them to lose it all. They chose to listen to God’s enemy. And so, a break up occurred. Adam and Eve had to leave their home, our home, the garden of goodness. 

When they sinned, also known as “going against God’s goodness,” pain, hurt, evil, shame, blame, illness, betrayal, fear, loneliness, comparison, competition, racism, injustice, and much more entered the world. (So much yuk!)  As days turned to months and then years, Adam and Eve grew a family so large that people were everywhere! But this new world was filled with evil, so people hurt each other – over and over. The LORD saw this pain and made a decision.

The LORD decided to rescue them with love, so they could experience goodness again. He put a rescue plan in place to chase after them because they were not meant to live under this cloud of darkness. The world was now filled with bullying, shame, blame, illness, and fear.

God started His plan with a man named Abraham, who was called a friend of God. God promised Abraham he would have lots of children, and they would grow into a LARGE family called the Israelites (or Jews). The promise said Abraham would have a family so big that it would be like the stars in the sky. This promise was a BIG promise to give Abraham because he could not have kids- yet. But God kept His promise, and it came true.

He is a Promise-Keeper.

God promised to always be friends with the Israelites- just like He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Goodness. His loyalty was on point. He never went back and forth or was two-faced. A little Israelite girl would grow up to become a grandmother, and she saw God keep His promises. Then her granddaughter would grow up to become a grandmother, and she saw God do the same thing. God is not a confusing God, so He gave them directions on how to be in a friendship with Him and each other. When the people made mistakes in that friendship (Everyone does! Whew!), He told them what to do about it, and He called it “the Law.” Then, God told them He was bringing a hero to save them from the evil. This protector would be a part of the Israelite family (just like them!), and they grew excited with hope.

The time finally came when God’s Hero arrived on earth. The hero was God’s own Son, and His name was Jesus. But did you know?!? Jesus was also God! Do you know how ice is just water in a different form? Jesus is God in human form! The Israelites had waited years and years for this Hero, so people were expecting a BIG, GRAND, SUPER-DUPER, HUGE party. But instead, God chose to come down to earth as a human being. He was born in a manger, which is a big box where animals eat! (Ewww!) 

God became the very thing He created in the good garden: human. But why? He wanted to show humans that He understood what it was like to be human and live in a world full of hurt, evil, loneliness, betrayal, comparison, and competition. God wants us to know we are not alone because Jesus understands what it’s like to be human. Jesus spent time healing people’s physical pain and hurts of the heart. Like a good doctor, God wants us to know He can care for our wounds from this world. 

Jesus lived on earth, keeping all of God’s guidelines (remember “the Law?”) with zero mistakes! No other human has or will be able to do this. It was a miracle!  God wants us to know that Jesus met all the “expectations” for friendship with God, so we don’t have to earn it. Jesus taught people how God wants His people to live so they can experience peace, security, laughter, creativity, fun work, and more. God wants us to know His instructions are how we experience the goodness (from the garden) today, right now! (Yay!) But WAIT! You haven’t heard the best part of the rescue plan…

…The most important part of the rescue is that God asked Jesus to pay the cost of Israelites’ mistakes made in their friendship with God. When they went against God’s good and safe instructions, they broke the “law,” so a price needed to be paid. God asked Jesus to cover it, even though Jesus never made a mistake or broke one of God’s guidelines. Jesus chose to pay the price so people could have the choice to be friends with God forever. 

This choice wasn’t just for the Israelites, but for everyone, including you and me. He did this so we could be in friendship with God forever- without having to work for it. The cost to pay for sin was very high. It cost Jesus His life. He died in a terrible and painful way to pay the price for sin in the world. He faced death because He wanted us to experience the goodness of God forever. The goodness that existed in the garden with Adam and Eve. The goodness that will exist forever in Heaven.

Three days later, women went to the place where He was buried, but He was not there! (What?!?) Jesus had beaten death and was alive again! He did it! Jesus fought against all the bad, dark, evil stuff in this world, and HE WON! This win gave people an opportunity to enjoy the goodness that was in the garden. Right now. Today. Because of Jesus’ life, death, and return, we have an opportunity to be in a kind, healing, loving relationship, and God gives each of us a choice. He does not force anyone to choose His love. If He did, it would not be real love.

God’s greatest gift is giving people a choice to accept His friend request.

Guess what? People chose! They wanted to experience the same love Adam and Eve had experienced in the Garden, so they put their trust in Jesus. They wanted to know of the good world where God heals ALL, loves BIG and accepts ANYONE. When Adam and Eve doubted God’s love instead of trusting it, they made way for other people to have the same struggle. Boys and girls are all born with the question, Does God love me? And because of what Jesus did, people can answer the question! Does God love me? Yes, Yes, and Yes!!!

People of different skin colors and ages can choose to believe in Jesus and His power- not just the Israelites. It doesn’t matter what they have done or not done. God wants to be with friends with everyone. Once people choose Jesus, He lives inside He gives His new friends help. God sent another form of Himself, called the Holy Spirit, to live within them. Just like water can turn to ice, water can also turn to steam- three different forms of the same thing. God is the Creator, Jesus is the Hero, and the Holy Spirit is the Helper.

Because Jesus pleased God and followed the rules of the “Law,” followers of Jesus enjoy a friendship with God like Adam and Eve! Remember the goodness of the garden? It is now theirs! Yours! (What a love story!) So when we feel hurt, we have instant access to our best friend. We can talk with Him and tell Him how it feels. We can share every thought. We can ask Him to heal our heart’s aches and pains because healing is His special superpower.

When people put their trust in Jesus, they become friends with God. They join a big family called the Church. A long time ago, God asked a few people to write down some of His spoken words. They hand-made copies and sent them to Churches around the world who read it out loud to other Christians. As the Word was read, the Holy Spirit spoke to each individual and the group. He still does this today! 

With the invention of the printing press, the Bible was recorded on paper, and copies of the Bible grew fast and wide. With cell phones and apps, people now get the Spoken Word with the swipe of a finger.

For the Church to know how to live this new, good life on earth with Him and others, God gave His Spoken Word, the Bible. Even though He spoke it aloud long ago, He stills speaks it today too!  When we trust His love, His instructions become an important guide to understand and live in this world. They become a way to enjoy God’s goodness from the garden today. We can enjoy Him. He can adore us. We can laugh, play, work, and create together. We can ask Him to heal our hurts. 

And this is the part of the story where you come in! Did you know God created every human being? Not one person is a mistake! You are a part of God’s Love Story. He thought up the idea of you. Why?!? The same reason He made Adam and Eve. He wants to experience friendship with you where you enjoy Him, and He adores you. You are like two peas in a pod- made for each other. He is sad that pain exists in your world, but He put a plan in place to help and, because of love, you have a choice. You can choose to believe the love story of God and in the power of Jesus to connect you with God forever. 

When you do, Jesus is the Hero, and He ties you into a friendship that cannot ever end. Best. Friends. Forever.God wants you to know you are not alone because Jesus understands what it’s like to be human.

Like a good doctor, God wants you to know He can care for your wounds from this world. God wants you to know that Jesus met all the “expectations” for friendship with God, so you don’t have to earn it.

God wants you to know His instructions are how you experience the goodness (from the garden) today, right now!

The final part of God’s rescue plan is so exciting!

Jesus still has one mission left, and it is the final battle with evil. 

Like any good love story, there is always an exciting, dramatic end! 

Thankfully, we know the ending!

Jesus returns and crushes evil (and the bad guys) once and for all. 

He gathers together His Church (the Christians) and sets up God’s Kingdom once and for all. 

God creates a new heaven and a new earth. Jesus’ followers will live with peace, safety, joy, and love. There will be no more pain, hurt, illness, shame, blame, bullying, and more. 

People who have rejected God and His Love Story will not be able to enjoy this life of safety and security.

Christians who have died will come back to this new life God promised.

Because Jesus beat death, no one will experience death again. 

God created the world for us to enjoy and created us to experience friendship with Him. What His enemy stole, God will restore.

The Love Story will be complete.

God + You = Greatest Love Story Ever Told.