Category Archives: Uncategorized

Learning To Value Rest & Practice Sabbath

EMAIL 1

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Subject Line: Learning To Valuing Rest

Dear Parents,

We all know that the holidays can be a bit crazy for all of us. This supposed season of joy can often spiral into a season of chaos with so much to do and so many places to be. We place value on a lot of things that, if we’re honest, might not really matter in the long run. This month we want to encourage you to take some time to value rest and maybe slow it down a little. What would it look like for both you and your family to learn how to rest in God and who He is and really celebrate “God with us” – Emmanuel? Check out this month’s Online Parenting Class video to take some steps in that direction.

To watch the brief video, click the link below.

[ INSERT LINK TO ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

I hope you and your family have a great, restful holiday season this year!

Praying with you and for you as you lead at home.

[ INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE ]

EMAIL 2

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Subject Line: Embracing the Idea of Sabbath

Dear Parents,

In your life, do you embrace the idea of sabbath? Other than knowing that the church talks about Sunday being a sabbath, have you ever really thought about what sabbath means and how you can incorporate it into your normal rhythm of life? Instead of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted this holiday season, what if you decided to focus on doing less and on hitting pause (with a sabbath) so that you could spend more time savoring every moment with your family? In this month’s blog article, you’ll be encouraged and given some ways to do just that. Take a few minutes to check it out. You’ll be glad you did.

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P PARENTING BLOG ARTICLE ]

And don’t forget to watch this month’s Online Parenting Class video where we encourage you to learn a little more about what it means to embrace a normal sabbath in your life and learn how to live from a place of rest.

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

Thanks again for letting us speak into your life, and we pray that you and your family can embrace a life that flows from sabbath and rest.

In this alongside you,

[ INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE ]

Video Script

Well, welcome to the chaos! I mean we are in a time of life, the holiday season, where things get a little crazy. Your kids are ready to get to that long-awaited break from school and there’s a lot of stuff happening that lead up to Christmas. You may have family events and parties with friends, you have errands to run and services to attend and, oh yeah, presents to buy. But we all know that this season is supposed to be about something else … It’s supposed to be about Emmanuel, “God with us.” We get to celebrate the birth of Jesus and receive the spirit of God into our hearts and lives, and we get to lead our kids in that same direction.

Well, I have a question for you that might be good for you to ponder this time of year. How often do you take time to just rest? Yes, I said rest. I don’t just mean sleep rest. I don’t just mean Netflix binge rest or scroll on your phone rest. I don’t mean time off for vacation rest. I mean rest that is rooted in Psalm 46:10, which says: “He says (meaning God), He says, ‘Be still and know that I am God.’” How often do you step into the practice of being still? How often do you think about and allow your heart and mind to know that He, Jesus, is God? How often do you find a spot where you can put everything away, where you can focus your heart and your mind, and you can maybe live in what Paul in the new testament calls “a peace that transcends understanding” that only comes from God?

When it comes to this particular season, the holidays, I would encourage you to maybe do something that you might not normally do. I would hope that you could value REST in God. What if you could let go of the need for everything to get done, for everything to be perfect, and what if you could embrace a rest that focuses on God and His love for you? What would this season of your life look like if all the things that the world tells us are important just faded to the background and you didn’t run yourself and maybe your family ragged? What if “Emmanuel, God with us”, was enough? You can still have Christmas and buy presents and enjoy gatherings. But what if you took some of the time and emotional energy you normally put into the craziness of the holidays, and you just rested? And what if you led your kids to do the same?

Your kids are out of school and home. Slow down and enjoy it. Make the most of that time. Maybe focus on some simple traditions you can create for your family so your kids will experience the holidays in a different way. Maybe model for your kids a different way of living and show them that the most important thing we can do is love God and love others.

And then, when we head into a more “normal” time of life, whatever that looks like, step into some practices that will allow you to experience real rest. Do you value sabbath? Most of us, when we think about “sabbath” we think about Sunday as a Sabbath and that’s when we go to church and try to take the day off (but youth sports has ruined that). What if you embraced the biblical concept of Sabbath, a regular period of time in your life, say weekly, where you rest in God and who He is? Again, not just rest, but rest IN GOD? Sabbath is a way of remembering and expressing the truth that God is our creator and deliverer and sustainer. We are dependent on him for all we have in the world AND for the strength we need to lead in the way He has called us to lead our families. Make space for sabbath in your life and maybe lead your kids into a practice of sabbath. They need it. They need to learn the value of resting in God and the fact that He loves them. They need space to embrace who He has created them to be and experience the peace that comes with that.

Yes, the holidays can be crazy, and we can get worn out, but we all know that life in general can be crazy, and we can get worn out at any time of the year. If we’re going to be able to sustain any type of sanity and joy in life, we have to learn how to rest.

 

 

11.1.22

Your November Resources Are Here!

This month of M2P is all about getting (and staying) “in the game.” As parents and ministry leaders, we often find ourselves thrown into a game-time scenario in that we feel vastly underprepared to play or that we lack the training or skillset to truly compete. Imagine being a confident, professional field-goal kicker who is suddenly thrown into a football game as an offensive lineman. It doesn’t take long for any confidence you had to begin to fade as you look across at the large dump truck of a man you are now responsible for blocking (or at least slowing down). As your palms start to sweat and the anxiety grows, your thoughts become more focused on your literal survival than on your potential to thrive. I think it’s safe to assume that you’d be much more concerned with the more likely reality of being carried off the field on a stretcher than the potential of being carried off the field on the shoulders of your teammates.

As crazy as that example may sound, is it really that different than the very real feelings of anxiety and hopelessness so many of us feel as parents who are trying to raise children in today’s culture? Or as a children’s ministry leader who’s trying to lead well in the realities of a post-COVID church. The stress, anxiety, and panic of surviving ultimately drown out all thoughts of staying “in the game,” much less thriving there. Parents are truly struggling with making faith and church involvement a top priority in the rhythm of their family. Children’s ministry leaders, who are still feeling the impact of the last few years of being thrown into a new world, are trying to lead in a new normal where families view their church involvement differently. If we’re honest, parents and ministry leaders alike are struggling with “staying in the game” emotionally and spiritually. We just feel like we are being run over by the dump truck of a lineman again and again. We need tools and disciplines that will keep our faith and health strong. We hope this month’s M2P resources help you stay in the game and lead parents and families to stay involved.

For more on this topic, don’t forget to check out the blog articles, coaching video, online parenting class video, toolbox item, and the latest episode of the M2P Podcast. Remember that we are here to serve you and to help you serve parents, so let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you or your ministry.

Blessings, 

The M2P Team

WHAT IS IT?

This Parenting Self-Evaluation & Personal-Growth Resource is designed to help parents take some time to think about how they are parenting and evaluate how “in the game” they are when it comes to their kids’ spiritual growth. This resource works hand in hand with this month’s video, articles, and social media posts and challenges parents to make sure they aren’t just in the stands cheering their kids on, but they are actually “in the game” with their kids.

HOW TO USE IT

  • Download “Parenting Self-Evaluation & Personal-Growth Resource” and post it on your website.
  • Email parents a copy of the resource or a link to it and encourage them to set aside some time to go through the questions.
  • Print copies of the document for parents to grab at church.

To download, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

This month we want to encourage you, as a children’s ministry leader, to step more and more into your role as a coach for the parents in your church and community. You’re not just someone who plans and runs programming for kids; you are a spiritual leader who has been given tremendous influence. You have the ability to guide parents and help them step into the role God has called them to play in their kids’ lives, so check out this month’s video that may help you stay “in the game” yourself.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

In this month’s parent video, we encourage parents to intentionally focus on building strong relationships with their kids that will last a lifetime. Our lives and the lives of our kids are often so busy that we, as parents, must be highly intentional about carving out the time to foster healthy relationships and not allow that time to get crowded out. As parents, we need to take building relationships with our kids seriously and make it just as much an intentional part of our parenting strategy as we do guiding, directing, and correcting.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

New blog posts coming this month:

  • Coaching Parents to Lead by Chris Sasser
  • Parents on the Sidelines – Encouraging Them to Lead at Home by Amy Diller
  • The Best Defense Might Be a Good Offense by Chris Sasser
  • Stay Off the Sidelines by Amy Diller

To view, click HERE. 

Get in the Game, and Help Parents Do the Same

This month we want to encourage you, as a children’s ministry leader, to step more and more into your role as a coach for the parents in your church and community. You’re not just someone who plans and runs programming for kids; you are a spiritual leader who has been given tremendous influence. You have the ability to guide parents and help them step into the role God has called them to play in their kids’ lives, so check out this month’s video that may help you stay “in the game” yourself.

Click the image above to watch the video or click HERE!

Get In The Game For Your Child. Get In The Game With Your Child.

EMAIL 1

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Subject Line: More Than a Referee

Dear Parents,

As our kids move through the game of life, parents can often feel like a referee. There are fouls to call and boundaries to watch. If we want for our kids to really embrace and grow in their faith, we need to be more than a referee. We need to be “in the game” with them.

This month’s Online Parenting Class video will provide great encouragement for you and some practical tips, ideas, and resources on how to better lead/coach your kid’s spiritual growth journey. To watch the brief video, click the link below.

[ INSERT LINK TO ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

Thanks for letting us be “in the game” with you as we all seek to help our kids grow in their faith. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you.

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: Are You “In the Game?”

Dear Parents,

As parents, it’s often easy to sit in the stands and watch our kids move through life. Sure, we want to cheer them on, but there are times when we need to be more than their biggest fan. We need to be “in the game” with them.

In this month’s blog article, you’ll discover some practical tips on get off the sidelines and get in the game. Take a few minutes to check it out. You’ll be glad you did.

And don’t forget to check out this month’s Online Parenting Class video, where we give you some encouragement, tips, ideas, and resources on how you can do more than cheer your kids on but play in the game with them.

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P PARENTING BLOG ARTICLE ]

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

Hang in there and keep playing hard! Also, remember that we are always here for you if you need us.

Praying with you and for you, as you lead at home.

[ INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE ]

Video Script

Whistle …… That’s a personal foul on Sally for pushing her brother! Oh wow, that’s a technical foul on Billy for biting Sally! That actually might be targeting!

When it comes to family life, do you sometimes feel like a referee? When our kids are small, and our house is busy, we sometimes spend all day long just calling fouls, keeping score, and trying to keep the game under control. The reality is that when we think about the mental, emotional, and spiritual growth and development of our kids, it’s a bigger game to care about, isn’t it? I recently heard a quote that I think applies to what I want to talk about. “Let’s not lose our kids to a world that isn’t playing fair with this generation. What we have to do is GET IN THE GAME!”

I don’t want to reduce the lives of our children to a game, but I think the analogy works. There is a game, and sometimes several games, that they have to play each and every day, and you and I, as parents, have to pay attention to the games that our kids are playing. There’s a game that is happening with their identity where they are trying to figure out who they are and where they belong. They play comparison games with their siblings, and their peers, and with the world. They sometimes play games with their faith. As they grow up, they learn the right things to say, and they can sometimes be involved with church just enough to make it look like they are serious about it all. And the way the world is influencing our kids is not fair! We could call a lot of fouls on that.

In order for our kids to be in the right game of life and faith, I would argue that we, as their parents, have to be so much more than referees; we have to be in the game with them. Now I’m not talking about the helicopter game where we hover and make sure everything is going well. But I do mean that we need to do more than be satisfied with just being in the stands and watching them play, but we need to be playing WITH them. In order for your kids to be “in the game,” you need to be “in the game” too.

We need to be in the game with our own faith. Too many parents send their kids to Sunday school and VBS, and other church events hoping that the church will lead their kids in the right direction. Well, I have to tell you that our kids see through that. If we are hoping that they will develop a real, authentic faith themselves, we have to model what a real, authentic faith looks like and make talking about faith a normal and natural part of life.

We also need to be in the game when it comes to the relationships we are building with our children. We need to go beyond just guiding them and teaching them the things we think they need to know, but we need to intentionally connect with them in order to deepen the relationships that we have together. We have to invest in them and give them time, and because our kids are so busy, we might sometimes need to adapt our schedules to fit into theirs. We also might need to walk away from the games or other things we do on our devices and not be distracted when we interact with our kids.

Finally, I think we need to be in the game with our church. As humans, we are wired for community, and we need to value being involved with the faith community of our church. Again, if we push our children to be involved in church, but we aren’t involved ourselves, in the long run, our actions will speak louder than our words, and they might not value being a part of a faith community.

So, what does it mean for you, as a parent to be “in the game” when it comes to the faith of your kids? Because you know what? You’re #1. You are, You are the #1 spiritual leader in your kids’ lives, so figure out how you can get in the game with them and not just be a spectator in the stands.

10.1.22

Your October Resources Are Here!

This month at M2P, we’re focusing on quite possibly the most important aspect of our lives: relationships. Our relationships are truly at the center of everything we do, and they chart the course for our homes. How can we, as children’s ministry leaders, help the kids and parents who participate in our ministry build and maintain strong relationships in their homes? We all know that strong relationships in life start with a strong relationship with God, so this month we want to provide you with ideas, tools, and resources to help parents think about how to build and deepen the spiritual and relational connections in their families.

For more on this topic, don’t forget to check out the blog articles, coaching video, online parenting class video, toolbox item, and the latest episode of the M2P Podcast. Remember that we are here to serve you and to help you serve parents, so let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you or your ministry.

Blessings, 

The M2P Team

WHAT IS IT?

This month’s toolbox item called “Relational Building Blocks” is a downloadable resource that gives parents some practical suggestions for how to strengthen their relationships with their kids. There are small things parents can consistently do that will help build and sustain healthy relationships that will last over time.

HOW TO USE IT

  • Download “Relational Building Blocks” and post it on your website.
  • Email parents a copy of the resource or a link to it and encourage them to take the time to think through how they can implement these simple suggestions.
  • Print copies of “Relational Building Blocks” to have available at church.

To download, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

This month we want to help you think through how you can help families develop stronger relationships at home. How can you, as a children’s ministry worker, build a culture and create opportunities that will help parents build the relationships with their children that they will need to sustain them along their journey together? Well, there are some things you can do to set families up for success in this area, and we will share them with you in this month’s video.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

In this month’s parent video, we encourage parents to intentionally focus on building strong relationships with their kids that will last a lifetime. Our lives and the lives of our kids are often so busy that we, as parents, must be highly intentional about carving out the time to foster healthy relationships and not allow that time to get crowded out. As parents, we need to take building relationships with our kids seriously and make it just as much an intentional part of our parenting strategy as we do guiding, directing, and correcting.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

New blog posts coming this month:

  • Relationships Matter by Chris Sasser
  • Training Small Group Leaders and Sunday School Teachers to Honor Parents by Amy Diller
  • Connection Over Content by Chris Sasser
  • Tips for Building Stronger Relationships with Your Kids by Amy Diller

To view, click HERE. 

Helping Families Build Strong Relationships at Home

This month we want to help you think through how you can help families develop stronger relationships at home. How can you, as a children’s ministry worker, build a culture and create opportunities that will help parents build the relationships with their children that they will need to sustain them along their journey together? Well, there are some things you can do to set families up for success in this area, and we will share them with you in this month’s video.

Click the image above to watch the video or click HERE!

Building Strong Relationships With Your Child

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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

9.1.22

Your September Resources Are Here!

This month of M2P content is laser-focused on helping parents and children’s ministry leaders better navigate the incredible pressure to perform that permeates our culture. So whether you have a ministry parent trying to lead their kids into a healthy mindset or you’re a children’s ministry leader trying to live into the calling you have received, M2P has got you covered. So dive into this month’s content because we have some incredible insight, tips, tools, and encouragement for you and the parents you serve!

For more on this topic, don’t forget to check out the blog articles, coaching video, online parenting class video, toolbox item, and the latest episode of the M2P Podcast. Remember that we are here to serve you and to help you serve parents, so let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you or your ministry.

Blessings, 

The M2P Team

 

WHAT IS IT?

This REAL TALK: PARENT GUIDE is designed to help facilitate a family conversation around the pressure that kids feel to perform in every area of life. Parents can help their kids identify ways to reduce the pressure and step into a more sustainable pace of life and a healthier view of themselves.

HOW TO USE IT

  • Download the REAL TALK: PARENT GUIDE and post it on your website.
  • Email parents a copy of the resource or a link to it and encourage them to take time as a family to have the conversation.
  • Print copies of the REAL TALK: PARENT GUIDE for parents to grab at church.

To download, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

This month we encourage you, as a ministry leader, to think about how you navigate the pressure you feel to perform. We all want to be the best ministry leaders we can be, but how clear are we about what success looks like and how much of our identity is wrapped up in what we do, not who God says we are? This month’s coaching video provides you with some practical wisdom and encouragement about setting appropriate boundaries and resting in your identity first and foremost as a child of God.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

In this month’s Online Parenting Class video, we encourage parents to pay attention to the immense pressure their kids are feeling and how this pressure is impacting them in so many ways. There are some practical things a parent can do to reduce the pressure at home and help their kid build a healthier outlook on life.

To view, click HERE for youth and HERE for kids.

New blog posts coming this month:

  • Navigating the Pressure to Perform in Children’s Ministry by Amy Diller
  • Living for An Audience of One by Chris Sasser
  • Helping Children Navigate the Pressure to Perform by Amy Diller
  • Reducing the Pressure by Chris Sasser

To view, click HERE. 

Reducing the Pressure in Children’s Ministry

This month we encourage you, as a children’s ministry leader, to think about how you navigate the pressure you feel to perform. We all want to be the best children’s ministry leaders we can be, but how clear are we about what success looks like and how much of our identity is wrapped up in what we do, not who God says we are? This month’s coaching video provides you with some practical wisdom and encouragement about setting appropriate boundaries and resting in your identity first and foremost as a child of God.

Click the image above to watch the video or click HERE!

Help Your Kid Navigate the Pressure to Perform

EMAIL 1

Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.

 

Subject Line: Feeling the Pressure?

 

Dear Parents,

Do you ever think about the amount of pressure your child is under? As adults, we have come to expect pressure as a part of life, but our kids are experiencing an enormous amount of pressure at earlier and earlier ages. They feel it as they begin to learn that they have to perform everywhere in life. They have to perform at school, in sports, with their friends, and sometimes at home. This pressure they feel to perform is crushing them in many ways, and they don’t know how to navigate it all. 

 

This month’s Online Parenting Class video will provide you with some tips as to how you can help your child deal with the pressure they feel to perform. 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.

 

Cheering you on, 

[INSERT LEADER’S SIGNATURE HERE]

 

 

EMAIL 2

Copy/ Paste this email into a browser and send it to parents.

 

Subject Line: Reduce the Pressure at Home!

 

Dear Parents,

As you seek to help your child navigate the pressure they feel to perform in life, have you ever considered reducing the pressure at home? That’s right, what if we, as parents, turned down the heat when it comes to performance and allowed our kids to have a place to just rest and breathe? What if we helped our kids experience a childhood that is characterized by fun, encouragement, rest, security, and peace instead of memories of pressure, stress, conflict, and anxiety? Would they be healthier in the long run? I think they would!

 

Check out this month’s blog article that might just give you a different perspective on your child and performance. And if you haven’t watched this month’s Online Parenting Class video, you still have time. To read the blog article or watch the video, click on the links below.

 

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P PARENTING BLOG ARTICLE ]

 

[ INSERT LINK TO M2P ONLINE PARENTING CLASS VIDEO ]

 

We are in this together! Let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you or your family.

 

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Video Script

I don’t know how good your memory is, but I can remember a few things from my childhood. Now, I have to remember back further than some of you do, but I remember being in elementary school and headed off for that first day. I remember helping my mom pack my lunch box and fill up my thermos. I remember being a little nervous on the ride to school. I remember being scared to walk into the building, even though we had already been to open house and met my teachers. I remember feeling anxious and feeling the pressure that comes with being at school. 

 I remember playing sports, going to practice and to games and feeling the pressure from my coaches to catch or hit or throw the ball. I remember feeling the pressure to win and the pressure to perform. 

I remember riding my bike and in playing in the backyard with a crew of friends for my neighborhood. I remember feeling like I needed to try to fit in with the “cool kids” on the block.  

You have some of these same kind of memories too, and your kids are feeling some of the same kind of pressure you felt. Pressure is something that all kids feel, and I’m sure that’s been true throughout all of time.  

But I want to point out something that I think you already know. This is something that we’ve all known for years, but I feel like the weight of it is either just starting to really hit me, or it’s just getting heavier. Most kids today are feeling not a little bit of pressure, but they are feeling overwhelming pressure when it comes to their performance, and this pressure begins to mount at an earlier and earlier age. They are learning that, “You have to perform or you’re just not good enough.” If you can’t catch or kick the ball you won’t make the travel team. If you can’t get the best grades, you won’t be set up for getting into the AP or honors classes when you get to high school. If you don’t have a cell phone and the right social media account, you’ll get left behind with your group of friends. There is pressure on our kids EVERYWHERE like there has never been before.  

We all recognize that the way our kids perform in school, sports, or drama – it can have a real impact on their future. Their school performance can dictate if they can be set up to further their education, and it is important. The sports performance can give them some great opportunities and some fun experiences.  

But I would ask, how important are all of these expectations around performance? Is all of this so important they should feel such immense pressure to perform that it crushes them? Is their performance so important that it should consume their childhood years and rob them of experiences they can never get back? Is the long-term benefit of getting that extra three-tenths of the grade point or average or being a little better at kicking, throwing, hitting, or catching the ball worth the lost years that so quickly fade away? Is it so important that we’re okay with our kids believing they are not “good enough” if they don’t get the best grades or get on the right team or get the best part? Is the anxiety worth it?  

I say “no.” I say we have to do some things to help our kids lower their stress. We have to be pro-active in helping to steer them away from the anxiety that we know can lead to some real depression. Here are a few practical things you can maybe do to lead your kids in a more healthy direction: 

Be aware of the pressure they feel from the world and the pressure they feel from you. You know how much your kids look up to you and often hang on every word you say. Steward that well and say things that will lead your kids away from feeling this enormous pressure to perform that they can so easily feel. Reduce the pressure in your home. I know it may sound crazy in a world that pushes us to drive our kids to success, but maybe lower the expectations just a little. Provide some space for them to just be kids and do whatever you can to help them have a childhood that is characterized by fun, encouragement, rest, and peace instead of memories of pressure, stress, conflict, and anxiety. 

And as you help your kids navigate the things they have to do in the world, as you help them develop a sense of responsibility and some of the tools they WILL need to thrive in the world, don’t just push them through it, but help them through it. Don’t always have a posture that forces them to figure it out and develop some grit (which they definitely need). But, help them along the way. Help them learn the things they need to learn, help them step into the things they need to step into, be WITH them on their journey instead of pushing them out to figure out the journey themselves.  

Take some time to think through how you can help your kids navigate the pressure they feel to perform on so many levels. Pay attention to the social pressure they are under and do whatever you can to help them develop a healthy identity that isn’t based on how they perform.