As parents, we desire our kids to be healthy, functional people, but parenting presents a lot of challenges most people aren’t prepared for. Many people look back and wish they’d done things a little differently. Here, we want to provide you with a plan so you don’t miss out on good opportunities to raise your kids well.
A key verse to set up the conversation is the famous “shema” of Deuteronomy 6:
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
Moses commanded the Israelites to talk to their children about God’s laws, and that’s what FLEX parenting is all about.
Conversational Culture in the Home
We should be engaged and involved with our kids in the home, but many parents don’t really know how to talk to their kids about faith. The tools at pursueGOD.org are a great way to start talking. The ultimate goal is to create a culture of conversation in your home.
Start Young
Starting young with solid biblical teaching in the home will begin shaping your kids and will prepare them for the tough stuff life will throw at them. The tests will come, but have you helped your kids study? For many parents with kids at home, the answer is no.
The Method and Tools of FLEX Parenting
FLEX parenting is based on the “FLEX method.” In simple terms, this acronym assumes you’re using the tools at pursueGOD.org, pursueGODkids.org, or FLEXTALK.org to have conversations. You find a topic (F), learn about it (LE), and explore it together in a family conversation (X) using the discussion questions our websites provide.
Whether you find family conversations easy or hard, make them a habit in your home. Even if you only talk for ten minutes at a time once a week, keep doing it again and again as you explore God’s word and godly principles together as a family.
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Think about yourself growing up. What are some things you wish your parents had done differently in parenting?
- Think about yourself as a parent so far. What are some mistakes you’ve made you wish you hadn’t?
- Read Deuteronomy 6:4-7. What do these verses teach about how we should live by God’s standards and teach our kids?
- Do you struggle with talking to your kids about faith topics? Is faith for your kids mostly something you let the Sunday school teacher handle? Explain.
- Why is it important to start young when you are training up your children in the Lord? If your kids are older and you haven’t started yet, what can you start doing this week to make changes?
- What steps do you need to take to start building a conversational culture in your home and making conversations a habit?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
