Parenting with Mental Health in Mind – RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
The statistics are staggering: One in five kids suffers from an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is on the rise among our kids, and so is...
Does Your Kid Choose Friends Wisely? – SPIRITUAL HABITS SERIES 2
If we want kids to grow up to be more like Jesus, they should be actively doing more things like Jesus did them. For example, they should...
Can Kids Spend Time With God on Their Own? – SPIRITUAL HABITS SERIES 1
This month, we’re discussing the 4 PROVEN ways kids grow spiritually. These aren’t the only ways middle school kids learn how...
Raising Kids Shapes Us as Parents – RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
Parenting is complicated. The lessons we teach (and lesons we learn) are not always what we expect. There are many resources that discuss...
PARENT TIP – HOW TO GET YOUR TEENAGERS TO OPEN UP
Have you ever had one of those breakthrough moments in parenting where a conversation suddenly goes way deeper than you expected and your...
PARENT TIP – HOW TO ASK FOR HELP
Hey grown-up, can I tell you something? I know you’re parenting some teenagers right now, and that can be hard. But you are amazing....
Why Do Teens Take Risks? – RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
Ever noticed how impulsive, risky, and (let’s face it) kind of dumb teenagers can be sometimes? Yeah, so have we. Many parents and...
PARENT TIP – SET BOUNDARIES FOR YOUR TEENAGER
Hey parents, let me tell you a little secret about teenagers. They’re not going to like that I told you this, so maybe make sure yours...
Where to Read the Whole Christmas Story
When I was growing up, my family had a few special Christmas traditions. One of the ones I remember most was my dad sitting us down on...
Lasting Faith for Your Kids – RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
We don’t have youth group meetings for the rest of the month, but that doesn’t mean that we’re done supporting YOU, the...
PARENT TIP – HANG OUT WITH YOUR TEENAGER—NOW!
If you’re parenting a teenager, I just want to point out one thing. The time you have with your teenager living under your roof is...
5 Questions to Inspire Thanks
Thanksgiving can be hard. Preparation, cooking, family tension, and travel are all things that can make Thanksgiving a difficult...
Too Much Screen Time for Your Kids? – RESOURCE OF THE MONTH
Is your kid glued to screens too much? More than any other generation, young people today are surrounded by screens. As parents, we know...
PARENT TIP – MODEL A FAITH YOU’D WANT YOUR TEENAGER TO IMITATE
Hey parents, I know it might not seem like it, but your teenager is watching you. I know, I know, you probably feel like they’ve...
RESOURCE: The Grown-Ups Guide to Teenage Humans by Josh Shipp
Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story. In 2015, Harvard researchers found that every child who does well in the...
PARENT TIP – HOW TO GET YOUR TEENAGER TALKING
Have you ever struggled to have a conversation with your teenager? That was probably a stupid question. Of course you’ve struggled...
RESOURCE: The Culture Translator by axis.org
One thing that’s difficult as a parent (or even as a youth pastor) is how to keep up with all the trends, lingo, and fads that are...
A Back to School Prayer
Dear Father God, Thank you for my child who is also your child. Hey, we’re co-parents. I hadn’t even thought of that. Thank you for...
PARENT TIP – YOU’RE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR KID’S LIFE
Okay, parents. Let me guess. Since your kid became a teenager, you pretty much feel hated most of the time, am I right? One minute,...
Eat a Meal, Give a Meal – Part 5 of 5 Easy Ways to S.E.R.V.E. as a Family
Did you ever notice that Jesus spent a lot of his life around food? Maybe that’s because we all do, with 21 meals a week for the...
Volunteer Your Voice – Part 4 of 5 Easy Ways to S.E.R.V.E. as a Family
Did you know that there is a great way to let your kids use your phone while also growing to be more like the character of Jesus? No, it...
Raise Awareness and Money – Part 3 of 5 Easy Ways to S.E.R.V.E. as a Family
We’ve been exploring ways to serve others as a family, and this week we’re looking at ways to get involved in BIGGER projects....
Encourage Essential Workers – Part 2 of 5 Easy Ways to S.E.R.V.E. as a Family
We’ve been talking about simple actions you can take as a family to bless other people this summer. These are all simple little...
5 Easy Ways to S.E.R.V.E. as a Family – Part 1
This month, we’re practicing different ways to serve our neighbors as a family in 5 simple ways. Each of these activities can be done...
What Does the Bible Say About Race?
Our world seems to be constantly in upheaval right now, and many of us are experiencing a personal unraveling of our “norm” as...
How to Help Your Kid Overcome Anxiety
For a lot of us, this past month was a month of firsts—the first time we attended every meeting in sweatpants, the first time we let a...