Parenting | What Kids Need Most in a Parent - Rated PG: Parental Guidance Needed - Part 1

Send us Fan MailWHAT KIDS NEED MOST IN A PARENTRATED PG: Parental Guidance Needed - Part 1Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith StewartFebruary 19, 2023Parents are often exhausted, stressed out, & under constant pressure. Clear up the confusion, relieve unrealistic expectations, & get focused on the essentials that enable our kids to become all that they were meant to be.DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. According to the Britannica Dictionary, a stereotype is an often unfair and untrue belief that many people have about all people or things with a particular characteristic. What other stereotypes exist in our society in relation to moms and dads?2. Take some time as a group to discuss the modern phenomenon of the increasingly mobile and as a result isolated nuclear family. As parenting falls more exclusively and squarely on the shoulders of just the mom and dad (as opposed to the extended family), the pressure becomes unbearable, the knowledge and limited experience take a toll and parents feel completely alone against their challenges. What can parents do to mitigate those realities? Who else do you rely on when the going gets tough? What are the benefits of having others involved in helping to raise your children?3. Take some time as a group to discuss the developmental chart that Pastor Keith shared in the message. Ask yourself about the three primary developmental needs; nurture, affection, and attention and modeling – what was your experience in those areas growing up? Which did your parent(s) do particularly well? Were any of these diminished or not what you hoped they would be? How does that affect you today? Discuss your thoughts on parental absence as it relates to these developmental needs. 4. Pastor Keith discussed the importance of play as it relates to nurturing. Did your parents play with you? Did you play with your children? Why do you think play is regarded as frivolous? If your parents didn’t play with you, how did they spend time with you? Kids spell love T-I-M-E. They both want and need to be with their parents. Some parents overestimate how much time they spend with their children. Realistically, how much time did your parents spend with you? How much time did you spend with your children? 5. We desperately need both affection and attention. How affectionate were your parents? How affectionate are you? According to Ross Campbell, who wrote the book, How to Really Love Your Child, “6-year-old boys receive 1/6th as much hugging and kissing as 6 year-old-girls.” He also discussed the truth that first-grade boys get into trouble 6x’s more frequently than first-grade girls. Do you think there’s a correlation between those two facts? Why aren’t little boys treated with the same affection as little girls? Do you think this is a good thing or not?In terms of attention, our kids really do desire ours. In particular, they want parents who listen well. In fact, they will often seek out other adults in order to get an adult perspective on their problems. They just want someone who will listen as opposed to react to everything they’re saying. Were your parent's good listeners? Are you a good listener?  What are some good open-ended questions that lead to great conversations?6. There are three messages God spoke to His Son that serve as a great pattern for parenting today, I love you, I believe in you, and I’m proud of you. Talk about the importance of those messages and your personal experience with them in regard to your parents and parenting.Pastor Keith added one more message that God does not need to communicate but we most certainly do and that is “I am sorry.” Have you ever apologized to your kids? For what? How was that received? Were you ever apologized to by your parents? For what? What effect did that have on you?https://www.springcreekchurch.org/#realspringcreekchurch #parenting