Making the Most of Teachable Moments with your Children

So, one of your children takes the last cookie from the pantry, and the other cries foul. What do you say to help solve the situation?

How do you comfort your daughter when she comes into your room at night and tells you she is afraid to sleep by herself?

What do you say if your son comes home from school and tells you about kids who are making fun of another child?

These are all valuable teachable moments that many of us experience within our daily lives. But do we always know what to say or how to comfort our children?

What if you had the ability to take some of the pressure off of yourself by showing your child what God has to say about these types of situations?

There is a parenting resource out there just for that purpose! It's called Parenting With Scripture. The book is divided into 101 sections, arranged alphabetically by subject-matter. Examples include forgiveness, humility, anger and procrastination. Each topic is comprised of Scripture passages, discussion questions, action items and parenting tips.

The format is very user-friendly. Here is a sample page for the subject of worry.

So, if a child is frightened, you could look up courage. You might find something like, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You." Psalm 56:3.

If your children are not speaking kindly to one another, you could look up kindness where you might find, "Encourage one another and build each other up."
1 Thessalonians 5:11

If your child is nervous about a test, you might look up worry and find, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:6-7

The point is to help you connect your child's daily life to the Bible and see how God's word can help them live a more healthy, happy and peaceful life.

If you would like more information, I would recommend listening to a Focus on the Family broadcast interview with the book's author, Kara Durbin.

Also, here is a link to 15 foundational bible verses the author recommends to help you in your parenting. These would be great to post on the fridge.

And, finally, the author has a great blog with lots of tangible examples. Enjoy!