Did you know that your kids can help your family grow stronger, make you happy, and bring honor to your family name? God’s Word says it’s possible.
I know when I first heard this, I asked, “Do you mean MY kids? The ones who just flunked algebra? The ones who let the air out of the tires just to feel the wind on their faces? The ones who broke the window trying to throw rocks over the house? Do you mean those kids?”
Yes, those kids!
If we, as parents, fear the Lord and obey His Word, our seed (our children) will be mighty upon this planet (Psalm 112). God’s Word also tells us that our children are a reward from God, that they can bring us great joy (Psalm 127:3-5). The kind of reward they bring us depends on us teaching and training them according to the Word of God.
RAISING PROBLEM SOLVERS
Thankfully, the goal in parenting is not to have perfect kids. There are no perfect people, but there are “getting back up” people. The Bible says in Proverbs 24:16 that although the righteous may fall seven times, they get back up. We can raise “getting back up” kids.
These are kids that look to solve problems. They won’t hesitate to solve big problems, small problems, their own problems, and even other people’s problems.
Tip: We need to model the problem-solving behavior we want to see in our children.
In order to raise problem-solvers, there is a biblical to-do list we parents need to follow.
THE PARENT’S TO-DO LIST
There are five principles that will help you train your children to be problem-solvers.
As parents, the first principle to raising “getting back up” kids is to realize it all starts with prayer. Prayer allows God to work in our children. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it needs to be daily.
WHY: God can’t move on this planet unless someone asks Him. If we are going to see our kids grow to be who God intended them to be, then, as parents, we’d better be praying. Plus, there will be days that you won’t know what’s going on in your child’s head, but God does and when you pray, He will give you wisdom and insight!
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24
It needs to be a priority to have yourself and your family in a great local church that teaches God’s Word. Going to church won’t make you holy, but it will give you the opportunity to grow and to fellowship with other believers. Life gets busy, but by putting a priority on being involved and serving your church you are teaching them to walk out their faith.
WHY: The local church is the most powerful thing on this planet. Everything outside the local church is dying. The Church is the light and the salt of a messed up planet.
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25
As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17
Ephesians 6:4, in short, teaches parents not to provoke our children to anger. Now how do you provoke a child to anger? By being inconsistent.
WHY: The Bible instructs us to raise our children using rules, rewards, and punishments. But, as you implement those methods, be consistent with each. Don’t let emotion rule when and how you enforce each of those. God is consistent with us, let’s be consistent with our children.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Children need to know that God has created them for a specific purpose and that they have unique gifts. It’s up to you to make sure your child knows this. Read them the scriptures that show God was thinking of them before there was an earth to stand on.
WHY: Without a vision, they will be moral pushovers and chameleons that never try for anything because they don’t know their worth in Jesus Christ. They are worth God’s Son to Him.
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18
RESOURCE: Your Child’s Self-Worth
Once your child knows that God has a plan for their life and they have been gifted to do something, they need to start using that gift to help others. Help them with opportunities to use their natural gifts that you see in them to help others. That’s the goal as a problem-solver!
WHY: Problem-solvers fix things and the earlier you are able to train your child to do this, the more successful their transition into adulthood will be.
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10
FAMILY BUILDING RESOURCES
