“When we detach value from certain behavior and attach it to what Christ says is the most valuable, then we're not sending our kids back into that comparison trap.” – Lee Nienhuis   Lee Nienhuis is an author, speaker, and Bible teacher. She co-hosts the Martha & Mary Show and the You Can Tell the Children podcast with Bible2School. Lee’s books Brave Moms, Brave Kids and Countercultural Parenting are a clarion call for parents looking to raise wholehearted Christ followers. Lee and her husband, Mike, have four kids and live in West Michigan. During this episode, Lee Nienhuis discusses her newest book, which she co-authored with Shannon Hopkin, Comparison Girl for Teens, and how it can help teens navigate the complex world of teenage comparison and peer pressure. Lee shares practical tips and steps parents can take to foster an environment of support, affirmation, and biblical values, steering their daughters away from the pitfalls of comparison. Key Takeaways: Focus on having regular and meaningful conversations with your teenagers. This can help build a trusting relationship where they feel comfortable discussing their struggles and triumphs. Model positive behavior and be mindful of your own comparisons and criticisms, especially in front of your children. Avoid self-deprecating comments about your appearance or abilities. Instead of comparing your teenagers to others, highlight and encourage their unique strengths and talents. Praise their efforts and the qualities that make them special. Emphasize biblical values by helping your children understand their worth through the lens of their faith. Use biblical statements of value and worth that emphasize God's love and purpose for them, independent of societal metrics. If you realize you’ve made unfair comparisons or set unrealistic expectations, sit down with your child and apologize. This models humility and the importance of seeking forgiveness. Be proactive in managing your teenager's time on social media. Encourage offline activities that build self-worth and community. Teach your teens that success isn’t solely about academic achievements or career milestones but about being in the center of God’s will and being faithful, kind, and loving individuals. Invest in helpful resources like the Comparison Girl for Teens. These tools can provide structured guidance and topics for family discussions that foster spiritual growth. RCK social media: Facebook Join our Facebook community group! Instagram Pinterest Love this episode? Please leave us a rating/review and share this episode with a friend! You can find a list of all our episodes here.

“Listening to God speak to us through his holy spirit will help us to have a robust prayer life, where we learn how to be in conversation with the Lord.” – Lee Ann Mancini Do you ever find yourself repeating the same prayers, feeling like your prayer life has become more of a routine than a sacred privilege? How can we, along with our children, engage in genuine and meaningful conversations with God that fill us with joy, keeping us connected to the Almighty, the great I Am? During this episode, Lee Ann discusses the significance of prayer in our lives and the lives of our children. She shares her personal reflections on the depth and meaning of prayer, acknowledging the challenges and the desire for a more profound connection with God. Lee Ann also explores the ways in which parents can engage in genuine and meaningful conversations with God and how they can guide their children to experience a rich and impactful prayer life. Key Takeaways: Realizing the significance of genuine and meaningful conversations with God. Recognizing the routine nature of prayer and the desire for a deeper connection with God. Exploring different ways and times to pray and highlighting the need for consistent and frequent prayer. Introducing the concept of praying in different personalities for a deeper connection with God. Referencing biblical instruction on how to pray. Emphasizing the importance of acknowledging God's holiness and aligning with heavenly principles in prayer. PRAY - Praise, repent, ask, and yield. Encouraging the use of simple and varied prayers, including praise and gratitude. Utilizing the Psalms as guidance for prayers, showcasing a wide range of human emotions in communication with God. Encouraging support and intercessory prayers for others to foster a robust prayer life. Resources mentioned: Praying through Every Emotion, by Linda Evans Shepherd & Praying Personalities, by Janet McHenry. RCK social media: Facebook Join our Facebook community group! Instagram Pinterest Love this episode? Please leave us a rating/review and share this episode with a friend! You can find a list of all our episodes here.

“When we look at our actual homes, really the question to ask is, ‘How is screen time affecting my home - does technology bring my family closer together?’” – Arlene Pellicane.   Raising Christian Kids has decided to re-release our disciplining series, which was originally released in March of 2023. We feature experts who share their knowledge and are passionate about helping parents and caregivers navigate the rough waters of disciplining. We cover many topics, such as disciplining strong-willed children and children with varying cognitive abilities, the different types of consequences, and the most problematic issues parents face in today’s chaotic society. The wisdom that’s shared will hopefully help you raise children who are teachable and obedient to you and, most importantly, obedient to God. Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of several books, including Parents Rising, 31 Days to a Happy Husband, Calm, Cool, and Connected, and Screen Kids. Arlene has been a featured guest on the Today Show, Fox & Friends, and Focus on the Family. She hosts the Happy Home Podcast and lives in San Diego with her husband and their three children. Arlene is passionate about helping families on an array of topics. One of her missions is encouraging parents to remember that they control screen time and technology usage in their homes! During this final episode of disciplining month, Arlene dives into some important topics from her book, Screen Kids. She elaborates on the following key points on how to confront technology issues when disciplining: Our confusing culture today teaches us that electronic devices are educational and that they help our kids connect with other kids—which can be true, but our kids then lack emotional skill sets. Tips on imposing new rules: Prepare for resistance, try to make screen time as specific as possible, and have an end goal in mind. The benefits of reducing screen time in small incremental sections vs. all at once. Apologize and take responsibility for being “soft” when they get upset by your new rules to reduce screen time; admit you were wrong for letting them take advantage of their screens. Advice in disciplining a child who continues to abuse the digital rules – review the different types of rules that have failed, get other perspectives from parents or friends on how they deal with this issue in their home, and be willing to open your mind to other solutions. If it isn’t working, it’s time to try something different. Don’t be afraid to give consequences, and don’t extend the deadline. Allow the experiences and consequences to discipline your children. Arlene’s website, Instagram, & Happy Home University. RCK social media: Facebook Join our Facebook community group! Instagram Pinterest Love this episode? Please leave us a rating/review and share this episode with a friend! You can find a list of all our episodes here.

Are you prepared to explain the meaning of being one with God to your children? Sometimes, children can have a hard time understanding concepts that are not concrete, like the Holy Spirit or the Holy Trinity. But these complex topics are some of the most important ones to teach our children so they can understand them early. Oneness is a word that means “a state of being unified or whole, unity of thought, feeling, and belief, a strong feeling of closeness.” As Christians, we feel one with the one true God as His Holy Spirit dwells within us and draws us closer to Him. “But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.” -1 Corinthians 6:17. Here are some tips to help you explain the meaning of oneness with God: Ask your child what they think oneness with God means – you may be surprised by their answer. This will allow you the opportunity to build upon their answer or correct any misconception. Emphasize connectedness – Jesus emphasized the importance of staying connected with the Father and his disciples (Ref. John 15:1-8). Teach empathy and compassion – oneness with God means treating others with kindness, respect, and love. Encourage your children to practice empathy and compassion towards their family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers without putting themselves in danger (Ref. Matthew 14:14). Cultivate gratitude – Jesus begins and ends his prayers with words of thanks and praise to his father, and in the Lord's Prayer, he taught his followers to do the same (Ref. Matthew 6:9-13). He even thanked God for the opportunity to sacrifice his life for the world (Ref. Matthew 26:26-27). Nurture spiritual practices – Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness (Ref. Acts 1:1) and prayed often to the Father. Help your children create their own rituals or routines that foster a sense of oneness with God. Share stories and examples – use stories, parables, or examples of individuals who have exemplified oneness with God, such as saints, religious figures, or inspirational figures from various backgrounds. Lead by example – it’s the most powerful way to teach children the meaning of oneness with God as you embody these values in your own life. Model being one with God in your actions and attitudes, which will impact your child’s spiritual development. Create an atmosphere of love, acceptance, and spiritual exploration that allows them to cultivate their own relationship with the divine. Reference this article to help them understand how oneness with God can manifest in different ways: “Five Bible Characters Who Walked With God And What We Can Learn From Them,” by Glorify. RCK social media: Facebook Join our Facebook community group! Instagram Pinterest Love this episode? Please leave us a rating/review and share this episode with a friend! You can find a list of all our episodes here.

As important as it is for us as parents and caretakers to teach our children empathy, it is equally as important to teach them love and acceptance for one another. Love is the most powerful emotion on earth, and the definition of love is God, which means God is love. We all have a deep desire to feel liked, accepted, and loved by our family, friends, and associates. Acceptance involves understanding, respecting, and valuing others for commonalities and differences. It is an important part of developing positive relationships. Acceptance is good, but love is better. Luke 6:31 states, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” During this episode, Lee Ann dives into the many ways we can help our children learn to accept and love one another: The first step in loving someone may be that we first accept them for who they are – both the good and the bad. It's never too early to start talking about love. Explain that love takes work but should make them feel good, not bad. Tell your kids that loving someone is about caring for them, wanting what's best for them, being kind/patient/forgiving, being supportive, being there for them, respecting their feelings, and working together. Model what it means to love others – your kids watch and learn from you daily. Children express love differently: boys tend to express love through physical actions, and girls tend to express love through words and emotions. Read stories that feature characters showing different emotions – this can help children understand how people might feel in different situations. Help them understand that everyone is different because that’s how God made them. Encourage them to be respectful and kind to others. Model what it looks like to disagree without being disagreeable. Avoid name-calling or any other type of personal attack when disagreeing with someone. Try to understand the other person’s point of view. Once your children learn the importance of accepting others, teach them to model what it looks like. This can especially help in situations when another child is being bullied. We should encourage our children to invite others to join in a game or share toys, teach them to be good listeners, and – most importantly – show them how to treat others with acceptance, compassion, and love. 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.” RCK social media: Facebook Facebook community group Instagram Pinterest Love this episode? Please leave us a rating/review and share this episode with a friend! You can find a list of all our episodes here.

The Raising Christian Kids podcast is for parents, grandparents, teachers, ministry leaders, and all who are raising the next generation to have a strong foundation in Jesus. This podcast will educate and empower you to be the best spiritual leader for your child and will answer many questions, such as: How do you teach babies, […] The post Raising Christian Kids Podcast Introduction appeared first on Raising Christian Kids.