Resources
PARENT CUE EMAIL
If you're not receving our Parent Cue email each Tuesday, please let us know.
THE BIG 3
3 topics parents are talking about across the phases
FAITH
CONVERSATION GUIDES
TECH
BOOKS
The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
Right-Click by Kara Powell, Art Bamford, and Brad M Griffin
CELL PHONE CONTRACT
If you’re parenting older elementary students you’ve likely heard (or soon will), “all my friends have a phone.” While the decision of WHEN your child needs to have a phone is something unique to your household, we have a few helpful ideas on the HOW. (actually we have opinions about the when too, but for now we’re sticking with the how). Check out this cell phone contract to help teach your children responsibility with cell phones.
GET TECH HELP
"Parenting is hard. Tech doesn’t have to be.” This is the tag line of new website, iParent.tv, we came across. [http://iparent.tv/] Check it out for a very straight-forward look at all your kid tech and content questions.
CONVERSATION GUIDES
SEXUAL INTEGRITY
The most important thing you can do when it comes to this topic is start talking…conversations through the phases. Start by listening to the March 2016 Parent Cue Live podcast. Next, check out these conversation guides:
CONVERSATION GUIDES
middle school (starting at grades 5/6)
Then look through some of these suggested books to foster conversations with your kids.
BOOKS
PRESCHOOL (up to age 5)
God Made Your Body - author: Jim Burns
The Story of Me - authors: Stan and Brenna Jones
ELEMENTARY (up to age 8/9)
How God Makes Babies - author: Jim Burns
Before I Was Born - author: Carolyn Nystrom
LATE ELEMENTARY/ EARLY MIDDLE SCHOOL (up to age 14)
What’s the Big Deal: Why God Cares About Sex - authors: Stan and Brenna Jones (up to age 11)
The Purity Code: God’s Plan for Sex and Your Body - author: Jim Burns (ages 11-14)
Facing the Facts: The Truth About Sex and You - authors: Stan and Brenna Jones (ages 11-14)
PARENTS
OTHER TOPICS
CONVERSATION GUIDES
SERVING: HELPING KIDS DISCOVER THEIR PLACE IN A BIGGER STORY
Serving others radically changes the course of a kid’s life, because it gives them a bigger—or more complete—picture of themselves, God, church and the world.
Here’s how that plays out in each area of a kid’s life:
THEMSELVES: As kids serve, they begin to discover their gifts and their individuality, and they begin to find a purpose. Somehow through serving, God begins to whisper to each student’s heart: “This is what I made you to do.”
GOD: Serving makes it so that kids come face to face with the merciful, restorative, compassionate love of God. As they see more of God, they begin to reflect more of Him.
CHURCH: As kids serve, they experience what it means to be the church by Participating with others who have different gifts and passions.
THE WORLD: Through serving, kids connect with a world that’s bigger than just their neighborhood. They become more aware of the needs of others. As their faith deepens, their empathy and compassion deepens too.
This is rich, priceless stuff. Check out some ideas to prompt your kids to think about serving in their phase.