Published 5/19/19
101 Ways to Strengthen the Parent‐Child Connection
Devotions, Tips, and Activities
By Michael and Tiffany Ross
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”
Family Quest
It’s time for a little role-playing. Have your child think of two other kids: one who is a good friend and another who isn’t very nice. Now have him pretend to be the kid who is a friend. Your child should use the words and actions they’ve seen the other kid use. Then have your child switch and imitate the kid who isn’t very nice. Discuss which kid shows love. Then ask your child to think about how others might see him. Does he show love? One word of caution: In order to prevent this exercise from getting out of hand and becoming a “trash-talk fest,” set some boundaries. For example, no inappropriate behavior … and no brutal comments about the not-so-nice kid.
Talk It Out
· Do you have friends? Are some better friends than others?
· Are you a good friend to those around you?
· How is God your friend? How do you know that He is your friend? Do you believe He will ever leave you?
Parent-Child Connection
Since our children’s friends can have such a tremendous influence on their lives—especially for tweens and teens—it is crucial that you help them take five key steps: (1) choose friends wisely, (2) evaluate their current friendships, (3) sever bad ties, (4) deflate peer pressure, and (5) build Christian friendships with those who have like-minded values. Share 1 Corinthians 15:33 with your child: “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ ” Translation: Be careful—the kind of people you spend time with will largely determine your life’s direction.
Talk to God
As you pray, encourage your child to (1) thank Jesus for making us His hands and feet to the world and (2) ask the Lord for the strength to love those around us—especially those who are hard to love
© 2015 by Back to the Bible