I say that because, in my experience, the Bible is all we need.
Psychology has its place, as do good books from Christian authors. But in the end, the truth expressed in scripture about how we live our lives as Christ-followers applies across the board.
That means that how the Bible instructs us to behave as Christians can and should be applied to the way we lead, teach, and discipline our children. In short: parenting from the Bible is the best way to go.
It’s really nothing new, but perhaps I’m going to say it in a way you haven’t heard before.
It’s a way of thinking about the act of parenting that my wife have adopted - and we feel it would benefit anyone who takes the time to understand it and apply it in their parenting.
Yes, it’s what I’ve just described, taking everything we need to know about parenting from the Bible - but I’m doing so in a way that I hope is fresh, clear, and concise - so you can cut through the fog of the parenting philosophies out there and see the common sense truth of what God has to say to us.
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My wife and I have come to refer to the way we parent as “reality parenting” because it seems to best describe the way we approach parenting, with simplicity.
It’s teaching your kids to handle life according to reality.
And when I say “according to reality” I mean that in a handful of ways…
First, the reality of what happens in the world - in their world - as harsh as it might be.
Second, I mean the reality of God being present IN those things - and the impact that can have for them even at a very young age.
Third, I mean the reality that whatever circumstances may come their way, God is the one who has brought it into their life.
And talking about it in those ways requires lots of discussion, on their level, with absolute honesty and a compassionate, listening ear.
Like I say at the beginning of this episode - parenting is probably the hardest job in the world.
Granted, the Bible never uses the phrase “reality parenting.”
But it does tell us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).
It does tell us to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
And there’s lots more - but I think you get my point.
Our job as parents is to apply those things to our own life, then to help our kids learn how to live them out as well, where they are in life at the moment difficulties arise.
I know there are difficult things children shouldn’t have to deal with.
But generally speaking (GENERALLY SPEAKING, please know there are exceptions to this in my mind) that’s simply the way things are in a fallen world.
Our job - OUR JOB as parents is to help our children navigate what IS, not what we WISH was the case.
And more than helping them navigate it, we are to help them hold onto unwavering faith in the sovereign God of the universe while they navigate it.
That’s how we build a legacy of faith that can last generations. It’s hard work. Very hard work.
It won’t happen by soft-selling life, coddling our kids’ emotions, or preventing anything difficult or uncomfortable from entering their world.
That sets them up for true disappointment when everything they THOUGHT about God and life proves to be untrue - because their well-intentioned parents withheld the truth from them.
No thanks.
You think it’s hard to parent kids the “reality parenting” way - just try to pick up the pieces from THAT kind of disappointment.
In this audio you’ll hear my overview of what I’m calling “reality parenting,” from the Bible :)
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