I recently read Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey. One chapter resonated with me: to make champions of your children. There were a few ideas from his list that I believe every parent can do with their kids to help build champions!
Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem
You can do this by spending time with them, showing unconditional love, reading with them, and telling them they are loved. [54 Ways To Intentionally Spend Time With Your Children.]
Help Them Develop Their Own Interests
They don’t have to be like everyone else – they must do the things they enjoy. You can encourage their creativity and their gifts. Help them experience things and direct their energy toward those things that seem to click for them. Teach them that they can do anything, but they can’t do everything!
Create A Great Family Culture
Plan fun things to do at home. Create a sense of warmth at home. Build in family traditions and fun nights. Help each family member feel included. Name your cars. And parent in such a way that your kids will want to come back home to visit when they get older.
Plan Ahead
To build a great family culture, you need to plan ahead. Are your vacations on the calendar for this year? Do you have time in your calendar this week to have three or four dinners together? Are you building in time for your children to see, invest and grow in relationships with extended family – grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles? Do you have time set aside as husband and wife to keep your marriage strong for the sake of healthy parenting and connection? Plan ahead to be able to go on trips, get the family together or have fun together.
Set An Example of Excellence
If the children see that you strive for excellence – doing the best with what you have – they will follow suit. When they see you reading the Bible, praying before meals, and working hard, that will become a natural part of their lives. [We created a family acrostic to help us remember some of these basics – read it here]
Adopt Their Friends
As often as possible bring their friends into your home. Love their friends, get to know them, and help them learn about great relationships both in the family and with others outside the family. Volunteer to feed the team, carpool with the squad, or host the party. Get connected to your child’s friends.
Help Them Serve Others
Teach children the importance of serving others. Give them opportunities, beginning with serving each other in the family, to learn the art of putting others first.
Provide Feedback, Resources, And Encouragement
Guide your children with feedback – they may not be asking for it, but it’s your obligation as a parent to lovingly direct them. Encouragement them as they walk the road to adulthood. Provide the needed resources to get there. And don’t be afraid to let them struggle, it’s a natural part of the process.
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Are you a local church children’s ministry leader? Here are three resources that may be helpful to you!
>> Free Ebook: 114 Ideas and Strategies for Children’s Ministry Leaders
>> Random Ideas For Children’s Ministry (for any size church)
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