Raising Kids in Today’s Culture
The pastor said, “I feel bad for teenagers today. When I was in High School I only had to compare myself to other teenagers at my school, but now teens have the world to compare themselves to.”
Think about this for a minute…
If your child is being bullied—it doesn’t stop when they leave school—it continues into their social media accounts.
If your child is struggling with body image—it doesn’t stop once they put down the magazine or are alone in their room—no, it can get worse as they scroll through Instagram.
If your child feels as though they are not accomplishing as much as other kids in their class, just think about how they might be comparing themselves to online personalities who have become “famous” with viral videos.
The world our children live in today has a reach we couldn’t have even imagined when we were growing up. When I was a kid, computer class consisted of us sticking holes in rectangular paper and turning it into the teacher. Let that sink in, as I remind you of the long cords attached to phones that were just stretchy enough for you to get away from the family and talk privately.
It’s more important than ever we teach our kids from a young age that they are special and uniquely made—and made by the Creator of the universe. This magnificent God who created the universe and created them, He has big plans for them. Remind your little one that they were made with gifts and talents.
“My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and skillfully formed in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my formless substance; and in Your book were written all the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”
– Psalm 139:15-16
Even as adults, too often we compare our lives to others. Comparison will steel and rob us of joy. Leaning into our strengths is a learned skill, and one we can teach our children. Instead of comparing our weaknesses to another’s strengths, we can focus on celebrating our differences and embracing our God-given talents. We can learn we are good enough. You, my friend, are good enough—just how God made you.
Oftentimes our world teaches us to compare our weaknesses with others’ strengths. We notice what others can do that we can’t do. As soon as we struggle with something it doesn’t take long to find someone who excels in our area of weakness.
How do we teach our children to embrace strengths instead of focusing on weaknesses? How do we teach our children to embrace who they are and to celebrate their God-given talents?
We can teach children to love how God made them. When we spend time with them and praise and love and celebrate their personhood, we build a foundation of acceptance.
Time with a child communicates love.
Intentional time and strategic focused attention can help a child to embrace their full potential and cement self-acceptance.
We’ve all seen families at a restaurant where the cell phones receive the most attention. Don’t let that be your family. You can make a difference with your kids.
We need to teach kids it’s okay to be who they are, flaws, challenges, strengths, and all. One way we can do that is to give children time and attention.
Parents, and even grandparents, can help children discover how they are special, how to lean into their strengths, and how to not focus on their shortcomings.
I’m excited to tell you about my book which can help you do this…
Turtle Finds His Talent: Discovering How God Made You Special is all about teaching children to focus on their own abilities, specialness, and God-given talents. This is a good lesson for us adults as well. Personally, I have ADHD and have learned to adjust and function and even thrive in it.
Children can learn to embrace perceived weaknesses and challenges and lean into how they were created, overcoming struggles, setbacks, and trials.
There are good aspects to every challenge. Do you see your child struggling? Watching our kids struggle can be very painful as a parent. We’d rather fix, help, move the goal line than watch them struggle. But that very struggle is what will teach them to soar and eventually thrive.
Instead of “fixing” their world, we can support and affirm and foster confidence and self-esteem as they lean into their strengths. We can teach our children they are loved just as they are and God made them special.
“And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
– Ephesians 4:11-13
Turtle Finds His Talent: Discovering How God Made You Special is a fun slide-and-find book for little ones sure to be fun for the whole family. For more from Lucille Williams The Impossible Kid: Parenting a Strong-Willed Child with Love and Grace, is available now! For your marriage, From Me to We, and The Intimacy You Crave will help your relationship thrive. Subscribe to LuSays today for weekly encouragement.
To enhance your marriage, check out this documentary with Lucille Williams on Amazon Prime “Faith, Love and Pancakes.” (HERE’S A LINK: https://amzn.to/3S6G0fp)
