From the moment church is over, parents may have only one thing on their minds: time to get my kids and leave. Naturally the next step becomes similar to herding cattle: the “Parent Pickup” line. Parents wait patiently (sometimes not so much) for their turn to pick up their child. When their turn comes, more often than not I hear the question, “Did my child behave today?” While this may be the most important thing to a parent at that time, I believe as leaders it is our duty to share things with parents that they need to hear and probably wouldn’t hear unless they ask a specific question. For me there are three things I believe that all parents need to hear:
One moment that always melts my heart is when I get to share with parents the things their child said during church (unless they said something negative). I am sure to share things that their child may not share or remember to share. These things include how their child shared with others, befriended new kids, and helped younger kids. When I share the incredible answers and responses their child made during church, the parent’s face truly lights up with joy.
Children are sent home with papers from nearly every program they are a part of, and church isn’t an exception. Just because a paper was sent home, doesn’t mean a parent reads it. Each week my kids are sent home with weekly devotions that expand on what we are learning about the next weekend. One thing I’ve found to make that devotion time more effective for parents is to share what we learned and prayed about in church that day, and what happened during the time spent at the altar. For a parent to hear their child’s heart and how they pray is an incredible moment in the parent’s life and can enhance the way they minister to their children at home.
Growth comes in many different ways, and I believe any moment spent with God is a moment for each of us to grow, kids included! Often in my conversation with kids during prayer time and after church, I become aware of ways the Lord is challenging them. Sometimes moments of growth come out of moments of trouble. When a child misbehaves and a correction must be made, it is prime opportunity to help that child grow and learn from their mistakes. These moments are important to share with the parent as well, so parents can learn of how their child processed their behavior and how it can be adjusted to be more Christ-like.
These are my top three things I believe parents need to hear. Maybe you have more.
What are other things that you believe parents need to hear after church?
