Some basic tips for parenting

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With four children, I’ve had to think quite a lot about parenting. I’ve produced a parenting course for our church, and tried to apply Biblical principles to modern day parenting.

But some of my views on parenting are not biblical but just based on lots of time with kids, and lots of time with families with kids. So here are 3 tips that I think every parent of under 10s will find beneficial. (They are really basic!)

1) Eat at least one meal a day together as a family around the table. It helps family connection, manners, conversational skills, and healthy eating. It seems basic, but it is a huge family win to eat together rather than each watching screens.

2) Read a book with them every day. Initially you read to them. Later on, they can read to you. Reading with them on your lap gives close contact time (which kids love- “4 hugs a day, that’s the minimum”) and reading books opens imagination, expands vocabulary, and allows children to go on to access information and opportunities.

3) Take them outside everyday, ideally to a green space. Kids need exercise. Leave kids in the house for 3 days and the “cabin fever” kicks in, leading to more arguments and fights. Children are a bit like dogs- daily exercise stops them wrecking the house. (Well, they may still wreck your house… I’m not sure it is worth decorating a house while you have under 10s.) They also benefit from time in nature. I’m increasingly convinced we humans need some time with natural environments for mental space, so a walk in green spaces (like parks and woods) will be especially beneficial.

What do you think? Are these basic parenting ideas you do? Have I missed other equally basic parenting tips?

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Published by joshmont2017

I am a child of God through Jesus' sacrifice and victory. Husband to Karuna, father to four children, staff elder at Emmanuel Church Northstowe, and Course Director for Training for East Anglia Ministry. All views here my own and do not necessarily represent the views of organisations I work for.

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2 thoughts on “Some basic tips for parenting”

  1. Good tips. Primary aged kids at least do seem to go stir crazy if you don’t take them out once a day (and it’s still good for the health of teenagers!). I would add:

    • Kids love silliness. Daft jokes, silly games and family in jokes will all bring great joy and intimacy. You don’t have to be good at this, kids have really low standards of what will amuse them.
    • Parenting is a marathon not a sprint. Exhausting yourself on your kids needs isn’t actually the best thing for your kid – they will have more needs tomorrow. Finding the way to look after your kid the preserves your energy is actually the best over all – well rested parents are the best parents.
    • You cannot be a good parent without spending epic amounts of time around your children, so raise your children to be someone you’re happy to spend epic amounts of time around. If a habit drives you crazy – make them change it. Don’t think “it’s not a big deal, I shouldn’t make a fuss”, because the way it drives you away from them is a big deal. e.g. I have taught my kids to speak softly because I get headaches easily, and we won’t have a good relationship if I spend my life away from them, or in pain.

    I know you’ve tried to do a ‘non-Biblical’ parenting advice here, but I think in practice Biblical approaches make the second two of these way easiest to implement in practice.

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