The Parenting for Faith podcast

This is a recording of the Facebook live session which looked at how we can help under fives with returning to routine. To watch the video or read episode notes, head to parentingforfaith.org/post/back-to-school-or-routine

This week we dig a bit deeper into the Key Tool of unwinding and how to use it in practice, on the go. For more on this see parentingforfaith.org/unwinding Our question comes from a parent whose son is struggling with realising that his peers have had a very different experience of lockdown. Rachel talks through how to process that with your child. In the wildcard section, Anna chats to Jennifer Fellows about their experiences of miscarriage. Both how we can process this with God and also how to support friends and family. They also discuss how to enable the people around us to spiritually input into our child's life.

We head back to the original context of the ten commandments and ask what they mean for us and our families today? Rachel answers a question about how to support your child if they've struggled with returning to school and all the change involved. We hear from Lucy Rycroft, from the Hope-filled family (formerly Desertmum), on her experience of doing the Parenting for Faith course.

This week, Becky talks about jam-making...and what do we do just because we saw our parents doing it? How might this apply to nurturing our children's faith? For more on the key tool of creating windows see parentingforfaith.org/creating-windows Rachel answers a question on equipping teens to make their own choices well, without being a helicopter parent. In our final section, we explore what it means when we talk about God as our parent.

In this episode, Rachel shares some ideas for equipping kids who are returning to school, answers a question about a child who is struggling to pray, and we hear from Gail Adcock about family devotions.

Sparked by lots of questions about going back to school or routine, Rachel asks how we can help our children say goodbye to a season and process what's already happened before focusing on what's happening next. She mentions a resource called 'Me, God and Covid-19' which is available at parentingforfaith.org/post/me-god-and-covid-19 Today's question is about how to talk about fairies, mermaids, unicorns and magical lands, particularly with children who love getting lost in those sort of stories and worlds. In our wildcard section, we interview Olly Goldenberg from Children Can on how to support kids who are passionate about evangelism and sharing Jesus with their friends.

What do you do if your child or teenager has a passive view of God where they think he doesn't do much? Our question this week is about how to start getting our kids ready for going back to school? We hear from Rachel, as well as Rick Otto, head of New Wine Kids, on some ideas to prepare. In our wildcard section, Anna shares about two household church. Why might we do it and some practical things to think about if you want to give it a go. Find out more at https://parentingforfaith.org/two-households

This week, we ask what if my child 'catches' (hears from God) differently to me? We ask Annie Willmot, author of 'Cold cups of tea and hiding in the loo', how you explain to under fives your role in church and what you're doing. We end with some encouragement and equipping for key workers as they parent through this season. Huge virtual hugs and high fives to all of you! Thanks to Cathryn Barringer for the photo.

Rachel explores how to help our kids handle disappointment with God - both related to this season of lockdown and more generally as they go through life. She answers a question about how to know if a child is ready for confirmation. Rachel broadens this to explore what it might look like in different church traditions to figure out whether a child is ready to make a public declaration of their faith and take a next step in that. Becky, our local coordinator, explores what values are and why they're more than something that ticks a box in assembly.

This special bonus episode is here to help you work out how to get the most out of all the online opportunities this summer. To watch the video of this episode or read the notes that go with it, head to parentingforfaith.org/post/online-festivals. To find Parenting for Faith at United Breaks Out, New Wine's online festival go to parentingforfaith.org/UBO.