Conversation Starters: Love

The work Love is a normal part of even my 4 year old’s vocabulary. But do they fully understand what Love is? As they grow, we can slowly help them see, experience, and understand what Love is. Here are a few questions that might help you you and your kids talking…

For Preschoolers
How did you show someone you loved them today?
How did someone else show love to you?
Why is it hard to love people sometimes?

For Children
What is the difference between liking and loving someone?
Besides me telling you, how do you know that I love you?
How can you show love to people who might not show it back?

For Students
What is one of the greatest examples of love (marital, familial, or otherwise) you’ve ever witnessed or learned about (fictional/historical/personal/present-day, etc.)?
How has the phrase “I love you” been misused/overused?
Why is telling someone you love him or her not enough?
What is most difficult about truly loving people?

What did your kids say about love? Anything funny? How about profound? Share it with all of us…

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Family Connections: Secret Servants

In addition to serving other people this fall, what if you could get your family excited about serving one another? Depending on the ages, you could make this really fun as you find tangible ways to serve other people in the home. You could have everyone draw a name out of a hat or partner up, but instruct all family members that their job is to make their special assignment feel encouraged and loved in the coming week. You may say to yourself, it’s not the same when I know I’m someone’s assignment. But I would be willing to bet that you would be proud of your kids as they love each other (or you) well. Set the pace and give positive feedback. Serving is contagious. Once it starts, it has the potential to change your home!

Try it out and share your stories here. We’d love to hear from you…

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Conversation Starters: Protective Rules

Now that Camp is over, it’s the perfect time to make sure that you aren’t missing opportunities to talk with you kids! We encourage you to always ask you kids questions. In case you hadn’t picked up it, kids love to talk about themselves. Create a culture in your family of talking. The earlier you start, the easier it will be. Here are a few questions we invite you to use…

For Preschoolers:
Help your children know that when they disobey you, they are disobeying God. Very early on, begin to teach your children that your authority comes from God. When they disobey, reinforce the spiritual aspect of their choices.

For Children:
Start teaching your elementary-aged children the Ten Commandments. Let them see these are protective rules God gives to His children. Ask them how these rules are meant to protect us, and connect this to the rules you as a parent give to protect them.

For Students:
Give your teens opportunities to show they can be responsible. As you give them more freedom, ask them how they think your home could be more conducive to spiritual growth. See if they will offer ideas of things the family could do or not do to grow. They may surprise you!

Share with all of us how it went….

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3 Ways to Clear Up Misconceptions About God With Your Kids

Each summer at Ridgecrest Summer Camps we hear lots of campers who have misconceptions about God. We’d love to share with you parents some of the things we’ve learned…

Here are three examples of how you can use everyday objects to help correct some misconceptions your kids may have about God.

The OnStar God. When you get in trouble along the road, press the button, get help, and once the crisis is averted, move on your way. Ask your children, “What’s wrong with people thinking of God this way?”

The iPod God. Some people pick attributes of God like they download individual songs instead of the entire album. Ask your children, “Where can we get our beliefs about God? Is it how we feel? Is it something else?”

The Video Game Score God. With a lot of video games, the score you get on one level determines whether or not you can advance to the next level. Is that how God will decide whether or not you can go to heaven when you die?

Do you have any good analogies like this to share? Post them below and help the rest of us out…

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Conversation Starters: Getting Our Way

We at Ridgecrest Summer Camps love to stand beside you the parent as you raise your kids. Aren’t all of our kids dealing with “getting their way?” I feel like this is something that they will deal with for the rest of their lives. Try these questions as you begin to talk with your kids about these things…

For Preschoolers
Next time someone upsets your preschooler by taking a toy or not allowing him to have his way, stop and listen to him. Don’t just brush his feelings off. Listen to him and then talk with him about how to handle the situations in a better way.

For Children
Write a story or draw what it would be like if every person in the family got their way. Let them draw each room the way it would look if they got everything they wanted. Then show them how it couldn’t work for everyone and teach them that they can’t always act on how they feel or what they want.

For Students
Talk with your teens about areas in which kids their age don’t show self-restraint. Tell them about what teenagers struggled with when you were growing up. Give them permission to talk honestly about areas of struggle, and pray together for strength.

How did it go? Feel free to share what happened….

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Family Connection, More Than Words

As you continue to connect with your kids by talking with them and asking them questions, try to connect with them in a different way…

Another way is to be involved in a project as a family. Here are some suggestions:

Volunteer at a food bank or homeless shelter. Contact the organization in advance as many require appointments.

In many communities, families of children who receive free or reduced lunches during the school year struggle during the summer. Find out if there is a way your family can minister to these families during the summer months.

Giving Jar – Put an empty jar in a prominent place in your house and let your kids help decide in advance what organization will be the recipient of the money. As you add loose change to the jar talk about needs of people and pray not only about how you, as a family, can meet those needs but for the people receiving help.

Did you try it? Share what happened with us right here in the comment section. You may end up helping another parent as well…

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Conversation Starters About How Much Is Enough

We probably both agree that talking with your kids is important. As you talk to your kids this month, we at Ridgecrest Summer Camps hope that these questions will provide a few starting places for you as a parent. Below you will find different questions that are geared for specific age groups, all centered around the same topic: “How much is enough?” We pray that they are useful to you and your family.

For Preschoolers
Each night this week, make thanking God for the things we have (toys, house, food) part of bedtime prayers.

For Children
Are you happy with the toys you have?
How many toys will it take to make you happy?

For Students
When billionaire Rockefeller was asked, “How much money is enough?” it is said his response was, “Just a little bit more.” What do you think of this? What are the dangers of always wanting more?

How did it go? Share your experience with other Ridgecrest Summer Camps parents…

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Conversations About Our Treasures

We probably both agree that talking with you kids is important. As you talk to your kids this month, we at Ridgecrest Summer Camps hope that these questions will provide a few starting places for you as a parent. Below you will find different questions that are geared for specific age groups.

For Preschoolers
What is your favorite toy?
How does it make you feel when you cannot find your favorite toy?

For Children
What do you love most in the whole world?
How is that like a treasure?
How can we treat God like a treasure?

For Students
How can our possessions keep us from loving God?
What are some things you worry about? How can you give that to God?

If you get any responses that are worth sharing, we invite you to do so below…

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Parenting from the Ground Up

“It wasn’t until we moved across the country that I learned I was a good mother. Before we moved, I had a friend whose words about my failed parenting stung me. I coddled those words, believed them. After all, I was a first-generation Christian parent. I grew up in a home I didn’t want my children to experience. I was bound to mess up. I worried incessantly that I’d ruin my children’s lives. I pictured them grown up, sitting across from a counselor. “Well, everything would be fine in my life,” my child would say, “if it hadn’t been for my mother!”’

Read more… Written by Mary E. DeMuth

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Conversations About Being Thankful

Below are a few Conversation Starters for your kids! We have given you a different type of question for the different age groups. We hope that this will help you as you continue to point your kids towards Jesus!

For Preschoolers
Start sentence prayers with your preschooler by saying, “Thank You God for…” and let him or her finish the sentence.
What are some things you can share?

For Children
What are some things God has given you?
How can you say thank you to God?
Who should we give to?
Who are some people we should help?

For Students
Besides saying the words thank you, how do we show gratitude to God for the things He has given us?
What is something you have that would be hard to give up?
When living in luxury, what is a good amount to give to those in need?

Let us know what you think about these questions below…. If you had a great response from your child, we’d love for you to share it here!

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