6 Effective Christian Parenting Tips
Being a parent is one of the most challenging things many of us will do but also one of the most rewarding. As Christians, we are called to parent in a Biblical, none worldly way.
This feat can prove challenging, especially in a society that often dismisses Christian values as old-fashioned and focuses more on competition and creating an image to the outside world that shows “perfect parenting.”
We can all get swept away by the glossy Instagram photos we see or think we don’t stand a chance against the worldly forces and temptations that face our children daily.
However, if we keep our minds focused on God and follow every instructions that he has given us in His word, we should be able to cut through all of the noise and parent in a way that pleases God.
Here are six concrete Christian parenting tips you can grow as a Christian parent and bring up your children according to the ways of God.
1. Ask God to Help You Parent
Just as you rely on God to act as an active participant in your marriage, you should also depend on Him to help you grow as a parent. As a good practice, you should spend time each day in reflection.
Seek God to know the plans He has for your children. Tell Him any struggles you currently face in parenting, and seek His blessing and grace in your interactions with your children.
Keep a parenting devotional handy and refer to it frequently. You might also want to have a list of encouraging Bible verses that you can refer to when you’re feeling discouraged or like you are failing at your role as a parent.
Remember, God gave you all the instructions you need to parent well. No challenge exists for which he cannot provide you guidance and help.
As you focus on these tips, you’ll have peace with your vocation as a parent, even on difficult days.
2. Instill Discipline and Order In Your House
Children don’t like to admit it, but they crave discipline and order. God instructs us on its importance as well. Many verses in the Bible refer to the virtue of discipline, self-control, humility, and patience.
Remember that discipline should not be harsh or frightening for a child. Our Lord does not instruct you to implement it that way. Instead, remain gentle in spirit but still firm in your guidance.
Colossians 3:21 - "Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged."
Your children must recognize your authority as the parent and feel your love and God’s love as you implement that authority.
Ensure that the lessons you teach your children instruct them on how they should act to be disciples of God. If they do not grow up with proper discipline or respect for authority, you cannot expect them to exhibit this virtue during their adult life.
Children without discipline often feel unloved and unworthy of love. As they reach adulthood, they will often rebel against authority rather than respect it, including rebelling against God.
3. Model the Behavior That You Expect
You can’t expect your children to exhibit good Christian behavior if you act in an unchristian-like manner. Take care to ensure that you model the behavior you expect from your children as a parent.
- If you want your children to pray daily, you should pray daily.
- If you want them to love reading the Bible, they should see you reading it.
- If you want them to be an active member of the church community, they should see you involved in the church as well, whether in a Bible study or by volunteering and offering your talents.
The modelling of behavior extends to activities outside of the church as well. Take care to exhibit other Christian behaviors you want your children to adopt.
For example, make an extra effort to refrain from gossiping or talking poorly about others, especially if your children are in earshot. Refrain from cheating and dishonesty. Show forgiveness towards those who have wronged you.
Finally, remember that nobody is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and sometimes those mistakes are things you do that set bad examples for your children. When this happens, remember to use it as an opportunity to show humility.
Fully admit your mistakes and accept that you made them. When children see that their parents aren’t perfect but admit when they’ve done something wrong, they will more likely be able to accept their own mistakes and ask for forgiveness.
4. Take Your Children to Church
You can’t expect your children to grow up and become good Christians themselves if you don’t regularly take them to church. The church is where you spend time with other like-minded Christians and worship and show your love for God in a public setting.
Teach your children that church is not a chore or a thing to check off the list on Sunday. Instead, the church is a community where you place God first and dedicate your time to Him, who gave you many blessings throughout the week.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of missing a Sunday service here and there because you’re tired, the kids have sports commitments, or you have too many other things to do. If you adopt that attitude, you are teaching your children that church comes second to the other obligations in life.
Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
Is that the message that you want to send? Instead, you should commit to attending church services regardless of the other circumstances or things on your calendar. Yes, that means finding a place to attend church even when traveling. It means showing up a few minutes late to the baseball or soccer game because God comes before every earthly thing.
Teaching your children, the proper order of things at a young age sets them up to carry those values throughout their lives and into adulthood. In turn, they will grow to be parents who instill these values in their children, passing the Christian faith down to a new generation.
As the scripture teaches, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." - Proverbs 22:6
5. Pray Daily as a Family
As a parent, you shouldn’t let a day go by without praying as a family. It doesn’t mean you must spend long hours studying Bible verses (although that’s never bad).
It simply means that you should integrate prayer regularly throughout your day to show your children that fruitfulness arises from a deep relationship with God that you cultivate through prayer and worship.
Consider saying the grace before meals, even when you eat in a restaurant. Gather together after dinner or before bedtime to say a few regular prayers of thanksgiving and present your petitions to God as a family.
There’s a reason why the saying “the family that prays together stays together” is so popular. It’s because there’s truth to it. Prayer strengthens your familial bond and helps you grow closer to God as a family as well.
6. Have Fun as a Family
You must have order and discipline in your household for your children and family unit to thrive and grow in faith. However, you must have fun as well. Make sure that you set aside time for fun activities as a family.
Find out what you all like to do together, and do it often. When children know that their parents enjoy spending time with them, they are more likely to be happy, motivated, and confident.
Fun activities also provide a great way to have conversations about faith and other things in your children’s life. You’ll be surprised how much they open up and connect with you.
Remember also that when your children are grown and look back at their childhood, they’ll remember all the fun times you spent together. It will help them act as better parents in their own families because they know the type of parenting they’ll want to model and seek ways to have fun with their children.
Conclusion on Christian Parenting Tips
We hope you’ve found inspiration in our 6 effective Christian Parenting Tips to help you grow as a Christian parent.
Remember, never lose hope or faith in God. God is with you all the way. He gave you the children you have, and He knows that you will care for them according to His Will.
By remaining focused on God and following the advice in the Bible, you can grow more and more each day as a Christian parent.
We invite you also to read some of our other topics. Check out our faith blog section for more inspiring verses and advice. God bless you!
