Author: Linsey Driskill

Article published with Focus on the Family:

My guest post article on Focus on the Family’s, DalyFocus: Pressing on Through Rejection

A Craft & Teaching Our Kids About Jesus

It’s so important to talk about Jesus with our kids when they’re little, but it’s also never too late to start. When we share the truth of Jesus with them as they grow up, their foundation will grow stronger. (See activity below to set this truth in their hearts) 

At 6-years-old, our kiddos starting hearing about different religions in their public school. We don’t need to be afraid of them learning and gaining understanding as long as we are also sharing the truth of Jesus with them in our homes (of course every child is different and can handle different things so you need to figure that out for your own kids). 

If we shelter our kids and never talk about the realities of the world, they might be shocked by the world around them when they get older. 

But our children’s foundation will be stronger if we talk about it and share that, “Other kids might believe differently than us, but our family believes in Jesus and he calls us to be a light for him and to love all people.” We tell our kids over and over, if anything makes you feel uncomfortable or if you don’t understand it, tell us and we can talk about it.

This Bible story in Matthew is a great one that echoes the truth about building your foundation on Jesus:

Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock. 

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.’

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” (Matthew 7:24-29)

*Bring this story to life: Create a tiny house with your kids made of whatever you have around your house: shoe boxes, paper towel rolls, etc. Pour water on a foundation/hill of sand without the house on it. See what happens (we made a hill of dirt bc that’s what we had). Talk about what would’ve happened to the house if it were sitting there when the “rain came.”

Then put the house on a big rock and pour water just on the rock foundation. Talk about what happened to it. The house is fine because it was on a strong rock. It didn’t move. 

When we build our life on Jesus and have faith in him, he is our Rock, he doesn’t move, and we can stand strong in him.

*Daniel 3 is another powerful and exciting story that talks about choosing God and following him no matter what. My kids loved it and it really inspired them.*

{For more on faith & parenting, join me at LinseyDriskill.com}

 A Quick Tip:

It can be easy to want our kids to meet all our expectations without communicating them to our kids.

But, if we take 10 seconds before arriving somewhere to share our expectations, even if it’s the 10th time, it can make a world of difference.

Let’s be FOR our kids, on their team, and give them the best chance at succeeding.

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be…” 2 Peter 5:2

Lord, thank you for the gift of getting to raise our children. Please give us wisdom as we parent. When we are exhausted and at our wits’ end, give us strength and joy in the simple gift of getting to lead our kids, getting to love them, and getting to be with them. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.