The 5th and final parenting skill… and my favorite of all.  Parenting Skill #5 is…

Multiply your Influence

Pursue strategic relationships for your kids.  As our kids grow older, our influence begins to diminish and the influence of others increases.  You can be strategic about who those influences are.

Though I can demonstrate what it looks like to be a godly mom and a godly wife for my kids, I will always be mom to them.  I want my daughter to be influenced by single young women who love Jesus.  So, I strategically place these Christ-following women in her life that demonstrate what purity and modesty looks like in that phase of life.  I’m selective of the babysitters that I choose and the company she keeps.

You can multiply your influence over your kids by surrounding them with relationships that live out this scripture… “…Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!”

Parenting Skill #4 is…

Fight for the Heart

Communicate in a way that brings value to the relationship.  As a parent, my words have the greatest impact on my child.

A sarcastic tongue… a sharp response… these things can hurt a child’s heart. They hurt even more coming from their parent.  Be the greatest protector of your child’s heart.

Your child will make mistakes.  They will break things.  They will spill things.  And sooner than you think, they’ll be 16 years old and back into the mailbox… in your car.  In these times, carefully address the problem, while affirming them as a person.

Then, in those random moments when nothing is wrong, nothings was spilled, nothing was broken… and your mailbox is still standing… take these moments to speak words filled with encouragement and praise.

Watch your child light up when you tell her what you see.

See his confidence grow when you tell him you fully believe that he can be a world changer.

Fight for their heart!

Here is #3 of the 5 Parenting Skills.  If you want to catch up click here.

Parenting Skill #3 is:

Create a Rhythm

Deuteronomy 6: 6-7 says, “Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children.  Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street…”

Create rhythms (or habits) in your home.  Rhythms are the constant themes that weave your family together.  One example of a rhythm is family time. Time together as a family is easy to do when the kids are young.  As they grow older, there are other things that fight for their time like friends, school, athletics, and other activities.  Increase the quantity of quality time. Create the habit of spending time together.

If you are the strongest influence in your child’s life then you’ve got to create the time to be that influence.

Your kids will have questions.  They’re looking for someone to ask.  Increase the chances they’ll ask you.  Create rhythms (or habits) where you have opportunity to talk about what God is doing.