First, a caveat: Pam and I don’t have children – but we’ve worked with parents in churches and in seminaries for many years. Here are some unique parenting ideas I’ve learned from them—some unique “gifts” for their kids:
- Weekly or monthly “Mom” and “Dad” nights with each of their children. A night with mommy or daddy’s undivided attention is special indeed. If my parents were still living, I think I’d still enjoy such a blessing! Of course, this approach works with grandparents, too.
- Family-based mission trips. COVID has limited these options, but I’ve loved seeing entire families serving in some capacity on a mission trip. Sometimes, our children are the best witnesses among us.
- Parents fasting weekly for their kids and grandkids. I was so challenged by this idea that I wrote about it here and I then adopted the practice on behalf of some guys I call my sons. I’ve seen God move in response to this kind of burden.
- Required family breakfasts. These parents required all their kids to be at the breakfast table each morning as long as they lived in the house—and they used that time to learn about each other’s day, pray for one another, and read a section of Scripture. It wasn’t formal, but it was formative for these kids.
- A family graduation trip. The trip wasn’t for only the student graduating; it was for the whole family, with the graduate choosing the location (at least, within reason . . .). Everyone celebrated together the accomplishment of a high schooler before he or she went to college.
- Daily prayer times with each child, including teens and young adults in the home. I’ve known a lot of parents who pray with their kids as preschoolers, but who for some reason stop as the kids get older. That’s why it caught my attention when parents prayed daily with each of their kids, regardless of age.
- Birthday vacation days. This father took the day off from work for the birthdays of his spouse and each of his children. He prioritized that day for them, and they always looked forward to his surprises for that day.
- Worn-out, well-used Bibles filled with a parent’s or grandparent’s notes. Even if it seems your kids and grandkids won’t appreciate this kind of gift now, they may well learn to appreciate it later. I’ve even had friends and others ask for copies of my marked Bible when they hear about my Bible study method (here).
What unique “gifts” did your parents or grandparents give you? What ideas would you add to this list?
