For many of us, the school year has already started. This year, I have a child in elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. And they are all busy! Between school responsibilities, sports, drama, and music classes - it’s easy to shift into survival mode, just trying to make it from Monday to Friday. But as followers of Christ, we are called to something greater - intentional discipleship, especially within our homes.
In the book of Deuteronomy, 6:6-7 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Moses wasn’t saying this is a once-a-week conversation or trip to church. It’s a lifestyle. We are to live and speak God’s truth throughout our daily lives. That means discipleship happens not just in church, but around the dinner table, in the car line, during bedtime prayers, and all the times in between.
As we start a new school year, it’s also a great time to make new goals and start new routines. Here are three ways you can be more intentional about guiding your children to develop a strong foundation in Christ.
Set the example.
Our kids are always watching. Make sure you are prioritizing your own time with the Lord. Even if it’s a short time, let that time shape your own heart and perspective each day. Your kids will notice.
Make conversation about faith normal.
Discipleship doesn’t require a formal devotion time (though that isn’t a bad thing). But it’s often in the in-between moments that truth sticks—when you’re tying shoes, waiting at a stoplight, or walking the dog. Talk about what God is teaching you. Ask your kids what they think about something they heard at church or read in their own quiet times. I love praying in the car when my kids are there or not. I love how that can teach our kids that talking to God can happen anytime throughout our days, no matter where we are or what we are doing. In our family, we also like to do “roses and thorns.” We talk about the best (rose) or hardest (thorn) parts of our day. That is easily done in a car or around the dinner table. Those are great opportunities to ask them how God was at work in their day or where they may have needed God’s strength.
Tie God’s Word to real-life situations.
When your child faces a challenge—like anxiety over a test or a conflict with a friend—point them to what Scripture says. Help them see God as a daily source of help, not just something to talk about on Sundays. Verses like Philippians 4:6 or Proverbs 3:5-6 can become anchors in their week. You might even consider writing a few key verses on cards to place somewhere your kids will see them often, like a bathroom mirror.
They say the days are long, but the years are short. That became very real for me last year when my oldest left for her first year of college. Thoughts of Did I do enough? Does she know how much God loves her? What more could I have done? Ran through my head as we drove away from her dorm. Are there things I would do differently if I could go back? Absolutely!
If you’re a parent of an adult child who seems far from the faith, you are not alone. Many faithful, godly parents carry the heartache of watching their children make choices that don’t reflect the foundation they were given. Let this be an encouragement to you: our roles were never to guarantee outcomes, only to plant seeds, water them with prayer, and trust God with the growth.
At Bent Tree, we are committed to walking with your family, encouraging your children, and teaching them God’s Word. But the most powerful discipleship happens in the everyday moments only you get to witness. God placed your child in your life for a reason—you are their most important spiritual influence.
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