Parenting Toddlers: Laying a Foundation of Faith

So much comes with being a parent — especially in these first few years. It helps to remember that your time with your kids is short, but what you do right now shapes the kind of future they'll grow into.

Teach Your Child How to Think, Not Just What to Think

Children make around 3,000 decisions in a single day. Part of your job is teaching your child to make good ones, and God's Word is the guide you use to show them how. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2).

Give Them Structure

Children thrive on structure and routine. A set bedtime, a consistent morning routine, and age-appropriate chores are simple ways to provide the stability your child needs. Give them responsibilities they can actually handle at their age.

Help Them Own Their Faith, Not Just Follow Yours

Your greatest responsibility as a parent is helping your child begin and grow in their own relationship with Jesus. Let God be a natural, regular topic in your home. Teach them how to pray and show them why it matters. Bring them to church, and talk afterward about what they learned and how it applies to their life. 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 (Deuteronomy 6:7).

You're not meant to do this alone, either. Connecting with other parents in a Connect Group gives you encouragement and wisdom from people in the same season.