It is estimated that parents have 3000 hours of intentional time with their kids each year. The Kids Team knows that those hours are vital in the social, emotional, physical and spiritual development of your kids. In 2019, we want to encourage and challenge you to find rhythms in your home that are engaging, creative, fun and allow for natural conversations about faith and Jesus. Every month a staff member from the Kids Ministry Team will share an idea from their family rhythm that will guide you in making those 3000 hours a year a little more intentional. Join us each month by sharing how you incorporated the month’s challenge in your home. Post your family experiences to social media using #mhcfamilychallenge for chances to win prizes and encourage other families to join the challenge!
MAKING THE MOST OF DRIVE TIME
Some seasons feel like they lack rhythm. In the often dizzying pace of work, school, weekend plans, after-school clubs, sports, church activities, birthday parties, dinner plans … it’s hard to find good solid time to really stop and talk with your children about the important things in life. You know, the things you really want them to get so they can grow to be a young man or woman of God. With electronics pining for more and more of our time (because let’s face it, our entire lives are on those little devices), we really must be intentional in finding pockets of time that we can dedicate to engaging our children.
Our pack’s family rhythm doesn’t beat to the same rhythm set by the Cleaver’s. In the morning, we’re barely able to all get out the door in a timely fashion with everything we need for our day. Family dinner doesn’t always come together with our various schedules and activities, and by the time bedtime rolls around we just aren’t awake enough to really engage in family conversation.
So when am I supposed to mold this young mind God’s entrusted me with?
There is only one time where we are all off our devices (for the most part) and have a captive audience away from life’s distractions and constant clamoring for our attention. This amazing utopia is in our car during our drive times. Whether we are on the way to or from one of our several destinations, our “grocery getter” is a hallowed space where we do life together.
Living 20 minutes from many of our destinations gives us ample time to listen to a devotional over the speakers in the car and gives us time to unpack what God is teaching each one of us in our own personal walk with Jesus. Travel time also allows us the intentional time needed to check in and hear about each other’s day or week. Our son is always up for any short conversation about just about anything while riding along the highways and byways. We have found our car to be a sacred safe place to unpack life and walk through difficult situations. It’s the pause and the confined space that allows us time to really be present in a way that no other time or space does.
We are a family of music lovers, but sometimes the best thing we can do is turn down the tunes and tune in to conversation that will help us all be more on point with each other, with life and with God. I hope the next time you are in the car with your kids, that you will take the opportunity to connect and point them to God.
Check out the Parent Cue App for personalized ways to connect to YOUR kids while you drive. Find it in your App store or via the button below (you can also click on the picture above to take you there).
TRACY ADAMS
KIDS MINISTRY COORDINATOR – RAHAPLACE
