Learning to Speak Life
As parents, we teach our kids to treat others how they want to be treated. We teach them to speak kindly to others. We teach them to make good choices. However, we often forget the greatest teaching comes from modeling the behavior.
We know the power of words. Words can build up and encourage or tear down and destroy. Unfortunately, as parents, we often become passive with our words or forget the weight of the power in them. Everything we say and how we say it becomes a part of how our children speak to themselves. This then affects how they view themselves as a person. It also dictates how they treat others.
We need to be sure we are practicing what we teach to our children. Our focus should be on building up our kids with our words instead of tearing them down. Although it is often unintentional, we can easily misuse the power of our words. Being the disciplinarians, we can forget there is more to parenting than just pointing out the mistakes and where they are going wrong.
Speak life into your children by reminding them who they are to you. Let them know how much of a gift they are to you. Share scriptures or prayers with them that you have prayed for them. Tell them you love them. Show them you are proud of them by using encouragement in areas of their passions. Even if it’s just a coloring page for your budding artist, give them praise for their hard work.
Say positive affirmations over them each morning. Tell them to repeat them aloud. Create a special time for this in your morning routine. For example, use I am statements that your child can repeat to you; I am capable; I am intelligent, etc.…
Remind your child they were created on purpose for a purpose. Encourage their identity in Christ. Use scripture to back those affirmations up. Use those scriptures to pray over your child and you could even memorize them together. For example, the affirmation could be, “I have a purpose and God has a plan”. The scripture to back that up would be Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)
By speaking life over and into our children, we can break unhealthy family cycles. We can build strong family bonds while encouraging confident and fulfilled children to spread kindness into the world.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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