Equippers Newsletter -- Making the Most of 'Back to School'

‘Back to School’ time should be a time of renewal and revival in our families. Let me suggest some distinct ways to help your family be ‘on the mark’ for the school year.


1) Have a back-to-school discussion with each individual child. Ask questions like, ‘What are you looking forward to most?’ ‘Least?’ ‘What do you want to see go differently than last year?’ ‘How can you make better friend choices than last year?’ (If relevant). ‘How do you think Christ wants to use you to influence people this year?’ With each of these questions, being prepared through prayer to have constructive dialogue, coach and instruct. Your goal is to encourage, excite and prepare the child, to have them focused on the purposes of being in school, and on the influence they can have.

2) Work with your spouse to have a clear plan for the school year. As some of the same questions of each other that are above, and come up with a clear understanding of how you want the routines to work this year, and what you want the priorities to be. Then give teeth to these matters with real changes. Some common issues are a) wise time management by kids (and parents); b) priorities of school vs. activities/privileges; c) over-commitment to outside activities; d) poor management of bed time/get up time and eating habits; e) unclear expectations from parents of grade performance.

3) Besides your individual meetings, have a family meeting where changes are set forth, but – as importantly – where the school year is committed to the Lord. Make it a meaningful time of fellowship, worship and commitment. Use verses such as, “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (Prov. 18:15), explaining that knowledge means deeply knowing and understanding, and pray that is what your children and acquire academically and spiritually in the coming year. Have a meaningful prayer time where everyone prays, and the parent(s) especially pray God’s blessings for their children, and their children’s teachers and friends this year.


4) Considering having a ‘back to school party’ for your kids friends, but put some real meet into it. Pray over them and for them. Break the children into small groups and give them discussion questions, or complete-the-sentence exercises. Topics above are a good guideline. This time may have to be brief in the context of a party, but at least it focuses the group on the school year and makes them think.

The bottom line: Don’t just rush into another school year without a plan. Reconsider last year, seek God for adjustments, put them before your children, and commit the year to our Lord. Your children spend at least 35 hours at week at school – we need God’s hand in all of this!

• A little perspective for our families. Please read and share with your children. http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=31024
• Words hurt – or heal. Families are always wrestling with words. Check out this great 7-day challenge; you could adapt it to be a challenge for your family. http://jdgreear.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/08/the-7-day-challenge.html
• Judy and I are consistently reconsidering how much technology – and access thereto – is too much for our kids. Please consider this insight: http://www.familymatters.net/blog/template_permalink.asp?id=113
• More on technology, informative secular research: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/teen-social-media
• More JD Greaer, and a great quote/discussion starter for our families: “Gossip: saying behind one’s back what you would never say to their face. Flattery: saying two one’s face what you would never say behind them.”

Share Scripture with your children today! It’s YOUR responsibility, not merely the church’s.