If you have kids, you know that growth spurts are usually accompanied by growing pains and an extra hungry belly. However, growing up isn’t just a physical thing. Children also go through seasons of spiritual and social development. So, how can parents soothe those growing pains while also offering them the nurturing spiritual and social food they crave?

Spend Time Reading the Bible Together

Time spent in the Word is always a good thing, but spending time together as a family reading through God’s Word is a great way to create an open dialogue with your children. Encourage your kids to ask tough spiritual questions and discuss how the Bible calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. If you can’t sit down for a Bible study, pick a verse for them to think about at the beginning of the day and discuss it over dinner.

Have Open Conversations

How you feel, how you act, and what you think, all have an impact on your mental health. When people compartmentalize, they don’t see the relationship between their thoughts and feelings or their actions. By having an open and honest conversation, kids of all ages are able to better express their own emotions with others.

One way you can ease these types of conversations is by using books and other media to jumpstart a discussion by asking your kids how and why they relate to the characters. You can also use games such as Ferret Flush by Brittany Gonzalez and Anthony Gonzalez, which is a great game for young adults and teens.

Kids have unique challenges when it comes to spiritual and social growth. By empowering them to express their thoughts and feelings through different activities, you are giving them the space to develop their faith and their social skills.