Cultivating Questions

As a parent you pray that your children will always feel comfortable asking you questions.  Many parents feel this means they have to be their kids’ best friend.  This couldn’t be farther from the truth.

The way to ensure your children ask you questions of any nature is to “fertilize” their minds with the nutrients needed to cultivate deep thought.  Create a soil that encourages growth.  Where else does a seed grow but up into the rich soil around it.

The family unit should be the most nutrient dense soil available to your children.  But how does a parent tend to the soil? What are the nutrients necessary for growing prize winning crops?

First and foremost, the Bible must be a part of your daily life.  The simplest way to achieve this is by having Dad (or oldest boy..or mom) read Proverbs every day after breakfast.  In our family, Dad eats the fastest and he’s reading the Proverb that corresponds to the date while we are still eating.

Another way, albeit more time consuming, is with nightly family worship.  Choose a book of the Bible as a family to work through over the next several weeks.  Dad (or Mom..) should set aside 30m-1hr a day to prepare for the evening’s lesson.  There are many resources one can use to clarify and expound on Bible passages.  Our favorites include: Calvin’s Commentaries, MacArthur’s Commentaries, Matthew Henry’s Commentaries, ESV study bible..just to name a few.

Once you’ve laid the good soil down, you can add the vital minerals.  These are added in various doses depending on weather, pressure and invading parasites.

Here are a few essential minerals:

Meals eaten as a family regularly.

Attending church consistently.

An order of authority within the family with an example of submission evident to children.

Play time. Not just the children but parents with the children.  I’ll be the first to admit that this isn’t an easy task for me.

Read. Read. Read. and read some more

Writing of goals.

Discussing topics crucial to your family’s lifestyle. Examples in our family would be: chiropractic, natural health, homebirth, breastfeeding, avoiding chemicals (toys, foods..), theology, working from home, modesty…

Discipline and structure. 2 things I lack but thank God daily that my husband possesses.

Nutrition. Cut out the MSG, trans fats and sugar. It ain’t (such an appropriate word) hard so don’t complain. 

Make books available in mass quanities.  At the very least visit a library often.

Eliminate or reduce medications and chemical exposure.  There are a multitude of studies showing the negative effects of medications and chemicals on the brain and how they are a detriment to learning and intelligence.

Nix the TV. Limit computer time (we nixed that too).  And by golly don’t get your 8..or 12..or well I’ll stop there…a cell phone! There are plenty of studies that show just how inattentive TV, computer time and the cell phone can make your child.  Isn’t there enough potential for that already in us naturally?!

And last but far from least is to talk to your children. Talk to them about pretend things. Talk about deep things that will leave them confused…they’ll eventually get it.  Talk to them about God!!

If you’re reading this you’ve most likely got children. If that’s so then you know how fast they grow up.  So when I say we only have 18 years (or so) you know just how short a time this is.  Don’t allow even the smallest things to slip by because I promise you the world will be right there to fill in where you left off.

When many or all of these things are done it won’t take long for you to see your seeds start to sprout.  We have been blessed to see green shoots in our fertile soil.

I would love to share with you a recent blessing..

On Monday, Haley went into Michael’s office and said, “Dad, I wanted to ask you some theological questions that I’ve been waiting a long time to ask.” “How far up is God, like past the moon?, What are angels? and Do they know as much as God?”

Wow. Just wow! When Michael told me this I wanted to cry.  This is exactly what I want our children to do!! I don’t want any question to be “dumb” or “silly”.  Every curious thought deserves attention.

Here’s to a green thumb!