Marriage > Parenting
Discussion Questions
- Parenting styles vary greatly, and even siblings vary greatly! There’s no single “correct” way to discipline all children perfectly. However, conflict arises when you and your spouse are not on the same page with parenting and disciplining your children. How does your parenting style differ from your spouse’s? How has that caused tension in your family?
- Rather than taking a reactionary approach to resolving these parenting differences as they arise in real-time, how could you and your spouse take a more proactive approach to achieve greater unity?
- Many parents talk about prioritizing their marriage over their children. Few successfully pull this off. To what extent are your children’s schedules and need for attention hijacking the intimacy in your marriage?
- What practical tips from your own marriage could you share with the group that would encourage others to prioritize their marriage?
- Dating your spouse when there are small children in the family is a challenge! Childcare can be expensive. What creative ideas can you come up with as a group in order to find childcare so you can date your spouse again?
- Take another quick look at Deuteronomy 6:4-8. Parenting is your primary opportunity for discipleship. How can you “redeem” the normal routines of daily life to teach your children about God’s love for them at various ages/stages of childhood?
- As a group, come up with at least 5 “better” questions than “how was school today?” so you can connect with your child? Example: “What did you do today that I would be proud of?”
- Part of our mission statement is to love people where they are. As parents, how can you make an effort to “enter into your kids’ world” in their specific age and phase of life?
- If you haven’t figured it out already, you can’t do this marriage or parenting thing on your own! Your children need other influences along with yours as they continue to grow. Hope challenges you to find 5:1. Five adults that are also a part of discipling your children. How many adult
role-models do your children have regularly impacting their lives? Who are they? Don’t have 5? Who could you ask? (Who would your children
ask?)
1-on-1 Conversation Starter
• Ask your spouse to share ways that you could be more unified as parents.
What practical change could you make this week to re-prioritize your
marriage over the kids’ schedules.
○ Without blaming, complaining, or defending yourself, ask your spouse
what specific things you can do to move toward making that a reality?
Challenge for the Week
• Find a 1-on-1 time with each of your children where you can “enter into
their world.” (Do/Talk about the things they enjoy). If they’re old enough,
ask them how you’re doing as a parent. Listen without defending yourself
and thank them for their honesty and share how you will make an effort
to improve. Ask them who are the 5 adults in their life that they know
personally and admire.