Our curriculum is not parent-friendly

Your Question:

“Our curriculum doesn’t offer much for the parents to use at home. Can we add those things, or should we find a different curriculum?

The Issues:

It is critical to remember that God places the responsibility of raising children spiritually on the shoulders of the parents.  We, in CM are there to support the parents. Today’s parents need help in raising their children spiritually. If we don’t offer help, parents may go to another church

Scripture Foundation:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.”  Deuteronomy 6: 4-9

Short Answer:

It is a bit dangerous to assume that the parents drop their children off with the CM in order for their children to become Christians.  Yes, it is true that the children should learn more about Jesus and how to honor Him with their lives, but the CM cannot take responsibility for the children’s spiritual growth.  That responsibility is given to the parents by God.  It is our purpose to do all we can to support what the parents are doing with their children spiritually in the home.  There may be parents who aren’t interested in teaching their own children about Jesus; but we should view those parents as the minority.  Whether parents are passionate about leading their own children to the Lord or not, we must still do all we can to offer them support and encouragement.  The curriculum we use should include specific ideas for the parents to use at home.  If the curriculum doesn’t include these ideas for parental support, we need to add them.  The ideas we provide the parents should include ways to use the “4 sensitive times” highlighted in Deuteronomy 6:4-9: mealtimes, personal times, bedtime, and in the morning.  Parents need specific ideas for interactions and encouragement to not become discouraged. For more help, click on the links below.

View other articles in the “Developing The Curriculum APPENDIX”

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