Children

Children:  This is always a concern for people looking for a group but unsure how best to care for their children.  Here are some tips.

• Don’t start where most groups start:  Most people think, “what do we do WITH the children?”  That’s the wrong question because it assumes we must do something with kids in order to get to the real meeting.  Instead, ask, “what do we do FOR the children?”  This changes the perspective and makes it about serving the needs of your children through your group, not just making the group for adults so that you find a convenient place for the kids. 
• Involve children and teens in your group meetings: (obviously depends on the age of the children)
  • Invite them to read Scripture.
  • Pray with them in the prayer time.
  • Build an entire meeting time around the kids.  Someone from the group could do a children’s lesson and the adults could participate in the activities with the children.  This gives the parents a great chance to worship and learn with their children instead of putting them downstairs or in another room.
  • Allow the kids to do a service project with the group.  They can help bake cookies or do other projects for people in need.  Make this the focus of one meeting.
  • Allow the kids to tithe to the group.   Help them practice generosity by giving their money to the group’s missions or bank account if you have one.
  • Allow kids to share in the sharing time.  Invite them to show something they made during the week, a picture they drew, or tell a story from an experience they had during the week.  They could even demonstrate something they learned – like a dance or something.  You get the idea.
  • Involve them in the discussion of the lesson.  If you can explain something to a child, chances are you understand it better.
  • Sing with the kids??  Here’s your chance to sing some of those songs you did as a child.   Involve your kids in the worship of your group.  They could even provide the instruments.  Have fun.
• Rotate responsibility to care for and teach the children while the adults meet together.
• Pray for each others children during the week.  Invite the children to pray for the other children in the group.
• Hire someone to watch the children.
• Put the kids to bed at the house where you are having a meeting.  Don’t think you necessarily have to end your meeting just because it’s time for the kids to go to bed.   Sure, it can be tough for some kids to go to sleep in a strange place, but it might be more possible than you think. 
• Establish “house rules” for the kids and adults.  The host of the group can help establish the rules so that nothing gets broken and no one gets hurt.
• Commit to making the children part of the group.  It’s of great benefit to have many adults befriend your children in a group.
• If you choose to do “FOR” the kids, expect your group to be a bit more disruptive and chaotic.  That’s not a bad thing.  We’ve just been conditioned to practice our groups, worship, and church experiences apart from our children.
• Remember, it’s what you do “FOR” the kids, not what you do “WITH” them.  The group is as much for the kids as it is for the adults.  All your kids need to see you interacting, praying, and discussing Scripture with other adults.