Don't Go It Alone

At Mom to Mom we often talk about the need to get other people “on your team” when parenting children. Kids just do better when they have other adults investing in their lives, whether it’s grandparents, youth group leaders, teachers, or coaches, etc. The global pandemic has forced many of us to isolate ourselves in our homes and it feels even more important to involve other trusted adults in the lives of our children. It is just too exhausting for parents to be all things to their children. However, the isolation in our homes makes it more challenging to connect with those other adults.

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I’ve been so inspired by the anecdotes I’ve heard: phone calls with aunties and uncles to read bedtime stories once or twice a week … impromptu Zoom dance parties with neighborhood friends or a favorite babysitter … workouts and skill drills with a beloved soccer coach … math tutoring sessions with grandparents … you name it! There are so many ways we can reach out to our friends and family members to get them involved with our kids who may be feeling isolated. 

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Well, I was so inspired, that I decided to prepare a weekly FaceTime Bible study for my two young nieces. It has been lots of fun. Actually, “prepare” is probably a grandiose word for the 10 minutes of thought I put into each week’s lesson. Once the girls choose a story they want to explore, I do a quick search for a video on that Bible story. (Thank you, Saddleback Kids YouTube channel, for making my life so easy!) Then I put a bookmark in my Bible to note the location of that particular story and jot down one or two questions I want to ask the girls about the story. That’s it! We meet up on FaceTime and watch the video together, take turns reading the corresponding chapters in their Bibles and then act out the story together. The girls have washed each other’s feet and shared a communion snack of crackers and juice when we were reading about the Last Supper. They took turns being an angel to reenact Gabriel’s appearance to the Virgin Mary. They dressed up in bed sheets and pretended to be Egyptians in the story of Joseph. It is a fun activity we look forward to each week.

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So, who can you ask to spend a little virtual time with your kids? You may find that it brings a little extra joy into your home. Or maybe you are at a stage in life where you can offer to spend some time in an online activity with some of the kids in your extended family or your neighborhood. Now, more than ever, it is important that we don’t go it alone.