All Article articles – Page 2
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ArticleHaving a Disability Champion can revolutionise life for disabled youth and children in your church
When we moved to our current church a few years ago, most people who talked with me for more than a few minutes soon discovered that I’m passionate about churches becoming more accessible for disabled people, including disabled young people and children. It wasn’t too long before our vicar approached me and asked if I would consider being the Disability Champion for our church. After praying about it, I gladly accepted. I want churches to not only welcome and include disabled adults, youth and children, but to also be places where they can feel that they truly belong. But what is a Disability Champion and why might your church need one?
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ArticleClever Club Bible Bingo: A great game to help children learn and meditate on Bible stories
Clever Cub Bible Bingo is a recent addition to the collection of resources offered by David C Cook. The game is designed to help kids learn Bible truths through a familiar and engaging format. As a mother of four, eager to make the Bible enjoyable for my children, I was immediately drawn to it. Packaged in a travel-sized box, the game includes 12 double-sided Bingo boards along with perforated sheets that need to be separated to make the calling and marker tokens.
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ArticleAs Gareth Southgate considers a generation of lost boys here are some reflections for Christian parents
In recent weeks, the success of the Netflix drama Adolescence, with its visceral depiction of a teenage boy’s crime and its effects on his family, has led to widespread conversation on boys and masculinity. Sara Taylor has already helpfully explored ways in which this might inform parents in their relationship with kids.
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ArticleNew film The King of Kings is a pleasant, family-friendly, cat-approved retelling of the gospel
Angel Studios’ The King of Kings is an animated film directed by Seong-ho Jang, loosely inspired by Charles Dickens’ lesser-known work, The Life of Our Lord. Boasting a voice cast so stacked it could pass as a Who’s Who of Hollywood - including Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, Pierce Brosnan, Roman Griffin Davis, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley, and Oscar Isaac - the film reimagines the gospel story through Dickens’ eyes, turning it into a bedtime tale for his son, Walter. And if that sounds like a quaint, heartwarming setup, don’t worry - there’s also a cat for comic relief.
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ArticleThe new Netflix series Adolescence raises difficult but essential issues for Christian parents to grapple with
Few television shows capture the emotional chaos of growing up as honestly as Netflix’s latest series, Adolescence. Diving deep into the complex struggles faced by young people today, this is more than just a typical coming-of-age drama. With its innovative use of single-take episodes, its raw and poignant cinematography immerses you into a world of identity crises, societal pressure, online dangers, and the hidden pain of those caught in the fallout of serious mistakes.
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ArticleMothering Sunday: A chance to celebrate mothers and consider the implications of mothering for mission
One of the things that I love most about being a Mum is receiving hand delivered tokens of love. I have kept notes from my now-teenagers, one of whom, at six, declared they loved me nearly as much as their favorite toy. I have photos of a special stick found ‘just for me’ by a sweet little redheaded boy who is now as tall as I am.
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ArticleShould Christian parents be prepared to smack their children? The case against corporal punishment
The Research is unequivocal; smacking children is harmful. Studies have shown that the negative effects of smacking include problems with social-emotional development, self-regulation, and cognitive development. Smacking also alters children’s brain response in ways similar to severe maltreatment and it increases the perception of threats.
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ArticleShould Christian parents be prepared to smack their children? The case in favour of corporal punishment
It’s not an easy thing to talk about corporal punishment. Many British parents are wary even of broaching the subject with one another, let alone normalising it. For many people, the potential for justifying abuse is too high. Anyone defending a genuinely Christian view of corporal punishment should never justify abuse. But in our zeal to combat abusive forms of corporal punishment, we also risk eradicating this biblical practice altogether, forgetting that, when practised in love, it is intended for good not evil.
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ArticleSiblings of youth and children with additional needs need support too - Here’s five things Christian parents can do
This article is written by Phoebe Ridout, who is the daughter of Mark Arnold (from the Additional Needs Alliance). Phoebe shares her experience of growing up as an additional needs sibling to her brother, James, as well as offering learnings for us all…
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ArticleHelping your teen navigate Snapchat: A Christian parent’s guide to helping them flourish online
In today’s digital world, social media is a big part of many teens’ lives. Snapchat, with its disappearing messages, fun filters, and real-time updates, is particularly popular among young people. While these features can offer entertainment and connection, they also bring risks that parents need to be aware of. As Christian parents, it can be challenging to help our teens navigate platforms like Snapchat while keeping them safe, grounded in faith, and aware of the potential dangers. This guide will help you find that balance.
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ArticleIt’s not all in the head - Physical activity is really important for the mental and spiritual health of youth and children
In 2024 there were 9.3 million NHS Couch to 5K runs started in the year as people sought to get healthy. I really enjoy physical activity but there are times (especially at the end of a busy day or if it is cold and dark) that dragging myself away from a comfy sofa is quite a challenge. However, one thing I do know is that being active is good for me and I always feel better having chosen to abandon the sofa for exercise.
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ArticleChristian parents will find that the Real Easter Egg collection from the Meaningful Chocolate Company is well worth trying
When it comes to Easter, there is one very important question that everyone should think about: When is it too early to eat a chocolate egg?!
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ArticleThe Garden the Curtain and the Cross is a great resource for Christian parents to try in the run up to Easter
As the last few remnants of the Christmas stock are in the seasonal sale aisle, in comes the chocolate eggs and hot cross buns. ‘Happy Easter’ is on bunting, hats, and toys everywhere we look. It can be difficult for Christian parents to navigate yet another consumer-hacked event in the calendar, as the colour pallet in the shops turns to pastel yellow, pink and green and the shelves are filled with chocolate eggs, and fluffy bunnies and chicks. So, how do Christian families manage this time of year as they explain the biblical account of the first Easter to children in a theologically accurate, yet age-appropriate way, especially as eggs, hot cross buns and bunnies can be easier to digest than sin, death and resurrection.
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ArticleNew Disney+ series for children Win or Lose has an openly Christian character in it, but that doesn’t mean it’s a complete cause for celebration
I’ve always loved Disney. I love the music, the predictability and the comfort of the familiar hero storyline. I marvel at the ability for its message to speak to 5-year-old me whilst still speaking to 45-year-old me, that’s meant that Disney has become a timeless classic in my life. There have however been some recent controversies, for example around Disney’s latest move to introduce characters who are gay (Strange World (2022) and Buzz Lightyear (2022)). This led some Christians to unsubscribe from Disney+. As a family we chose to keep our subscription. My children are now 21, 19 and 17, so Christian discussions around the cultural topics that Disney are highlighting are much easier. However, for many others, the way in which Disney portrayed gay characters accompanied by price hikes saw them choosing to cancel their subscriptions.
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ArticleChristian grandparents: An underused resource in the faith lives of youth and children?
It’s over 20 years now since my Grandad moved on to heaven, but I am still inspired by his prayers and the role model of faith he was to me. His well-worn Bible was always open next to his favourite armchair, and he told me on so many occasions that whilst he couldn’t physically do much in his later years, so he would sit talking to Jesus for large portions of the day, particularly praying for me and my family. I will never forget him. His faith inspires me still now and will do for the rest of my life.
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ArticleNicotine pouches might not be as bad as smoking, but Christian parents need to know about this new fad on the street
Max (a 16-year-old boy) and Ollie (a youth worker in his mid-twenties) are at a youth club for young people aged 11-18. The discussion starts like this…
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ArticleChristian devotions at home for children with additional needs are hard but worth working at
Hands up if you feel pressured by your church to do family devotions every morning. In some areas of our wonderful church, we can be left feeling that having daily family devotions is compulsory and doing it in the morning brings extra holiness points.
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ArticleStep In - Premier’s new Bible podcast for children provides a rich resource for Christian parents
Teaching the Bible to children can be challenging, especially when trying to make God’s story meaningful for them. Over the past few weeks, my five-year-old son and I have set time aside before bedtime to journey through stories of the Bible together with the help of the Premier Step In podcast. This podcast invites listeners to step into biblical stories and discover what God might be saying to us through them.
