The Parent Hub

entertainment|familytime|technology|values

As a student, spring break was exciting! It came as a welcomed and well-deserved gift after making it through a few long months of school and winter. As a parent, the thought of spring break can bring some anxiety and pressure. What do we do to keep busy for a...

Back to School for our Students

It’s a crazy time. Football practice starts back up. School lunches are back in the fray. And not to mention, back to school shopping. But more than all the elements of “Back to School” are the urgencies around discipline and planning. We all get new planners, new schedulers, new calendars....

church|school

Helping your teens find a safe place

communication|friendship|spiritual parenting

Last week, one of our small group leaders told me this story, and I wanted to share it with you: “We’ve been in small group with this same set of students for multiple small group sessions now. And these students have known each other for quite some time now, but...

Read About It Together

books|familytime|spiritual parenting

Your child is wonderfully made!

We’ll tell your child they’re wonderful in Parkview Kids, but we know it’ll mean much more coming from you! They can never hear it enough. Check out these books you can read to them at home to remind them that God made them special.

End the Night Right

Elementary

communication|familytime

Kids don’t always have the words to tell us about their day, but it doesn’t mean they don’t need to. End the Night Right is a tool designed to help create a bedtime habit where kids talk with their parents about their day and parents can point them to wisdom...

Play the “SAY WHAT?!” Family Game

We know kids need to feel seen and known and loved by their families. And we also know they love to hear funny stories about their parents growing up! Our friends at North Point Community church created the Say What?! Family Game, a brand-new app for you to play during...

communication|familytime

How to Raise Great Kids

spiritual parenting|values

We know parenting is a big job. And raising great kids can be easier when you have a little help. Your church is in your corner cheering you on. We’ve developed a three-part strategic plan to help you raise kids that make wise choices. 1. Prioritize God’s wisdom at home....

Read about Jesus together!

Check out our favorite Bibles Help your child learn more about Jesus by reading about him together in the Bible! Don’t have one? There are some great options created especially for preschoolers. Check out our favorites! The Jesus Storybook Bible → The Beginner’s Bible for Little Ones → The Beginner’s...

books|familytime

Three of our Favorite Parenting Resources

We know parenting is a big job, and nothing seems more complicated than navigating the huge developmental changes taking place in your child from infancy through preschool. The greatest parents we know don’t claim to know everything about parenting. They’re always looking for helpful tools. Here are some of our...

books|values

The Anxiety Spiral for Teens

Anxiety, across the board, is up amongst teenagers, we’ve all heard. How does it manifest itself? Tim Elmore had a fascinating take on it in his book, Generation Z Unfiltered: Facing Nine Hidden Challenges of the Most Anxious Population. But here is a hypothetical scenario he laid out in the...

The ULTIMATE Cell Phone Guide for Parents

It’s important for our kids to learn to live productive and good lives in the midst of all the technology options that are afforded to them! On top of that, let’s be honest, you and I will be hypocritical… One minute we’re telling our kids to get off a game...

hot topics|technology

Best Podcasts For Little Ears

We think podcasts can be a great resource to use with toddlers and preschoolers! While nothing can replace the importance of conversation time with your little one, sometimes it is nice to give them some other voices to listen to! Turning on a podcast can help bridge the gap to...

entertainment

Bedtime Check-In

Elementary

communication|values

Your kids will know what’s important to your family by the questions you ask and how often you ask them. Create a bedtime habit of checking in with your kids about things you want them to know and grow in. You’re the best person to teach them! Make a list...

5 Ways to Cultivate Emotional Resilience in Your Kid or Teen

Being a teenager is when things start to get much more complicated. Your teen may experience heartbreak, stress, academic and social pressures and begin to realize that the world is not so fair. With life’s inevitable ups and downs may come feelings of skepticism, distress or despair. As a parent,...

mentalhealth

A Dad’s Guide: Surviving a 5-year Old

Hello. I’m Matt and I’m a dad. I love so many things about what I get to do every day as a dad to my 3 girls. The best moments for me are when they feel the freedom to be their gloriously weird selves and say things off-the-cuff to me and...

When Is the Right Time to Give My Kid a Cell Phone?

Elementary|Junior High

hot topics|technology

It may seem like kids are getting cell phones so much earlier these days. Yes, we do live in a very different world than we grew up in, but when is the right time to give your child a cell phone? We found this helpful podcast which talks specifically about...

Your Teenager Can Outrun You

Freedom and letting go of our children is extremely hard to do. As a mom of three teenagers, I thought I had it all figured out until my oldest left for college. It seemed so easy to parent, or make sure they are doing what you want them to do...

values

When Quiet Times Aren’t Quiet

Encouragement|healthy parents

As a parent, have you ever purposefully taken extra time running an errand just to get a little extra quiet? Locked yourself in the bathroom for a moment of peace? Tried to get up before the toddler just to get a hot cup of coffee without interruption only to find...

9 Things To Know About Middle Schoolers…From A Middle Schooler

communication|friendship|values

What’s going on in the brain of a middle schooler? Ask them, they’ll tell ya! This author did just that.

Here are some things that a middle schooler is thinking, and what she had to say may surprise you!

12 Affirmations to Speak Over Your Kids

Encouragement|mentalhealth|values

What we say to our kids really matters. It is never too young to start introducing positive self-talk strategies. Read an article from Parent Cue that we love for 12 affirmations to speak over your kids!

Family Fun Night

Elementary

I don’t know about you, but growing up in my house “Family Fun Night” consisted of card and board games, and usually ended with “Family Fight Night.” I probably have (know I have) an unhealthy amount of competitiveness. I LOVE TO WIN! Now, put my six family members in a...

How to Talk to Your Younger Child

communication|podcasts

Communicating with toddlers and preschool aged children can be a challenge and it often ends with a tantrum on the floor. This podcast explores the art of communicating with young children while providing tools to eliminate frustrations for both adults and little ones in the process.

The 5 Other Adults Your Child Needs in Their Lives

The question most adults ask kids is “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I’ve always had an answer – well, two. My mom was a teacher, and her friends were teachers or nurses, and I looked up to them. These people were not just my role...

Parenting a Child With a Mental Health Challenge

hot topics|mentalhealth

Parenting is hard. Adding in a child with who is struggling with anxiety, depression or any other mental health challenge can make life feel unpredictable and scary.

But there is hope! Check out this article about parenting a child who is dealing with these challenges.

Making Marriage a Priority

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘the best gift you can give your children is a healthy marriage’? I heard that a long time ago and it has really stuck with me along the way. Making marriage a priority is hard! 18 years after we said “I do”, we now...

healthy parents

6 Ways to Help Your Middle Schooler Develop Positive Body Image

Have you ever been in uncomfortable territory? A place that makes you feel a complete lack of ease? For me, as an introvert, this is usually parties of all kinds. Maybe you can relate: You get an invite to a gathering with people you like and when you show up...

hot topics|values

Memorizing Scripture with Your Children

familytime|spiritual parenting

Memorizing scripture with our children can be a powerful tool to tuck truth deep in their hearts. Deuteronomy 6:6-9 encourages us to impress truth into our children. “Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get...

Cues for Every Family Rhythm

Routine is critical for me and my family. I’ve noticed that when we are out of routine (or out of rhythm) we all are crankier, more easily “set off”, and just downright unpleasant. But with the pace of life most families face (think work commitments, school commitments, sports schedules, time...

Pressures in Parenting

healthy parents|spiritual parenting

No matter how many children you have, or their ages, I am sure you can relate that parenting is hard. The guilt, the schedules, the stress, the lack of sleep, the big emotions, the decisions…it can all leave us feeling this constant pressure. Not only do we have to keep...

Small Things Often

communication|Encouragement

“Parenting is the hardest job in the world… and you don’t even know if you’re doing a good job until your kids are adults!” I don’t know about you, but that phrase really resonates with me! I have had many jobs throughout my life but parenting definitely takes the cake...

Cultivating Gratitude in Our Kids

‘Tis the season for speaking gratitude yet being bombarded with ads begging us to spend more on things to make us happy. If this is the message being thrown at us from every corner, how much more confusing is it for our children to navigate gratitude? The Bible has hundreds...

Having Hard Conversations With Your Kids

Any parents of pre-teens out there? Oh man…the energy, the goofiness, the awkwardness…it’s all just off the charts with my daughter right now. There’s a lot to enjoy about that! It’s fun to watch my 5th grader grow into her personality – watching her sense of humor develop and seeing...

Watch Your Jr. Higher Grow!

transitions

You’ve made it to middle school, now what? Read this article and watch your junior higher grow and flourish!

What if I Am Not Enjoying Every Moment?

Encouragement|healthy parents

I think mostly all parents can agree that becoming a parent was one of the best things that has ever happened in their lives. However, we can also agree that parenting can be so HARD sometimes (or a lot of the time)! As parents, we all have those moments or...

Book Recommendation for Kids Dealing With Anxiety

As parents, dealing with the difficult emotions of your kids can leave you feeling intimidated, powerless, and discouraged. It can feel scary when they are dealing with feelings of anxiety and despair . I’ve found this book which has helped me and given me hope in my parenting. The book...

books|mentalhealth

Grit Over Grades?

Are you more interested in what your teenager is doing, or who they are becoming? If there’s one thing I see over and over again in Student Ministry, it’s that our Jr. High and High School students are facing more pressure than ever. There’s pressure to conform or fit in,...

school|values

Family Thanksgiving Ideas

Thanksgiving is a chance for families to gather together and enjoy being with one another. But Thanksgiving can also be a meaningful time to reflect on our blessings and remember how God has been faithful in our lives. Many families have special Thanksgiving traditions they use to show gratitude. I...

familytime|holidays

Family Advent Calendar

familytime|holidays|spiritual parenting

In the hustle and bustle of the season it can be easy to lose sight of why we are celebrating Christmas in the first place! One way to keep our hearts and minds set on the true meaning of Christmas is to do an advent reading calendar. We’ve got a...

What Should I Do if I Find Out My Child Is Watching Porn?

hottopics|sexuality|technology

“My Child would never view porn!” Yeah, that is what I thought. However, statistics show that the average age of a child viewing pornography is 11 years old! I was terrified when I found out my son was one of those statistics. It can be shocking and even shameful to...

Christmas Playlist

Check out the kids Christmas playlist here

entertainment|holidays

Looking for a fun soundtrack for the holiday season? We’ve put together a great playlist for your little ones to get their bodies dancing and your toes tapping.

How Do I Communicate With My Child?

Do you find it difficult to communicate with your child? Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation and thought, “Are they even listening and hearing me?” I think we’ve all been there, no matter what age our kids are. Here are some tangible ways to better communicate...

Technology with Teenagers

Can anything good come from technology? Sometimes it can feel like (especially with teenagers) we are competing with technology rather than using it to our advantage as parents. This article from Parent Cue has GREAT ideas on how you can share some cool moments with your teenagers using social media,...

familytime|technology

5 Easy Ways to Show Your Kids You Love them on Valentine’s Day

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day or does it just feel like another Hallmark holiday? This year, you can use Valentine’s Day as a simple way to remind your kids of your love for them. And it doesn’t have to be extravagant! Here are 5 simple ways to maximize your chance...

Show Up

Part of showing up for our kids means slowing down. Life is busy for us and sometimes it may seem next to impossible to feel like we can be there for our busy kids every day – sometimes it feels like we barely see them as it is! Luckily, we...

Encouragement|familytime

Show Up Part 2

In our last blog post we talked about how to show up for our kids in the regular rhythms and routines of our day. You can check out that post here: But what about those days that aren’t routine? What about those times when they are hurting or they’ve had...

Encouragement|familytime

Staying Family Centered During Busy Seasons

We live in a busy world. Check out this podcast to help you stay family focused during seasons where busyness seems to be running rampant! “None of us parents have our stuff together. While some days are better than others, on many days, most of us are just trying to...

Free Printable: The SEEN Book Tenants

books|communication|mentalhealth

Sometimes when we are in the thick of it with our kids, it’s easy to forget that most of their emotional responses are cries for connection with us. When we feel tired, disconnected, or stressed by our own circumstances, we can miss out on those chances to connect with our...

Feelings Wheel

communication|Encouragement|mentalhealth

Hey Parents! Have you ever experienced this before? Your child is upset, but no matter what you do and say you can’t figure out what is wrong? We want to share an awesome resource with you for helping your children develop a vocabulary for their emotions. When we show up...

Helping Your Kids and Teens Feel SEEN

communication|mentalhealth

Recently we held an event called Parent Night Out. We heard from Will Hutcherson who is the author of the book “SEEN: Healing Anxiety and Despair in Kids and Teen Through the Power of Connection.” He talked about different tools of connection and the critical steps you can take to...

Helping Teenagers Find Belonging in a Digital World

High School

It’s no secret that teenagers love technology. They take advantage of every opportunity to access or upgrade to the latest and greatest devices, apps, etc. As parents it can be hard to watch out for them in a digital age. This article has some great tips on setting boundaries, and...

Countdown To Easter!

familytime|spiritual parenting

Are you looking for a fun and meaningful way to countdown with your family to Easter? We LOVE the Jesus Storybook Bible because of the way it gently points every story in the Bible back to Jesus. Faith Gateway has put together a special reading plan with a printable paper...

Talking to Your Kids About Tragedy

Our hearts at Parkview are broken over the recent school shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, TN. We understand that when tragedies occur, it can be difficult to answer questions your kids may have. We found an article that may help you navigate through these incredibly difficult conversations. We are...

communication|hot topics

Book Recommendations for Kids Who Worry

communication|hot topics|mentalhealth

Do you have an anxious child in your life? It seems like that is becoming more and more prevalent these days. And understandably so. As a parent, it can be so challenging to know how to navigate these moments and conversations with your kids. We highly recommend the books “Raising...

Helping Your Jr Higher Manage Money

Talking to our kids about money can be hard. For many parents, you either don’t feel equipped to talk about financial responsibility because of your own mistakes or spending habits or you think the money conversation is best reserved for when your kid is older. But research shows the earlier...

communication|hot topics

Relationships our Teens Need

High School

Our kids’ relationships with other adults matter more than we might think they do. Our kids’ relationships shape what they believe, who they become, and how they view the world around them. And, like it or not, there will come a point in every kid’s life when they need another...

Heaven For Little Ones

communication|Encouragement

When my oldest was a toddler I felt really uncomfortable talking about heaven – because him dying and going to heaven was not something I wanted to even think about…until I realized that he wasn’t scared of heaven. In his mind, heaven was the place where he would get to...

Age Appropriate Chores

The new school year is a great time to reestablish routines around the home. One thing that can sometimes be hard to decide is what level of responsibility is appropriate for a child to have around the house. Chores are a great way to introduce your kids to responsibility, show...

familytime|hot topics

Make the Most of Mornings

Morning time can be quite the hustle! With getting everyone out of bed and ready, making breakfast and get everything ready for the day ahead to get everyone going, it can be hard to feel like you have the opportunity to connect with your child before sending them out the...

Encouragement|familytime

Discipline vs Punishment

When did discipline become all about punishment? This article suggests that it’s more about conditioning and training. Read on to learn more about discipline vs. punishment.

End the Night Right