18 october 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida edition PARENTING This has been a difficult month for our country. For many of us as parents, it is even more emotionally complicated as we are trying to both shield our kids from the division around us but also talk them through how to navigate it. Children often pick up on the tension around them, even if they don’t fully understand it. This is a great opportunity for us to train them not to “react” but to “respond.” Learning to respond in difficult situations takes training. Think of our amazing first responders who face difficult situations every day. They undergo rigorous training so that their response in dire situations becomes muscle memory. Situations that are emotionally charged are a great starting point for us as parents to train our children not to emotionally react but to be able to respond in a godly manner. How do we do this? Lead by example Parents can lead by example through respectful conversation. Our children learn and mirror our emotional responses to things. (Even our responses to bad calls in a football game can be picked up on.) We can lead by example when we disagree with others, even within our homes. Do we have respectful disagreements? Discuss social media usage Parents of teens can use this time as an opportunity for another healthy conversation about social media usage. It is not good for our teens' mental health and emotional state to be consistently exposed to heated news clips or angry rants on social media. This is a good reminder to open the doors of communication with your child about what to do when you disagree with something or someone online. Another good talking point for teens is how others' anger makes them feel. Encourage breaks from social and the news cycles to encourage a peaceful “safe place” at home. Practice kindness With smaller children, now is the time to reinforce looking past themselves at others around them. Whether at home or at school, you can help them practice random acts of kindness. This can help to teach them to be aware of those around them. This is a great game to play either with siblings, after school, or even in dinner competitions. “Who had the best Random Act of Kindness today?” Teach empathy The biggest thing we can take from everything going on is that teaching our kids empathy is vital. The old adage, “Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes,” reminds us that empathy begins with slowing down to imagine life from someone else’s perspective. There are so many scriptures that direct us to compassion for others. Romans 12:15tells us, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Colossians 3:12directs our actions, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Choosing grace, compassion and empathy for those around us, even with whom we disagree, isn’t just kindness; it is Christlike. Visit parentingonpurpose.org for more advice from Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts. - Dr. Bob Barnes and Torrey Roberts - Sheridan House Family Ministries Train Children Not To React but To Respond
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