Using Texts To Connect With Your Kids

How many of us have shouted orders to our kids via a text? Something like…

• “Don’t FORGET your homework!!!”
• “When you get home: let out the dog, have a snack, clean your room, because I can’t see the floor! Love you.
• “NO friends over!”
• “Be home by 9!”
• “BE QUIET and go to sleep! (Sent from your bed; they are across the house in theirs.)”

Me too.  Guilty.

I have made it a priority to connect with my daughter with at least one encouraging text a day.

Can you imagine if every time our kids receive a text from us, their first thought was, “I wonder what encouraging thing my dad is going to say now?”  What if they looked forward to receiving our texts?

Let’s send at least one encouraging, uplifting, inspiring, funny text every day.  There just isn’t a reason not to use this tool to connect with our kids.

As a reminder, put it in your calendar to repeat every day. (Yes. I do this. Don’t tell my daughter.)

Text them stuff like:

• “You did great at…!”
• “Hope you do fantastic on your exam. Praying for you!”
• “Hang in there. The day is almost over.”
• An inspirational scripture verse. “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Proverbs 13.24 (Just kidding.)
• “I thought I would encourage you with a reminder that you have the best dad in the whole world! Love ya.”  (With crazy selfie.)
• “Can’t wait to hear about your day. Love you.”
• “Excited to spend time with you this weekend.”
• “Is this a good weekend to wash my car?”

I ran across a picture of my daughter on my pc yesterday and I had this idea.  I brought the picture up on the screen.  Then I wrote adjectives that describe her on post-it notes and put them around the picture and texted it to her.  It only took a few minutes and it meant a lot to her.

Our kids need our affirmation.  They don’t get a lot of praise for who they are outside our home, so let’s make sure they get it from those who love them the most.

Leave a comment below. I’d love your feedback.

Jonathan

Written by Jonathan

Rev. Jonathan Cronkhite has been serving youth and families in full time
ministry for the last 23 years. With the heart of a pastor, he encourages and equips families to have Homes Devoted, through conferences, workshops, coaching and writing. Married to Carrie for 22 years, they have 5 children, run a home school co-op, drama club and invite 50 people over once a month for airsoft battles.