Parenting With Intimacy Outline:
9X90 min sessions
Session one: Let the Journey Begin: Introduction to how God has made us and our children to need relationship, some self-reflection on how the parent has needs and some reflection on each child's needs. Introduce the 10 relational needs.
Session two: Understanding Intimacy Needs: Impact of needs being met or unmet in childhood. (Potential and Pain of relational needs.)
Session three: God's plan for growing up: Understanding your child's temperament. Stages of development.
Session four: Freedom to be a parent: Reflecting on how our own childhood impacts our parenting. Learning how to validate and care for the pain of others (especially our spouse with a view to caring well for our children.)
Session five: Small group work, practicing Romans 12:15: Rejoicing with those who rejoice, mourning with those who mourn.
Session six: A Home Environment for Intimacy: How do we make our homes grace-filled? Modelling giving first, taking initiative in caring well for others.
Session seven: Helping our Children resolve painful emotions: Emotional Cup. Helping children identify hurt, anger, fear, guilt, and condemnation, and how to help them resolve these painful emotions biblically.
Session eight: Children as your dearest disciples: Six ingredients for disciplining our children: intimacy, instruction, training, warning, correction, reassurance of unconditional love and acceptance. Looking for the needs beneath the deeds. Apologising to our children.
Session nine: Letting your child know you. Appropriate sharing for different stages of development. Reflection on what we've learned and where to go from here.
What we hope participants gain from this:
Head: Learn basic tools to help in relating to others: 10 relational needs, Potential and Pain of relational needs, Emotional Cup
Heart: Learning to rejoice with those who rejoice. Learning to forgive others and let go of unhealthy patterns that are hindering our parenting (and other relationships.) Learning to trust others in our vulnerable spaces (especially our spouse.)
Hands: Practical suggestions each session of how to apply learning to different aspects of parenting.
Relational skills are caught more than taught. Experiential knowledge brings transformation in relationships. Group learning in a safe environment with relevant journey mates is appropriate for adult learners.