There are so many voices coming at today’s children from every direction: family, friends, broadcast media, social media, TV, music, celebrities, teachers, pastors, and others. These voices are powerful and can influence how children view themselves, how they relate to others, the choices they make, how they view God and faith, what they should do with their lives, and more. It’s important that children know which voices to listen to.

As parents, we want to surround our children with the right influences, and we want to ensure that our voices will be the most influential in their lives. One of the ways to do this is by building strong, healthy relationships with your children. This is critical for your convictions and faith to be heard and embraced. Also, spending quality time with your children and having lots of meaningful conversations assures them that they can talk to you about anything.

Regarding outside influences, help them choose the right friends, make wise entertainment choices, and be especially careful about what they’re exposed to. Surround them with people who share your values and faith, such as a spiritually growing church family, a trusted children’s or youth pastor, and educators who know you and what you believe and expect as they interact with your children. Most importantly, make it a priority to help your children cultivate a growing relationship with Christ, teaching them to know and submit to the authority of God’s Word as the voice that prevails over all others.