Having discussions with your children about pop culture is the key.
We cannot run from it. It’s everywhere. And the songs are catchy and they get stuck.
We fill their lives with lots of great Christian songs.
There are also songs about deep stuff and songs about fear but they go over the kids heads for now. And songs my kids say are boring.
But the world has the songs about being a champion and other ones that sound so great. And pump you up.
And ones about living in the moment. And yes many filled with selfishness and sin and we don’t listen to those, but I explained that this song on Sing 2, has bad parts and good parts -
Halsey - could have been me.
Talking about being bad and dying last and not thinking through choices.
But I also explained that it has good words too. Saying live better days each day. And I never want to look back and say “it could’ve been me”.
I explained regret and how there are things in life that are right now. And we might not get another chance to say I love you or hug someone. Or learn things when we are kids, when our brain moves fast.
And she is right in the song to say
“I never want to look back and say it could’ve been me.”
I told them that wasting time and staying afraid will cause us to regret good and right things we didn’t do or nice things to say.
And I applied it to riding bike, monkey bars, learning a new skill, reading etc.
Put it on their level.
But I told them that we don’t want to forget Jesus - and that’s what this song is missing.
Living our lives selflessly for Jesus. He doesn’t make us do things or not do things. We have the freedom to choose.
And God also wants us to succeed & learn & grow. He doesn’t want us afraid and missing out on life.
River listened to me and then I saw her watch that movie scene with the song later - and I saw her pumping herself up. And she went out yesterday with Elijah determined to ride her bike.
She had been so so so afraid. So nervous. Crying. I prayed over her for the fear to leave. I commanded it to go. But here’s the kicker: our brains are in control. I showed her what to do. But it’s her mind and she has to decide internally.
So I told her weeks ago, it’s up to her to decide. I won’t force it anymore because I don’t want to make her sad. I simply asked each day, want to bike train? She said no.
But after I explained that Sing 2 song. Something changed.
God used a pop culture kids movie to help me get to River’s heart about riding her bike.
The longer I parent the more I see this very simple reality:
Never ever ever stop talking about Jesus and Jesus and more Jesus. Never stop living His truth out loud for your kids to see.
Kids don’t understand hypocrisy so I never want to be hypocritical. Which means practicing what I preach.
I tell them I don’t listen to bad music and they know it because they see me live it.
Explain it all. Talk to them. Engage their brains. That’s it. That’s the key.
