A Child’s Uniqueness Milestone
Purpose:
To empower families to recognize and highly value their children’s unique, God-given bents in their personality.
Target age:
First grade and their parents/grandparents/guardians
Scriptural basis:
Psalm 139:14
“I praise you because I am fearfullyandwonderfullymade; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Proverbs 22:6
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 30:19
“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”
Reasoning behind the Milestone:
The actual Hebrew translation of Proverbs 22:6 is “train up a child according to his “bent”. In Family Remedies, John Trent writes “Differences can become a devastating source of conflict in a family. And yet learning the skills of recognizing and valuing each other’s differences can be one of the most positive things you do.”
There are no actual “purebreds” of personality or “bent”. We are all a combination of all four. However,one or two bents willdominate in a person’s interactions with others. Therefore understanding these bents and how a child reacts to people and situations can be incredibly valuable in honoring the uniqueness of each child.
As a parent seeks to apply the understanding oftheir child’s bent, it will help the child to understand how God has designed and gifted them. It will help the child to have both a sense of confidence and a sense of belonging. Growing in understanding of their child’s uniqueness will also benefit parents in tailoring their parenting style to meet each child’s needs.
Implementation at Eastminster:
A Faith Journey Event will be hosted in the first grade room on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. where the parents will join their child in Sunday school. During the session staff and ministry team leaders will lead families as they participate in centers that reflect the four bents coinciding with The Treasure Tree (Trent/Smalley), parents will complete a personality test for their child, leader will share an overview of each personality and how the information can be applied. Families will take home their game packet, extra personality tests, and The Treasure Tree.
Follow up:
Contact families two months after the event to encourage the parents to have a discussion about the uniqueness of each of their children. Challenge them to create a plan for their child for the coming year: specific ways to pray for that child, specific verses to pray for that child, identify ways to parent that child more intentionally/effectively, list two ways to spend time with that child that fits their personality. Ask them to share any positive outcomes applying this information has helped their family.
Resources:
*Families will go home with The Treasure Tree by John & Cindy Trent, Gary & Norma Smalley
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*I'd Choose You by Dr. John Trent(Author) *Superhero Swamp: A Slimy, Smelly Way to Find the Superhero God Placed in You! byDr. John Trent (Author), Matthew Finger (Illustrator)
*The Two Sides of Love byGary Smalley andJohn Trent
*The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptanceby Dr. John Trent andDr. Gary Smalley *The Two Trails: A Treasure Tree Adventureby Dr. John Trent andJudy Love
*Personality Plus for Parents: Understanding What Makes Your ChildTickby Florence Littauer
*Different Children, Different Needs: Understanding the Unique Personality of Your Child byCharles F. Boyd andRobert A. Rohm