50 phrases to say to our kids

One of the most important things you can do is speak words of life to a child. This is true whether you are a parent, a grandparent, a caregiver, a teacher, a babysitter, a coach, a family friend, a healthcare worker, or a pastor. Children hear a lot of rubbish, so it’s important that we fill their hearts and minds with good, edifying words. There’s life and death in the tongue. As a father of four, I want to be intentional about the things I say to my children. I don’t want to be one of those dad’s who is either shooting off his mouth or apologizing for shooting off his mouth. Trouble is, speaking life doesn’t always come naturally. Not when I’m tired. It’s not that I’m a curmudgeonly old coot. But like many men, I tend to be economical with my words. And that’s not healthy where kids are concerned. To help me be a better dad, I have prepared a list of 50 phrases I can say to my kids to establish them in their God-given identity, to buttress their sense of self worth, and so forth. Call it a cheat sheet for parents, if you like. [...]