On Faith: Parenting Series at St. Andrew’s

“Our biggest goal as parents is to raise our kids to love God and to put others’ needs in front of their own,” Newport resident Kristin Pelinka said. “This series allows us to dialogue with older parents who have gone before us and learn from their wisdom how to pass on our faith to our children. We’ve been learning that parenting is not intended to be done alone, as is the pattern in modern America. I have been so blessed by the help and wisdom of my parents, my in-laws and my church family, and I am at my best as a mom when I learn from those around me.”

Kristin and her husband Rob are participating in the 11 week parenting series at St. Andrew’s called “Raising Kids in A Hectic, Entitled, Tech-driven and Sexualized Culture.” 

The lecture/discussion series is part of the church’s Wednesday Night Together evenings and is open to anyone. A $5 dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. and the teaching is from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. There is free childcare for little ones and an evening program for older kids through high school. It continues on Wednesday nights through November 20.

The Pelinkas, along with approximately 300 other people, appreciate the helpful information, practical applications and lively discussions.

“When we moved to Newport, my husband and I knew we were moving to one of the safest and most beautiful places in the U.S. to raise our kids,” Kristin said. “But we were also acutely aware of the price of privilege, the unavoidable subculture of materialism and the pressure to overschedule children and not allow them to simply be kids. We all love our little ones so much that there is a temptation to want to give them everything they ask for, and it has been surprising to see how damaging that can be in raising children to be grateful, generous and hard-working.”

“It has been helpful to see that some of the most important lessons we teach our kids are learning to work through disappointment, working hard to earn rewards, and learning to live with less,” she continued. “I’ve been learning about the importance of saying ‘no’ to my children. I am not going to be afraid of unscheduled days, recognizing how important it is for kids to have down-time and creative play that they structure themselves. I am going to be intentional with the service we do as a family, serving the homeless and going on mission trips with our church, to help them recognize how incredibly blessed we are to live in this area and to not take their gifts for granted.”

“This series came about as a result of the church’s perceived need to address the issues that parents are facing,” explained Jon Batarse, Minister of Communications at St. Andrew’s. “The weekly topics are specific to raising kids in our area. We selected speakers who aren’t trying to answer every question, but to get people to think and pray.”

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” he continued. “People of all generations are having a similar experience as Kristin. This series is aimed at equipping parents, grandparents, guardians, and everyone else, to raise the next generation in a challenging culture. Whether you’re a parent or you have friends with kids, this series if for you.”

Remaining topics include: Creating a Continuing Conversation with Kids; Developing Character; Relieving Academic Pressure; Kids Know More About Sex than You Think; Kids, Technology and Sex- Earlier, Easier and Unlimited; and Passing Down a Healthy Sexuality.

 For further information, go to sapres.org

 Cindy can be reached at cindy@onthegrow.com.