Show me some examples of teaching the key tool of Surfing the Waves
Session 3.2 · Note 7
Teaching Surfing the Waves
The fifth Key Tool is Surfing the Waves. Surfing the Waves recognises that kids’ discipleship is a long term journey, and there will be ups and downs, and helps parents and carers navigate that well. It also helps parents and carers recognise that every child is different and will have their own temperament, preferences, abilities and interests - and this will apply to faith too, and how children, young people and adults will relate to God and respond to him.
When you share the Surfing the Wave tool with parents and carers, it reassures them about their kids’ faith journeys and helps them understand that their role is to accompany and support their child as they grow their own relationship with God. It also encourages them to discover their kids’ unique ways of connecting with God.
These are some ideas for how you can use and share the Surfing the Waves tool:
Key Ideas
- Remind parents and carers of the key truths: we can demonstrate and teach the key tool of Surfing the Waves by reminding parents of the key truths about Parenting for Faith - see the questions in Session 2 Part 2 for more on the key truths.
- Offer choices: in groups and services, we can help parents and carers makeor point to the best choices for their children and teens by offering choices e.g. in how to worship or which bible to use.
- Be like IKEA: This post on the Parenting for Faith website explains how when church is more ‘IKEA’ than dentist, we build parent and carers’ confidence that they can surf the waves of their family’s needs and preferences.
- Direct parents and carers to resources which will help them understand how they can support their kid at different ages or in different circumstances. Parenting for Faith has courses for every stage as well as books and a well-resourced website. See Session 3 Part 4.
Find out more
- Be like IKEA
- Frequently asked questions about Surfing the Waves and additional needs.
- Surfing the wave of a toddler’s interest in music.
- What happened when a child asks to come to an adult prayer meeting.
- How a parent surfed the wave of her son’s trip to hospital.
- What surfing the wave of a nightmare might look like.
Last reviewed
