Rooted Parent Top Ten: September 2023

Welcome to the Rooted Parent Top Ten, a curated list of resources from across the web that we believe will be helpful to parents raising teenagers. Here you’ll find articles, podcasts, and videos to support you in gospel- centered discipleship and interpreting youth culture. While most are gospel focused, others are included because they include a message of common grace. (The opinions presented in these articles do not necessarily reflect the position of Rooted Ministry.) At the end, you’ll find Rooted resources compiled from the last month’s new offerings. We hope this resource is helpful!

Gospel- Centered Parenting

You’re Only Human by Sarah Walton, setapart.net. “ I am not my children’s Savior, I am instead a conduit of God’s grace to point my children to their true Savior – Jesus Christ.”

Daniel’s 3 Tips for Surviving the University of Babylon by Catie Robinson and Andrew Selby, TGC. “…social pressure erodes loyalty to God’s kingdom far faster and more effectively than any professor’s ideological rants.”

They Will Never Understand How Much I Love Them by Jacob Crouch, jacobrcrouch@wordpress.com. “There is the necessary statement, “I love you,” that confirms the reality, but there is also an intuitive confidence that Dad would go to hell and back for me.”

Prayer Leaves an Eternal Legacy by Sylvia Schroeder, sylviashroeder.com. “The person she was marked my being, even more than the things she did. Mom loved Jesus. She proved it without fanfare by her DNA of prayer.”

Generations by Jean M. Twenge—Review and Reflections by Paul Carter, TGC. “I originally bought this book believing that it would help me better pastor my multigenerational church, but the more I read it, the more I realized that I should have bought it to help me parent my kids.”

If Satan Wrote a Book on Parenting by Tim Challies, challies.com. “If Satan wrote a book on parenting, he would want parents who don’t regard children as a bother to regard them as the whole point and purpose of life, to treat them like little gods. He would want parents to form their entire identity around their children and to be held idolatrously captive to them.”

One Thing My Parents Did Right: Generous Hospitality by Emily Ellis, TGC. “My parents granted me the privilege of witnessing firsthand what hospitality is according to the Bible: welcoming others into a wholesome environment saturated with Christ-centered love and care, both for the Christian and nonbeliever.”

Preemptive Parenting in Proverbs 1: Imagining a Scenario and Reasoning Through It by Mitch Chase, Biblical Theology. “Preemptive parenting is giving guidance and wisdom ahead of time rather than only after the fact. Reactive parenting is also necessary and part of godly guidance, but preemptive parenting should not be neglected. Indeed, children may be spared much grief if parents considered the value of talking ahead of time about the realities of temptation and sin.”

Teen Culture

5 Ways the Digital Age Is Transforming the Way You Think by Samuel James, Crossway. You might want to share this one with your teenager. “Christ’s promise that his Spirit is with us always can calm our hearts long enough so that we don’t need the constant noise of content to numb our anxiety.”

The CDC Draws a Direct Link Between Screen Time and Teenagers’ Poor Sleep by Rachel MacPherson, sleepopolis.com. “…learn more about how social media use can impact sleep and ultimately affect teens’ mental health.”

On Rooted

Giving Your Children a Better Why: The Primary Purpose of Going to Church by Joey Turner

Rooted Parent Podcast: What Parents Should Know About the Great Dechurching with Jim Davis and Michael Graham

Parents, What Are You Teaching Your Kids about Money? by Tracey Rector 

Just As I Am: Jesus’ Invitation for Parents to Rest in Him by Anne Sanford

Joyful, We Adore Thee: Ode to Joy in Parenting by Melissa Powell

Ask the Experts: Discovering the Value of Teenagers’ Questions with Mike McGarry

Be Thou My Vision: God’s Wisdom, Presence, and Provision in Parenting by Christina Fox

Parenting in the Age of the iPhone: Encouragement Regarding Smartphones by Steve Eatmon