Comments on: Struggling With Parents http://www.cmmonthly.com/2009/06/struggling-with-parents/ Focusing on the needs of everyday children's ministers Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:11:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: James http://www.cmmonthly.com/2009/06/struggling-with-parents/comment-page-1/#comment-82 James Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:57:44 +0000 http://cmmonthly.com/?p=575#comment-82 I feel you on the non-constructve criticism thing. I've found that parents have a children's ministry vision for their child.... while we have to have a vision for the entire congregation. I feel you on the non-constructve criticism thing.

I’ve found that parents have a children’s ministry vision for their child…. while we have to have a vision for the entire congregation.

]]> By: Lynne Payne http://www.cmmonthly.com/2009/06/struggling-with-parents/comment-page-1/#comment-81 Lynne Payne Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:15:08 +0000 http://cmmonthly.com/?p=575#comment-81 Good thoughts! This is definitely what I'm going through, and one of the biggest challenges of children's ministry! Kids are the easy part, it's dealing with their parents that is tough! Good advice. Another thing that is tough is when parents are too critical of the children's ministry (in non-constructive ways), and want us to change everything to how they want it, no matter what. I want parents to know that just because we don't do everything exactly like they want it doesn't mean we're not listening to them, or we don't want their input, but we can't always do everything they want. I get a lot of suggestions or criticisms from parents who don't understand why I can't do everything exactly how they want it (even though they all want different things and they contradict each other!). Also, parents can be irrational when it comes to their kids. An otherwise clear-headed adult can go haywire over something that has to do with their kid, because I guess that's a parental instinct or something! I've had parents lose it and yell at me over the craziest things! But you're right, we are here to partner with them and support them. Good thoughts! This is definitely what I’m going through, and one of the biggest challenges of children’s ministry! Kids are the easy part, it’s dealing with their parents that is tough! Good advice. Another thing that is tough is when parents are too critical of the children’s ministry (in non-constructive ways), and want us to change everything to how they want it, no matter what. I want parents to know that just because we don’t do everything exactly like they want it doesn’t mean we’re not listening to them, or we don’t want their input, but we can’t always do everything they want. I get a lot of suggestions or criticisms from parents who don’t understand why I can’t do everything exactly how they want it (even though they all want different things and they contradict each other!).

Also, parents can be irrational when it comes to their kids. An otherwise clear-headed adult can go haywire over something that has to do with their kid, because I guess that’s a parental instinct or something! I’ve had parents lose it and yell at me over the craziest things! But you’re right, we are here to partner with them and support them.

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