Once you have permission to invite your child to activities and you have a plan for having another non-related adult with you for an outing, it is great to be able to expand your connection with your child. The mentoring hour itself is the essential element in your relationship and has the value of being consistent and established, but by inviting your child and his or her family to a church activity or outing, you may be able to further develop the relationship and expand it to your child’s family. There are some things to consider when reaching out to the families of the children in your KIDS HOPE program.
- It is great to be intentional as a group and church in planning to invite children to activities. You have the benefit of having others involved and it can be organized well.
- Be aware of issues related to transportation and the translation of information when inviting children to VBS or church family events.
- Communicate the plan clearly to the parents or guardians.
- Focus your attention on your child rather than the logistics of the event.
- Be welcoming and coach other church members to speak directly and warmly to the children in the program.
- Just as we avoid extravagant gift-giving, keep activities simple. We want to enhance the relationship rather than create a distraction.
The focus is always on building a caring relationship with our children. We may not always be able to connect with the families, but by having a safe and creative plan, we can let the families know how special their children are and how special they are.