May 2023
Hi Parents!

As a parent, you have incredible influence in the life of your child. We know it may often seem like they aren't listening; but they are! You make a difference and have the largest impact on the life of your child, including their spiritual life!

Did you know God has called you to be the primary faith-teachers of your kids? That may sound daunting; but you are not alone! God is with you and He has given us each other for encouragement and support!

We know that no matter the age of your child, parenting can be hard! Our hope is to each month provide you with some practical and timely tools, resources and information you can use. Please note that not all of the articles and resources are from faith-based sites; but have timely information for parents.
If you have topics you'd like information on, please email Kerri Schmid (kschmid@zionbelleville.org).

God's Peace,
Zion's Family Ministry Team
Mental Health Resources
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. God cares not only about our spiritual health; but about our mental and physical health as well. Mental health is an important part of children’s overall health and well-being. Mental health includes children’s mental, emotional, spiritual and behavioral well-being. It affects how children think, feel, and act. It also plays a role in how children handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. This month, we tried to find helpful resources related to helping parents care for the mental health of their children.
A Conversation Kit on Mental Health by Axis
Conversation Kits are topical video series designed for you and your teen to watch and discuss together. These family-friendly videos weave biblical principles with cultural references to provide an engaging experience that is relevant to teens and trusted by parents. Our conversation starters for parenting teens includes a video series divided into consumable segments and a discussion guide for you and your kids to work through together.
"Guarding Your Child's Mental Health"
A free video series from Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family has compiled recent interviews with Dr. Josh and Christi Straub and Becky Harling, experts in the field of emotional awareness and healthy families, to share some powerful insights for parents who want to be more effective and confident in helping their child through worries. Each video in this series also includes discussion questions and links to additional resources. 
"Alive to Thrive"
Prevent Teen Suicide- Free On-line Training from Focus on the Family
A study of American Medical Association indicates that more than 75% of parents are unaware of suicidal ideation in their child. Meanwhile, The CDC has reported considerably elevated levels of suicidal ideation in younger adults associated with COVID-19. Whether or not you suspect depression or suicidal thoughts in your child, you can take steps to help prevent suicide in your child. In this course, you’ll learn about issues that can lead to suicide, and how to address them long before your child might ever entertain thoughts of ending his or her life. Click the link to check it out and set aside some time to go through this life-saving training tool!
Parent Cue Resource- Feelings Wheel
Using A Feelings Wheel: Why It's Helpful and How It Works
A Feelings Wheel is a tool used to help recognize and communicate feelings. Although it may seem a bit extra, a Feelings Wheel is a way to work smarter, not harder, with teenagers when identifying and managing emotions. To get a better picture, a Feelings Wheel is a circle that at the center has “core” or basic emotions (emotions that are more easily identified or expressed) and more complex or “secondary” emotions on the outer edge.
So, what’s the point? The more specific your student can be in labeling their emotions, the more understanding you will have for them and they will have for themselves. 
Featured Podcast
Parent Cue Live Podcast
Episode Description: Dr. Chinwe Williams, a licensed professional counselor, shares ways to identify signs of anxiety and how to help your kids through their experience with it in today’s Best Of Parent Cue Live episode with hosts, Carlos Whittaker and Kristen Ivy.
Additional Parent Resources
RightNow Media is like Netflix for Bible Studies and Zion offers it free to you! You can have free access to over 20,000 video-based Bible studies. There are series on:
  • Books of the Bible
  • Marriage
  • Parenting
  • Mental Health
  • Men's Studies
  • Women's Studies
  • Youth Studies
  • 100's of safe, entertaining kids' shows!
NEW! Zion's Parent Resource Library and Devotion Lending Library
Located in the church lobby, one side is full of kid, teen and family devotional books. If you see one that you think would benefit your family, feel free to take it home with you! If you have similar books your children have outgrown, please consider donating them to the lending library!

The other side is full of current, helpful resources for parents that deal with a variety of topics. Use the QR code to check out any resource that you'd like; bring it back when you're done with it.
HomeWord's Good Advice Parent Newsletter
This Month's Articles:

  • Hopeful Moms
  • Catch Them Doing It Right
  • Five Ways to Have a Fun, Less Stressful Summer Vacation
  • Strategies for Single Parents- podcast
Want more info on Zion's Youth Ministry?
Contact Zion's Youth Minister, Jaime Brinkmann (jbrinkmann@zionbelleville.org) or check out the Hubs for Jr. High and Sr. High Youth and the Zion Student Ministry Facebook Page