One toddler behavior that causes consternation in the nursery is biting! First, there's trauma to the child who feels the instant pain and indignation, then there's her parent who...
Jody Capehart
Helpful disciplinary tips for teachers that'll help increase joy and effectiveness in the classroom . You love God and children . You feel called to teach and be enthusiastic about...
Jody Capehart
Essential strategies for postive, proactive classroom management. You love God and children. You feel called to teach and be enthusiastic about the year ahead. But now you find...
Sue Kahawaii, Adam Walsh, and Courtney Walsh
9 ideas to make this your most amazing fall for families, children, and your entire church. Colorful leaves, football, hayrides, apple cider, a return to school, and fuller Sunday...
Donald Welch
You don't have to be a mental health professional to help troubled children -- you only need a deep commitment to Jesus and kids, and a whole lot of empathy... Imagine your Sunday...
Greg Baird
The discipline tools you already have -- you just don't know it yet... You were gung-ho to instruct children in the things of God! Chances are, though, after a few classes your...
Adam Day
Whether you're a pushover, a control freak, a scaredy-cat, or just plain clueless about discipline -- you can become a better classroom manager. One recent Sunday I was on my usual...
Jennifer Hooks
Maximize your ministry to children at risk for social, educational, and spiritual challenges... Recently a friend took a small group of preschoolers and volunteers to a local indoor...
Children's Ministry Magazine talked with Dr. Kevin Leman, author of "The Birth Order Book," about how birth order impacts classrooms and what to do about it... Devan is bossy and...
Carmen Kamrath
It seems respect for authority has dwindled, attention spans have decreased significantly, and as a result volunteers are weary. Is discpline a thing of the past? Here's help for...
Gordon West
[Q]: I think we should use a time-out chair at church. Other teachers say, "Never!" What do you think? [A]: Kids need consistency. So whatever you do, your church teachers must come...
Gordon West
[Q]: We have a child in our ministry who uses foul language. We're wondering if we should tell her she can't come to church if she continues. Help! [A]: No child should be allowed...
Ken McDuff
A Changed Heart is the Key to Better Discipline in Children's Ministries. You have them. The kids who disrupt your class with their antics. The kids who challenge your authority and...
Rick Chromey
"John, please sit down!" "Tasha, will you stop talking?" "Shhh! Quiet!" "Jeremy! If you hit Pete again, you're out of here." "Becca, come sit down by me." "Okay, who threw that?"...
Judi Bailey
How to love the kids you wish wouldn't show up. Oh, Lord please don't let Tommy come today; I need a break. Your prayer ends with heckling guilt. How could you think like that? Yet...
Melissa Smith
A look into the heart of kids' behavior problems. David was precocious and intelligent -- and he loved to test authority. He could derail even the most collaborative, positive...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Children's ministers share their secrets to success... Are you frustrated with trying to maintain control in your classroom? We asked children's ministers to share their secrets to...
Keith Johnson
A humorous look at what to say and do when kids make it clear your classroom is the last place they want to be. Glassy-eyed, restless, squirming kids who'd really rather not listen...
Gordon West
Q: How do I deal with a repeat offender in my classroom, especially when it's clear the disruptive behavior is simply to test authority? A: Children are wired to feel, think, and...
Jennifer Hooks
What happens when we focus more on character than on relationship with Jesus? What's the goal of your children's ministry? Is it for Johnny to be "good"? Or is it for Johnny to know...
Gordon West
Q: How do I deal with preteen boys who hit, shove, and kick their friends -- even though they seem to be playing? A: First ask yourself, "Who's this behavior bothering?" If it's...
Jennifer Hooks
You love kids--that's why you dedicate hours preparing for lessons and teaching them about God's love. You're committed to teaching...but you could do without the discipline...
Carmen Kamrath
Inevitably it happens. If you've volunteered in children's ministry, you'll never forget the day you left class feeling as if you had lost control of the situation and failed to...
Jennifer Hooks
Expectations can be a touchy subject. Christian parents quietly wonder whether their kids are learning anything of value in Sunday school. Children's ministers wonder how parents...
Christine Yount Jones
"Oh, what a wonderful picture, Alyssa!" the teacher exclaims as he holds the scribbled drawing aloft. Alyssa beams. But he doesn't even notice her next drawing. And Alyssa feels...
Stephanie Martin
"Wild kids are the ones who show up to your class with their own agenda," says Eric Wesley, children's pastor at Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church in Garland, Texas. "They have...
Gordon West
We spend tons of time and energy trying to get kids to behave. Check the shelves in any Christian bookstore and you'll find numerous books on controlling kids, for example Making...
Carmen Kamrath
As I passed by a Sunday morning kindergarten classroom a few weeks ago, I overheard a frustrated volunteer negotiating with a 5-year-old boy to join the rest of the class for the...
Sarah Smith
Recently, the editors of CHILDREN'S MINISTRY Magazine spied on an actual classroom. After seeing several discipline problems, we asked the experts what they would've done with each...
Jennifer Hooks
Bully-proof your ministry by stopping put-downs, power-mongers, and peace-breakers. Erik was small for his age. He kept to himself. He wore thick glasses. He came from a poor...
Gary Forslund
Teach wide-eyed, jaw-dropping lessons every time...and stop disruptions before they start. That Sunday morning, I'd just had it! My Kids Church ministry had attracted three...
Barbara Beach
Megan won't leave Suzie alone, so the teacher separates them. Joey and Travis don't want Jason to play with them, so the teacher makes them all play together. Sarah talks...
Barbra Beach
Expert tips from Dr. Kevin Leman, author of The Birth Order Book. Devan is bossy and disruptive in Sunday school. Annie is quiet, follows the rules, and wants to please her Sunday...
Les Parrott III, Ph.D.
AGE-LEVEL INSIGHTS AGE Birth to 2 years HOW CHILDREN REBEL Babies know the world only by looking, grasping, and putting things in their mouth. Care-givers may think children "rebel"...
Barbara Bolton
Why children swear and how to properly respond. 1-2 years As children learn to communicate verbally, they pass through the following stages: (1.) they imitate sounds; (2.) they...
