Ever have this thought go through your mind? Raising kids today feels like building a straw fort in a windstorm.
The world is loud.
The rules keep changing.
The pressures seem to start earlier with every generation.
The questions get heavier.
And half the time, we don’t even feel confident in our own footing, let alone how to guide someone else.
Screens scream for attention. Culture pulls in every direction. And no matter how intentional you try to be, it feels like you’re always five steps behind and one mistake away from doing some kind of irreparable harm.
But here’s the thing: Kids don’t need perfect adults. They need present ones.
They need adults who are grounded enough to admit they don’t have all the answers. And steady enough to keep showing up anyway.
So how do we raise kids when the world feels upside down?
1. Choose presence over perfection.
You won’t always get it right. But showing up consistently with patience, hugs, boundaries, and grace builds something stronger than any flawless strategy.
2. Teach what’s true and model what’s real.
Your kids don’t need a scripted life. They need to see you wrestle with real things and come back to real values. Honesty, humility, faith, kindness. That’s the stuff that sticks.
3. Turn down the noise.
You don’t have to keep up with every trend. Instead of chasing what’s new, anchor your family in what’s timeless: love, respect, service, wonder, joy.
4. Let them see your limits.
It’s not a bad thing for your kids to know you’re tired, unsure, or struggling sometimes. That gives them permission to be human too. Vulnerability teaches resilience.
5. Pray more than you panic.
You won’t always have the right response in the moment. But your quiet, constant prayers over your kids matter. They matter more than you know. More than they’ll ever see.
Your job isn’t to raise perfect kids in a perfect world.
Your job is to raise loved kids in a messy one.
To point them to what’s good and true even when it’s hard.
To be a steady voice when everything else is spinning.
And if you’re doing that even just a little, you’re doing better than you think.
Keep going, even when it’s confusing. You’re raising hope in human form.
Source: www.derrickhurst.org