Meaningful Family Conversation Starters: How to Make the Most of Family Time

Do you want to inspire deeper family conversations? Start by engaging your kids in meaningful conversations and make everyday moments a time for discipleship and connection!

Six thousand, five hundred seventy-four. That’s how many days we have with our children from the moment they are born until they turn eighteen. Many of those days will be memorable, from birthday parties to holidays to big life changes. However, there will be more days that are mundane. The car rides, the meals, the downtime between dinner and bedtime, all can be pretty forgettable. But in our busy lives, these moments are some of the most important. Finding and identifying those times is the first step, and for my house, dinner time is definitely full of opportunity. 

How You Fill the Silence Matters

Do you ever feel like your kids will talk about anything as long as it’s not important? Sometimes the dinner table can get rowdy with silly antics, but then other times it’s silence. Either way, it can feel lacking.

I have six thousand, five hundred seventy-four days to impart God’s truth into their lives, and I don’t want to waste a single minute. Every moment of conversation we have with our kids is valuable.

In Jesus’ life and ministry, He often used travel times and meals to teach His disciples important concepts. It was on the road, walking between cities, where He would explain parables, talk about relevant topics, and prepare them for eventual ministry without Him. He even had to break up occasional bickering between the disciples! (Sound familiar? 🙄)

Quality over Quantity

Sometimes we as parents can be so tired by the time we get to the table, the car, or bedtime, that we don’t have the energy to cultivate a good discussion. Our kids may sit in silence or talk about silly things.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love it when my kids get silly and goofy. Those sweet giggles and hilarious belly laughs fill my heart with joy. But if all our family conversations were surface-y and entertaining, I’d be missing out on a huge opportunity. In the time I have with my kids, guiding and cultivating their souls is the highest priority.

Whether it’s loud or quiet, it matters what your family talks about when you’re together. Deuteronomy 6:7 says, speaking of God’s laws, “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Even and especially if your life is rushed, it’s essential to connect and disciple your kids over the times you have together. We have the most access to our children’s ears, and it would be a terrible loss if we squandered that opportunity. Sometimes it’s the smallest piece of wisdom that has the biggest impact on a kid’s life. 

Bible Talk Family Discussion Flipbook

Of course, acknowledging how important it is to have meaningful discussions with our kids doesn’t take away the fact that I am tired! I still get to the end of the day and want to collapse on the couch. No more questions, please!

That’s where intentional planning comes in. I have family conversation starter topics ready, so I can pull one out whenever there’s an opportunity. A Bible verse, spiritual concept, or a challenging question can all launch the discussion into something that gets my kids thinking and allows me to speak into their lives. 

“I stopped having to wrack my brain for good Biblical topics to talk to my kids about and instead can focus on pouring into my kids’ lives.“

Our Bible Talk Discussion Questions Flipbook makes preparation easy. With 365 days of family conversation starters, it is easily accessible and small enough to take anywhere. I stopped having to wrack my brain for good Biblical topics to talk to my kids about and instead can focus on pouring into my kids’ lives.

The questions are engaging and deep, designed to help grow your family’s faith together. Not only that, but they also encourage whole-family participation. Yes, that does mean teenagers too!

Turning Boring Moments into Discipleship Time

No matter where you are, each day you have a unique opportunity. Those quiet, boring moments are where God’s truth will shine bright. Not only can you teach Biblical concepts to your kids, but you can also demonstrate how they are applied to everyday life. The way you lead your kids will show them how to lead themselves and their own families as adults. 

Your kids can be toddlers, tweens, or teenagers. It is never too late to turn everyday moments into rich times of discipleship and connection. Try it today, on the way to run errands or over the dinner table. Talk to your kids about a Bible verse, or ask them if there’s a Bible story they don’t understand. I can’t promise that it will be amazing at first, but as you get into the habit, you’ll find the conversation, and your kids, will flourish!

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