Raising Faithful Kids Who Follow Christ for Life with Lee Ann Mancini

Welcome to another encouraging episode of Fierce Calling with Doris Swift, where today we have the pleasure of introducing Lee Ann Mancini, an award-winning executive producer, author, podcast host, and advocate for raising children with a strong Christian foundation. In this episode, Lee Ann shares her incredible journey and passion for equipping families to instill biblical values in their children, and to help them become critical thinkers. Her new book Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God, is a powerful resource for parents, that doesn't just tell parents what to do, it shows them how to do it. We discuss some startling statistics regarding young people leaving the faith, concerns about culture shifts, and what we can do to help kids build strong spiritual foundations. Lee Ann also discusses her captivating children's book series, "Sea Kids," and the animated adaptations that aim to teach children to live out God's principles in everyday life. With her nonprofit dedicated to providing Christian resources to families, Lee Ann speaks on critical issues like religious beliefs, parenting, and the challenging cultural shifts impacting Christian households. She is also passionate about the importance of apologetics, and what that means for our kids and us. Doris and Lee Ann engage in a profound discussion, exploring practical advice for parents and grandparents who play vital roles in the spiritual development of the next generation. This episode is packed with valuable insights, not only from Lee Ann's books but also from her impactful parenting resources and approaches to teaching children about absolute truth, identity, and faith. Stay tuned to be inspired and equipped to reinforce a solid Christian foundation within your family! Key Topics and Takeaways ... Belief and Critical Thinking: Importance of children understanding faith beyond parental influence. Critical thinking as an essential skill for children Early Education and Vocabulary: Children's understanding extends beyond what they can articulate, even as young as six months. Recommendation for parents to use biblical language from an early age. Encouragement to teach terms like 'redemption' and 'salvation.' Parenting and Family Structure: Initiating family meetings to create a mission statement Emphasize accountability to God, love for children, and safety. Importance of distinguishing children's privileges from rights, such as technology use. School and Gender Discussions: Concerns about children choosing identities in schools without parental consent. The concerns surrounding early gender identity discussions and potential identity crises. Identity and Christ: Raising children with Christian values for a true sense of identity. Reassurance for parents regarding past parenting mistakes. Children's Media and Learning: Lee Ann Mancini’s observation of a gap in biblical principles within children's stories. Creation of "Sea Kids" series to teach biblical principles in real-life scenarios. Availability of the series on various platforms and adaptation into an animation. Lee Ann Mancini's Nonprofit Projects: Projects like the parenting book and "scripture bear" that support Raising Christian Kids.