Teaching Our Kids to be Culturally Wise

As a fourth grader, my youngest came home one day singing a song I was unfamiliar with. Although not explicit, the lyrics weren’t exactly appropriate for a nine-year-old. Since it wasn’t music my husband or I listened to, I couldn’t figure out where she had picked up the song, so I asked her. A friend of hers had an iPod she frequently brought to school and used on the playground. With Wi-Fi access, they often listened to pop music while outside. Mystery solved. The culture at large collided with our family.

No matter what we do, the outside world will find its way in, and children continually soak up the messages that surround them–some helpful, some confusing, and some that directly oppose the truth of God. Rather than fearing the influence of culture, we can teach children to ask a simple yet powerful question, “What does God say about _____?” 

Psalm 119:105 tells us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light to my path.” God’s Word gives our kids a solid foundation when the world around them feels loud or conflicting. The more familiar they are with what the Bible says, the better able they’ll be to interact with what the world says. When kids understand that God’s truth never changes, culture’s messages lose their power to confuse or overwhelm.

Elementary kids think in concrete examples, so everyday moments are perfect opportunities to build discernment. If a song lyric, TV show, or school conversation brings up something that contradicts God’s best, approach it curiously with your child and ask guiding questions like: 

“That song is really catchy. What do you think it’s talking about? Does it say the same thing God says about how we should treat people?”

“Did you notice that person said the most important thing in life is to do what makes you happy? How does God say we should live our lives?”

Using these teachable moments, along with other tougher ones about sexuality and gender, to initiate conversations that guide our kids in thinking about the world around them through a biblical lens is so important. Some topics might not be easy to talk about and putting them off until our kids are older seems easier, but developing a foundation based on God’s truth at an early age is vital in a culture that often says otherwise. Handling challenging discussions in an age-appropriate way helps establish the Christian perspective with which we want our kids to view things when they’re older.

When we coach our kids in this way, we show them through our response how to engage culture with godly wisdom. It communicates that we aren’t afraid to discuss anything and everything that they see or hear. Kids watch our reactions more than we realize. If every cultural trend makes us panic, they’ll grow up feeling afraid. As we respond calmly and thoughtfully, our children will learn that culture isn’t something to hide from—it’s something to navigate with God’s help.

As we show our kids to be culturally wise and look at the world through God’s truth, we also need to raise them to understand our biblical calling to be salt and light, to influence others by showing them Jesus in us. That means that school hallways, playground conversations, online spaces, and extracurricular activities are all places where God can shine through our kids’ kindness, courage, and faith. Encourage them to look for ways to show His love to classmates, teachers, coaches, and friends. Embolden them to do the right thing even if others aren’t. Our kids can be less influenced by culture when they realize God is with them as they demonstrate a different way to live. 

Our culture continually shifts and changes quickly. Today’s truth isn’t tomorrow’s, but God is always steady, and His truth never wavers. Grounding our kids in Scripture and guiding them to think biblically teaches them that they can engage with others whose beliefs and lives are lived in very different ways while standing confidently on the spiritual foundation you help establish from an early age.

Be encouraged. The Lord is always near, ready to give you the wisdom you need to help your children navigate a noisy world and teach them to be culturally wise.