Nathan Unger is the Associate Campus Pastor/Student Pastor at Bethlehem Church Oconee Campus. He and his wife, Anna of 9 years, have three wonderful boys at home with another one on the way!
Key Takeaways
- Importance of balancing family traditions with flexibility and intentionality
- Value of allowing children to experience both success and failure to build resilience
- Significance of celebrating children's achievements and modeling outward-focused behavior
- Need for tailored parenting approaches based on each child's unique personality and love language
Topics
Family Background and Dynamics
- Nathan has been married to Anna for 9 years, with three sons (Hudson, Sam, and Judah) and expecting their fourth child in March 2025
- Roles include father, husband, spiritual mentor, and recently youth football coach
- Balancing family traditions (e.g. holiday rotations) with creating new family rhythms
- Emphasis on outdoor activities and limiting screen time for children
Parenting Philosophy and Approaches
- Allowing children to experience "victory" by not rescuing them too quickly from challenges
- Implementing age-appropriate chores to instill responsibility (e.g. dishes, pet care, cooking)
- Focusing on celebrating achievements 5-10 times more than correcting behavior
- Tailoring parenting style to each child's personality and love language
- Teaching generosity and outward focus through modeling and encouragement
Rewarding Aspects of Parenting
- Witnessing children learn, succeed, and overcome challenges
- Seeing "light bulb moments" as children master new skills
- Balancing protection with allowing appropriate struggles for growth
Recommended Resources
- Book: "Raising Passionate Jesus Followers" by the Comers
- Book: "The 5 Love Languages" (including children's version)
- Podcast: Pure Athlete podcast, especially the episode with Ben Watson
Parenting Advice
- Be present and enjoy each season of parenting
- Recognize that challenging phases are temporary
- Take intentional time to celebrate children's accomplishments and positive behaviors
