Frequently Asked Questions About the EEI Parenting Manual

The EEI planning and production team has received valuable feedback and has answers to your questions.

The team behind the Encourage, Equip & Inspire parenting resource manual thanks everyone who gave us feedback and input! Since the manual was released last fall, we’ve received some questions about how to use it. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

Q: Is work on the manual complete now that the rest of the holy day lessons have been printed and distributed?

A: Far from it. Resources continue to be produced and are being uploaded to the website each month. Our intent is to be continually adding to the material so that you have timely and relevant resources with which to lead and instruct your children. A series on the 10 Commandments is currently in production, as are lessons and activities for other sections of the manual.

Q: There’s so much material. I’m so overwhelmed! Where do I start?

A: With roughly 200 pages of initial material produced and more material being offered each month on the website, we can well understand how this might feel overwhelming!

If you haven’t yet read “How to Use This Resource Manual” in the prologue pages of the manual, start there for an overview. You’ll get an at-a-glance view of the content of the six sections that make up the manual and an idea on where to go from there.

In addition, on the website the new “Where Do I Start?” monthly study guide is especially useful for familiarizing yourself with the parenting manual, its purpose and how you can effectively begin putting it to work for your family. Find the study guide in the “What’s New?” section of the website.

Q: There’s a website?

A: Yes! Please find it at LifeHopeandTruth.com/eei and discover all the updates of resources and activities that have been added since January.

Q: I’m not receiving notification of the updates each month. What should I do?

A: To receive our monthly emails and notification of new material, you’ll need to register your email address at the website. On the website scroll down to “Receive Updates,” enter your information and be sure to click “Submit.” Emails are usually sent mid-month. If you still aren’t receiving the emails after registering, please check your Spam folder.

Q: I’ve read the introductory material and some of the lessons, but I’m still confused. How do I decide what to study and share with my children?

A: The benefit of a true resource manual is that it can be used as much or as little as you need. Simply use whatever lesson or activity applies best to your family’s needs now.

If your child could use some extra instruction on obedience, for example, study that lesson in the Shepherding the Heart section, then share the material with your child. You could also search for stories from the People of the Bible section to reinforce the concept. For example, lessons about Abraham or the Israelites are relevant to the topic of obedience.

Q: How is the manual designed to be used? Am I supposed to read the material out loud to my kids?

A: You certainly can read the lessons aloud; however, you will probably notice the most benefit from studying the lesson first yourself, which is how the manual was designed to be used.

The intent of the manual is to provide you with material to study, then share with your children, so that you are actively involved in the process of teaching them biblical concepts. This is different from other methods that might involve only activity sheets for children to complete. While that approach does have its benefits, merely handing over an activity for children to complete by themselves does not follow the directive of Deuteronomy 6:6-7, which is the entire basis for the Encourage, Equip & Inspire manual.

Q:  There are a lot of manuals out there. What makes this one different?

A: We can understand how the word manual might make people think of other products. But this isn’t an operator’s manual or a human resources manual for on-the-job challenges. Neither is it a directive to enact response “X” when your child does action “Y.”

It is a biblical resource manual—designed to help you instruct your children based on God’s enduring principles laid out in Scripture. It is written by experienced parents and grandparents grounded in the truth of Church doctrine with decades of combined wisdom on biblical principles and how to “train up a child” in the modern era.

Q: I don’t have children. Can I still use the manual?

A: Absolutely! The manual is actually written for adults first, with the intent that it will later be shared with children. But the principles and lessons in it are applicable to everyone because they are rooted in Scripture. Several Church members have already commented on what a valuable tool the manual is for personal Bible study.

Additionally, the manual can be used by adults who mentor children in local church areas; by aunts, uncles or other family of young ones; by counselors or staff members at the youth and preteen camps; by teachers; and by individuals who are preparing for children in the future.

Debbie is the EEI project editor and is thrilled to be working with such a dedicated team of parents, grandparents, ministers, writers, teachers and designers! She is a wife and mother and attends in the Cincinnati/Dayton, Ohio, congregation.