Parenting by Paul David Tripp
Week 13: Principle 12 — You Are Always Assigning Meaning
Read Chapter 12 of Parenting by Paul David Tripp.
Previewing Week 13 of Parenting
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 17-week guide when you’re ready.
Tripp's twelfth principle digs into the interpretive layer of parenting — the fact that you are always telling your children what things mean, what they are worth, what life is about. This is one of the most theologically rich chapters in the book.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Tripp argues that parents are constantly interpreting reality for their children — assigning meaning to success and failure, beauty and suffering, hardship and blessing. What is the significance of this for a parent's daily influence?
2.He suggests that much of this meaning-assignment happens unconsciously — through offhand comments, emotional reactions, and the things we celebrate or ignore. What meanings might you be communicating to your children without realizing it?
a.About achievement and worth?
b.About money and success?
c.About what God is like?
3.Tripp connects this principle to the concept of worldview — the interpretive lens through which we see everything. What worldview is being shaped in your home, and is it intentional or accidental?