Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
Week 10: Chapter 9 — Infancy to Childhood: Shaping Influences
Read Chapter 9 of Shepherding a Child's Heart. Primary Scripture: Psalm 22:9-10; Proverbs 22:15.
Want the full guide for Shepherding a Child's Heart?
Free Week 1 sample in 5 min · $24.99 for all 17 weeks · 7-day refund
Tripp now turns to the specific developmental stages of childhood, beginning with the earliest years. This chapter helps parents understand what is happening in the heart of a young child — and what kind of shepherding that stage calls for.
Discussion Questions
6 questions1.Tripp argues that parenting must be age-appropriate — not in terms of lowering standards, but in terms of understanding what a child at a given stage can understand, respond to, and be expected to do. How does this principle guard against both under-expecting and over-expecting?
2.He describes the infant and toddler years as a time when the child is learning whether the world is trustworthy, whether authority is safe, and whether their needs will be met. How does a parent's consistency, warmth, and presence in these years lay the groundwork for spiritual receptivity later?
3.Proverbs 22:15 says 'Folly is bound up in the heart of a child.' Tripp takes this seriously — even very young children display self-will, anger, and demands for autonomy. How should this reality shape parental expectations and responses without leading to harshness?
You're on Week 10 of 17
Don't lose momentum — get the rest of Shepherding a Child's Heart
All 114 questions across 17 weeks, with closing prayers and a downloadable PDF for your group.
One-time purchase · 7-day refund · Covers your whole group