Why Small Moments Matter
TIME. WHY SMALL MOMENTS CREATE BIG SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Time is the second pillar of the 3T Framework because relationships are integral for discipleship. Kids grow best in the soil of connection. They thrive when parents slow down enough to be present, listen, laugh, guide, and share life intentionally.
This article explains why time matters, what kinds of time help children grow, and how parents can build rhythms that strengthen the entire family.
Why Time Matters More Than Ever
Ron Kopicko, a mentor during my college years, observed that "quality time" generally emerges incidentally within extended periods of "quantity time."It’s the family vacation when something memorable happens in the midst of a long road trip.Your kids won’t remember the boring parts of Kansas, but they will remember when mom and dad heard “Don’t Stop Believing” on the radio and sang it at the top of their lungs, knowing every word.Maybe that will be a story they’ll tell their therapist one day, but they will remember it!
Children today live fast-paced lives. They experience academic pressure, social comparison, digital noise, and emotional overload. Many parents feel like they are sprinting from one commitment to another. In this environment, meaningful connection can easily slip away.
Time is essential because discipleship happens relationally. Kids open up when they feel safe, valued, and understood. If time disappears, influence can soon follow.
Time is not about being perfect. It is about being present.
The Types of Time That Shape a Child’s Heart
Time comes in three forms, and each one plays a role in shaping kids spiritually and emotionally.
1. Micro Moments
These are small but significant touchpoints:
Praying before school
Talking during car rides
Sharing a joke
Asking how they are doing, and waiting for a response
Sitting on the bed before lights out
These little moments build a child’s sense of belonging and emotional safety.
2. Rhythmic Time
These are predictable, life-giving routines:
Family dinners
Weekly activities
Bedtime routines
Sunday worship
A weekly walk or game
Rhythms reduce chaos and create stability.
3. Unexpected Moments
Sometimes kids open up when you least expect it. Parents who slow down enough to notice these windows will have the most meaningful conversations.
Why Time and Technology Are Connected
Time cannot flourish when technology dominates the home. Screens crowd out connection. Parents and kids both experience this. When families set boundaries with technology, time appears again. Conversations stretch and meals last longer. Kids become more emotionally available.
This is where the 3Ts interlock. Wise technology habits create the space where truth and relationship can thrive.
How Parents Can Create Intentional Time Without Overwhelming Themselves
Parents do not need to redesign their entire schedule. They simply need to choose presence in small, consistent ways.
Here are three practical steps:
Create two or three weekly rhythms that promote connection.
Protect key windows such as mealtimes or bedtime.
Reduce unnecessary digital distractions.
Time communicates love. Even if “Extended Time” isn’t your child’s love language, being available for them creates massive opportunities for intentional parenting. When children receive consistent relational presence from their parents, they grow emotionally secure, spiritually open, and relationally connected.
