How to Teach our Children to Trust and to Give?

It’s been a beautiful and humbling season in our home lately. If you’re a parent, you know how long school breaks can feel especially when you’re trying to keep a young, energetic child busy and engaged. Our son David has been on a long break from school, over two months, and it hasn’t been easy to keep him fruitfully occupied. Yet, as I sit down to reflect, I’m amazed at how God answered our quiet prayers, even in little ways we never expected.

Mark 11:24 has been on my heart as I write this:
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." 

This verse has taken on such a tender meaning for me, especially in this parenting season. We didn’t pray for anything extravagant. We just asked the Lord to guide us as we tried to guide David. To help us teach him not just to be “busy,” but to be fruitful. Not just to work, but to work with gratitude and faith.

And the Lord truly answered.

The Long Break and the Longing for Purpose

Like many kids his age, David eagerly looked forward to his school break. No homework, no early mornings, no tight schedule. But after a week or two of playing at home, the excitement wore off.

We had initially hoped he could join a summer robotics class he loves anything tech-related. Sadly, because we live further out of town, it wasn’t possible to drive him back and forth every day. And to make things harder, the robotics class he wanted to join had to cancel two sessions due to a lack of participants.

We also found out that this year’s Vacation Bible School, which usually keeps him busy and happy during summer, was postponed because the main organizer had to go back to their home country for a while.

So, there we were. A young boy with endless energy… on the spectrum...and a mom and dad scratching our heads on how to keep him engaged, not bored or frustrated.

And that’s when God gently reminded us: Have you asked Me?

We had prayed several nights on this, yes but maybe not with the kind of believing faith Jesus talks about in Mark 11:24.

So my husband and I prayed some more and trusted our Father to answer, in His perfect way.

The Birth of a Little Business

Not long after, we noticed David was spending more time in the kitchen. He's been requesting to bake chocolate crinkle cookies (we normally bake them during Christmas to give away as gifts). He started baking almost twice a week, not just for himself, but because he wanted to sell them.

We didn’t think much of it at first. But he was persistent. He asked if he could sell his cookies at his Aunt Sokun Thy’s spaghetti shop nearby. His aunt gladly agreed, and so David’s Jumbo Chocolate Crinkles was born.

At just 2500 riels each (about fifty cents), his cookies became a little hit. Customers at the shop loved them. Some even started ordering in bulk.

One day, he proudly showed us the notebook he had started to keep his sales records. He had divided his notebook into neat columns: raw materials, profits, and even… his weekly tithe.

I was floored.

Here was my son learning what many adults still struggle to grasp: the value of tracking what he earns, and the joy of giving back to God as a cheerful giver.

The Lesson of Giving

At first, when we introduced the idea of tithing to David, he resisted. Like many of us, he didn’t see the point of giving away part of what he worked so hard to earn.

But we patiently explained to him what tithing really means that it’s an act of gratitude, a way to honor God who provides everything we have.

We reminded him of this truth from Scripture:
"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Slowly, David’s heart began to change.

He decided to set aside a portion of his sales every week as his tithe. And soon, he began to see God’s faithfulness in return.

Last Monday, he shared to me, “Mom, since I started tithing, I never had a day with no sales!”

That melted my heart.

The Importance of Guiding Our Children

As parents, it can feel overwhelming sometimes teaching our children the values we ourselves are still learning. But what this summer reminded me is that parenting isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing our kids, little by little, how to trust God and walk in His ways.

Here are a few lessons we’ve learned as a family that I hope will encourage you too:

1. Pray First

When you face challenges with your children whether it’s behavior, schooling, or even how to fill their time start by praying. Ask God to give you wisdom and clarity. Believe that He hears you, because He does. Mark 11:24 reminds us: “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it.”

2. Model Gratitude

Kids learn more from what they see than from what we say. Show them how you thank God for His daily provisions. Let them see you tithe, give generously, and serve others with joy.

3. Teach the Value of Work

Whether it’s baking cookies, setting up dinner, or helping with chores, teach your child that work is good. It gives them a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

4. Celebrate the Small Wins

We often wait for big milestones before celebrating, but children thrive when their little efforts are noticed. Every cookie David sold was a reason for us to tell him, “Well done, son.”

5. Encourage Giving

This is perhaps the hardest lesson. But teaching children to give early whether it’s money, time, or effort plants seeds of generosity that will grow throughout their lives.

Facing Disappointment

Not every day was easy for David.

There were days he didn’t sell as much as he hoped. There were times he ran out of ingredients and got frustrated. He even once asked me, “Why can’t people just buy more cookies?”

We had to explain to him that in business, just like in life, there are good days and hard days. And that’s okay.

We told him what we often tell ourselves: What matters is that you’re faithful in what you can do, and you leave the rest to God.

It’s a simple truth, but it’s one we all need to be reminded of parents and children alike.

A Sweet Opportunity

One of the sweetest moments came when one of our missionary friends placed a big order of cookies for their students. But they requested that the cookies be “halal.”

David didn’t know what that meant at first. We explained to him that it meant avoiding ingredients that would go against certain dietary practices.

Dad shared as he watched our son carefully prepare his ingredients that day, double-checking everything to make sure the batch was halal.

It wasn’t just about baking anymore. It was about serving others with respect and care.

And I thought: What a beautiful lesson for a boy his age to learn that our work can also be a way of loving our neighbor.

Parenting Isn’t Perfect

Let me tell you honestly: There were plenty of times this summer when my husband and I felt tired, uncertain, even a little frustrated.

We didn’t always know the right thing to say or do. We made mistakes. We got impatient.

But here’s the good news: God doesn’t expect us to be perfect parents.

What He asks of us is to trust Him to believe that when we pray and ask Him for help in raising our children, He hears us.

That’s what humble confidence is all about.

It’s coming to our Heavenly Father like a little child comes to their parent not afraid to ask, not ashamed to admit weakness, but trusting completely that He loves us and hears us.

A Word for Those Still Searching

If you’re reading this and you’re not sure about faith yet, I want to gently say this:

The same God who has been so kind and faithful to our family is also reaching out to you.

You can come to Him, just as you are.

You don’t have to have everything figured out. You don’t even have to know the perfect words to say. Just talk to Him. Ask Him for help.

Believe that He hears you and trust Him with the answer.

Closing Thoughts

This summer didn’t go as we planned. But it went exactly as God planned.

We’ve seen our son grow not just in skill and discipline, but in gratitude and generosity.

We’ve seen ourselves grow, too learning again and again to trust God with our parenting.

And we’re reminded that when we ask in faith, believing, we can trust our loving Father to provide.

Let me close by praying for you, dear reader:

Heavenly Father, thank You for being a loving and faithful God. Thank You for hearing our prayers, even the small ones we sometimes hesitate to bring before You. I pray for every parent reading this today give them wisdom, patience, and faith as they guide their children. Help us all to teach our children to be grateful and generous, to work hard, and to trust You in everything. Help us to come before You with humble confidence, believing that You hear and answer our prayers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you’re a parent, I hope this encouraged you. And if you’re still wondering what it means to trust God, I hope you’ll take that first little step today.

And if you happen to be in our neighborhood… don’t forget to try David’s Jumbo Chocolate Crinkles. They’re only 2500 riels but the lessons behind them are priceless.

Blessings to you and your family! 

Tess 😅💗

For more parenting blog posts, hear over here:

👉Parenting our David