What if we opened up our houses, constantly invited our children’s friends over, feeding them, offering them a safe/fun place to hang out. Imagine using your house as the neighborhood parish, the neighborhood ministry. As place to love everyone who walked through the door. A place a kid can feel free to be themselves. You as a parent could be another influential adult in a kids life (trust me, they need them). Yes teenager leave a mess. Yes Jr. High boys tend to smell a little funky. Yes 11th grade boys will leave your pantry looking like it was devoured like a plague of locusts. Yes 8th grade girls will giggly loudly but it is all worth it when you can be a steadying influence on kids. It is all worth when you can represent Christ to a bunch of tween or teenagers. So think about having an open door, an extra seat at the dinner table, and stocked pantry so you can become the neighborhood parish.
Standale Reformed Parents
A blog to help you through the hardest/most rewarding job in the world, being a parent.
Standale Reformed Parents 
It will also leave you with a life time of memories!
Its a wonderful win-win way to live. I used to always say ” loaves and fishes”, which was our cue that any and all can join whatever meal was about to happen. I knew my kds friends whether from inside or out playing sports in the yard or at the fire pit. Stock piles of 2 liters, and popcorn always at the ready for snacking….. And yep like locusts thru the pantry, stinky feet and all! Great memories of wonderful times of connecting…
I agree Matt. What better way to love on kids than to open your home and fridge. Perfect time to talk about this – summer is the time kids are looking for fun things to do.