Since we
have raised four kids and they all turned out reasonably well - each has professed
faith in Christ, and demonstrated that by their walk of faith, they all attend
a Bible-believing church, have married Christian spouses, and I could go on,
but these are some examples of what I believe show that they may have been well-raised. I say this to give myself some authority when
speaking on how to raise children who are disciplined, respectful, and grounded
in the Christian faith. In this and some
following posts I plan to explore what
it takes to raise good kids - and more importantly teach them to be disciples
of Christ Jesus. I trust these posts
will not be considered just as lectures, but if any of you have questions about
raising kids well, please comment and I will do my best to give godly
advise. The Word of God is our guide and
must always be understood to be infallible.
Never accept the advice of your pediatrician, baby psychologist, or even
me, if any of us contradicts the clear teaching of the Bible.
First and
foremost you must pray for your children.
It is best to start before they are born. We all want healthy kids. Pray that God will save their souls. It is even more important than their health. Pray that you as parent may have wisdom to
raise and nurture them well. There are
no set rules of parenting that will work for every child. They are all different and we need God's help
in knowing how to deal with the ones He places in our care. Pray that God will give you the strength and
fortitude to do what is right, to be patient, not to lose your temper, and to
keep it up for all the years that you are responsible for your children. Among other things to pray for, pray that you
may always be a good example for your little ones - they will follow in your footsteps.With the advent of children in the home, we all know that the dynamics of our marriage changes. Where we were a couple, now the family has truly grown - and in many ways become more hectic. The helpless little baby demands so much of our time, especially Mommy's time. As they develop, and begin to realize that there are two of you, they bond toward their father as well. Here, Dad, is where you come in. Do you realize that your little one's conception of God is formed from his conception of you? You have an awesome responsibility. In homes where the mother stays home with her babies, the father's return from work is usually met with delight from his kids. They can't wait until he is there. This doesn't last many years, so make the most of it. Try to be home every evening with your kids. And spend time with them. They desperately crave your attention. The computer, TV, and other work should be put off. Listen to them, play with them, teach them - it is time well spent.
I don't know if there is anything more important than the time we spend with our kids. Because the little ones can get on our nerves, we dads often find excuses to be gone. We have to work late, go shopping, attend a meeting, or some other lame reason to shirk our responsibility. Just remember, Dad, that God places the ultimate responsibility of the home on you, because He made you the leader of the home. Your kids need you, they are desperate for your attention and approval, which leads me to another point. Give affirmation to your kids. Never belittle them. There is nothing more damaging to their spirit than to know that their dad doesn't think well of them. God does not do this to His special creation. He proclaims the worth of a soul as more than the whole world. And He proved that worth by providing salvation at the greatest cost possible.
It is a long hard road that you will be traveling on. If done well, it will be self-sacrificing. If done well, it will be worthwhile in the end. My prayer for you, dear reader, is that you will purpose in your heart to raise your precious children for God's glory.
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