Teach Your Children

Oliver is not content to sit on his laurels, or anything else. He wants to stand...and he does. He is always pulling himself to an upright position.  All this is good, unless you are wanting him to stay little forever.

Oh that we don't over protect our children and keep them from growing up and taking responsibility for themselves.  There are way too many people in this world who never learn that. They want to do nothing and then blame others when they fail to get whatever it is they want.

The very best way for children to learn  responsibility is at the feet of their parents.

Proverbs 22:6  "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children , and shall think of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise.

Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

You might ask, "When can I do that? I work and they go to school, then there are activities like soccer and TV shows.

You have asked a very important question.  It isn't easy at all when the child in taken away from home and mother goes out to work. I suggest that, if it is possible, mother should be home with the children.  Consider how much you make, then think about transportation, work clothes, baby sitting, restaurant meals, etc. Now think of what things things you could do without if you were to stay at home. Be real.  You do not have to wear the most stylish shoes and buy the biggest cars.

There is no better work than to raise your children, to see their first steps, to hear their first words, to know where they are and what they are doing, to instill in them values...nothing better.

And fathers are important as well. Often they are the authority figure. Young boys need them as role models and young girls need them to show them that they have great worth and lead them so that they choose boys who will respect them.

Looks like I'm on a soapbox  tonight. It's true.  We live and learn...If we don't learn, we suffer the consequences. Better our children don't have to suffer them with us.