PARENTING TODAY; THE FOUNDATION

The joy of a father and mother, in other words a couple, is to have children. This is indeed the fruit of their union.

But this comes with a lot of responsibilities. It is not just about bearing children, it's about raising children. What would you want your children to be like?  This is a question every parent must have in mind.

Parenting in this context has to do with playing the role of a father or mother in raising up children.
- Simply put, parenting is the act of raising up children, training them morally, educationally, emotionally, and guiding them through life for a better future.

In this regard, parents play a part; the greater part, while third parties like teachers, pastors, neighbours nannies etc, also play important roles. But it's up to parents to determine how their offsprings will be raised.

We are living in a generation where so many things are competing with parents properly raising their children, and we are facing the consequences dearly. According to Frederick Douglass, ''it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men''. There is a big disconnect in parenting today. Dysfunctional homes lead to chaotic societies. Once we get it right from the home by way of properly raising up our children, then we are sure to have a better society.

Which ever way you look at it, raising children never comes easy. It is a project that must be handled seriously. But it is quite unfortunate that most parents don't understand what they have gotten themselves into by bearing children. There is a popular, yet wrong notion today that if a child turns out good, the father takes the glory, but if a child turns out bad, the blame goes to the mother.
Raising children is a collective effort. 
Both parents must be involved

The Bible says in Proverbs 22:6 ''Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it''. The question is which way is a child supposed to go? And I say the Right way. However, there are dynamics in  parenting today because a lot has changed in this 21St century. Some things have gotten worst, some things have gotten better for us. 

*Building character in your children. 
Just as we are clay in the hands of the Potter 'Jesus', so are our children in our hands. From a tender age, we can mould them to what ever we want them be.
There is a lack of character amongst most children today. According to Billy Graham, 'a child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his or her parents will not have respect for anyone.

1. It starts from as little as teaching your child to say 'good morning dad, good morning mum'. Greeting is the first sign of respect, it should start as soon as the child starts talking. What ever a child learns from home, he or she exhibits it outside the home.
Don't make the mistake of saying my child is still young, he will learn when he grows up. Where will the child learn from if you don't teach him. Yes the place of the teacher is there, but manners and character comes from the home the child is coming from. Even teachers who have difficult students will always ask 'who are your parents'.
Children should be taught to be appreciative, obedient, loving and respectful.

2. Parents this days make excuses in defence for their children, you hear statements like 'that's the way my boy behaves, that's the way she is, that's his character, that's the way she does things'. If it is wrong, you must correct it because foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him, Proverbs 22:15. Now I know so many school of thoughts today are opposed to correcting children using a cane by way of beating them, but I will talk about that in subsequent posts.
Teach children to share things with each other, at times make them eat from one source no matter how small, it creates a bond and builds love. Show love to your children.

Always know that your child represents you, and people see you in your children. Show me a rude, disobedient and disrespectful child, I will show you a bad home.