“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” – Genesis 1:27
Sometimes we forget that children, as well as adults, have problems. We, perhaps, think that all we need to do to make them happy is to praise them and let them have a lot of fun. Not so! Children sometimes worry themselves to the point of sickness. They have an added problem. They often don’t have the vocabulary or experience to be able to explain their feelings to adults.
Recently I talked with a 12-year-old boy. He and I often have “heart-to-heart” talks. I told him, “You know, now that you are 12, pretty soon you will start thinking about girls.” He got a big smile on his face, reached for his cell phone, and showed me her picture! As we talked, he told me that she wanted to kill herself!
Even children who are raised in Christian homes are hearing snatches of information about “gender change”. What girl has never wondered what it would be like to be a boy? What boy has never wondered what it would be like to be a girl?
What is the answer? What are we to do? The answer is still the same. Train our children to believe the Bible! It would be so nice if parents would have family devotions where children would feel free to ask questions. It would also be nice if they felt free to discuss the things that happened in their time at school or with friends. If parents don’t know what is happening in the lives of their children, how can they help them?
What are some of the worries that children have? Will my folks get mad at me if my grades are low? (In today’s world, grading systems have changed in many schools!) What will my friends think? What will I be when I grow up? Does anyone love me? Will they stop loving me if I make a mistake? Why is mommy sad? I think my parents like my brother (sister) more than they like me. What do my grandparents expect from me? What’s all this talk about changing to be a boy (girl) if I want to?
It seems as though many adults think that all they have to do is to praise the children and tell them how wonderful they are. Sometimes this can have a negative effect. The child may think they are okay and not need to improve, or they may think that if they make a mistake, the praise would go away. If children are in a situation that is teaching concepts not Biblical, I suggest parents do all they can to remove them from that situation. If parents are unable to homeschool, perhaps there is a retired teacher who could do it.
No matter the problems of children, the answer is still in the Bible. It is the responsibility of parents to make sure they get the answer. God’s advice is always the best!