“While I live I will praise the Lord; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.” – Psalms 146:2 What we are told by society and what the Bible says often do not match. For years, teachers and parents have been told to praise children. The Bible tells us that we should praise God. A parent should be able to know when and how to praise. Children need to learn that gifts and abilities ultimately come from God, not self. There are some undesired outcomes associated with … [Read more...]
There is good fear, there is bad fear
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10 NKJV) Watching a group of children playing, one would never suspect that any of them had any fear; yet, many children do have a great many fears. Some of those fears are good since fear actually serves as protection for us. On the other hand, some fears cause harm to children. What are good fears? What are bad fears? What should parents do to guard against the bad and … [Read more...]
Children need hope
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” – I Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV) In stressing the importance of love, it is easy to underemphasize the importance of hope for children. Without hope, children often lose purpose and become very unhappy. There are symptoms to watch for in children when they lose hope. It is helpful to know the things that cause them to have no hope. What can parents do about the problem? Children who lose hope often have … [Read more...]
Where to?
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Psalms 119:105 (NKJV) Have you ever gotten into a taxi and the driver said, “Where to?” Perhaps you quickly told the driver where you were going. As we raise our children, we also must know the direction we want them to go. Most Christian parents would readily say that they want their children to become responsible adults, obeying God’s Word, and living a life that is pleasing to God. Few, however, have set goals as to how they … [Read more...]
Jesus on the Shelf?
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3 “The Elf on the Shelf” has become a popular activity in many homes at Christmas time. Children giggle and hide when they see the elf, thinking that what the elf sees will affect what they get for Christmas. Many parents get enthusiastically involved and actually like the fact that it may make children be better behaved. As Christian parents, have we neglected to teach our children that … [Read more...]
True Gratitude
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NKJV) When our children were young, they were always excited to get new clothes. They were especially glad when their dad would say, “Let’s see how fast those new shoes can run!” If they got a new outfit, he would say, “Let’s see if those new clothes are snuggly!” They would demonstrate their shoes running as fast as they could and end up hugging their dad and saying, “Thank you, Dad!” … [Read more...]
It’s not all about me
“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” Zechariah 7:9 (NIV) How many times have we heard that we should praise children and make them feel special? “Make learning fun!” we’re told. “ Don’t let the children feel badly; make sure each child feels successful and important.” Are we now reaping the results of this philosophy in our culture? Are we not seeing a generation of people that believes they are special and … [Read more...]
‘Whatever’ kids
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 11:1 Have you noticed how often some children use the word “whatever?” Some children seem to have it as a favorite word. Sometimes the word is used because a child may have given up on getting his/her desires. Often, however, it is an indication that the child really has no strong feelings one way or another. It may be an indication that the child is a follower, not a leader. Bossy children often become leaders. … [Read more...]
What is ‘chunk learning’?
“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 “Chunk learning” is a term that simply means to learn a chunk at a time. In our eagerness to make sure that children learn what they need, it is often an impulse to expect too much of children. An education professor once remarked to a graduating class of future teachers, “Don’t try to teach them all you know the first day of school”! What happens when … [Read more...]
Instilling patriotism in children
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. “ Romans 13:1 What a challenge we have as parents and teachers to help our children learn to love our country and respect our leaders! It is tempting to think that the current environment in our country makes such a task impossible. However, a study of Old Testament kings and leaders reminds us that in Bible … [Read more...]
Making the most of the moment
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” – Ephesians 5:15,16 When children get out of school in the spring, they feel that they have a long time before it starts again in the fall. Parents and teachers know better. The summer will fly by very fast. We can either wait for it to be over, or we can take advantage of the extra time children have to teach as much as possible to help them with their lives. Yes, children … [Read more...]
Children should earn trust
“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.” – Luke 16:10 Many times parents hear the outcry of teens as they accusingly yell, “You don’t trust me!” Often, unfortunately, parents respond by putting on a mantle of guilt and stumble for words to answer to assure the son or daughter that, indeed, they are trusted. Perhaps the response should be, “Of course, I don’t trust you. You haven’t proven to me that I … [Read more...]