“Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.” – 2 Kings 11:21 A public school teacher related to me that one of her students brought her a brochure that stated, “Have you noticed that the children from our faith are better behaved than the other students?” The teacher said that she began to notice that what it said was true. Even though the students had gained permission to not say the Pledge of Allegiance, in all other ways they were very obedient and had exemplary … [Read more...]
‘Where is Dad?’
“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 Although many years have passed since our children were young, in my mind I can still see and hear them run into the house excitedly yelling, “Where’s Dad?” At times they were excited to share something with him that they could count on him liking. At other times, they would come into the house with head down and in a low tone of voice say, “Where’s … [Read more...]
The pleasure of ‘please’
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Philippians 2:3 Saying “please” reflects an attitude of humility. Yes, it is easy to get in the habit of just saying it without ever thinking about why we are doing so. Even if it is done habitually, it still has value in influencing us subconsciously to make us aware that we are beholding to others for needs and wants. Children should be taught early in life to … [Read more...]
Praise Him!
“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...]