Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it – Proverbs 22:6
Children are a gift from God, and with any gift, they should be appreciated and taken with good care of their well-being naturally and spiritually. Sadly, to say many children are being brutalized and neglected by their parents or are not being trained for life and the issues it brings. When the law was passed that parents couldn’t discipline their children, the jails and prisons begin to populate with inmates. Parents can’t discipline, but they will be beaten and mistreated in jail and prison; to avoid this, if discipline starts at home, hopefully, the child or children will bypass the jail and prison system.
A lot of times children get into the prison system and gangs because they feel as though they’re not loved by their parents. Children have feelings just like adults, and they are aware of whether or not they are receiving love and attention. So many times parents allow their career to take first place in their lives rather than allowing God to be first, children and family second, and career last. These days children are facing more than children of our times and years past. You didn’t hear about children committing suicide as you do today. Because children aren’t adults they don’t know how to express their feelings. Sometimes their behavior of disobedience and full of anger is because something within their hearts, mind, and soul is troubling them.
Too many women are raising children by themselves, just because a man fathered a child does not make him a man. A real man will take care of his child even though he and the mother may no longer be together. It’s not the responsibility of the mother to have to raise the child by herself, she didn’t get pregnant by herself. Being a responsible adult is taking care of the children they fathered. The old mothers use to teach their girls not to have sex before marriage because it was one of God’s commandments. Because the instructions weren’t followed or given, many women are having to provide and take care of the child themselves. This does not mean God does not love them, but we all have to suffer the consequences of our actions whether we’re believers or nonbelievers. This is not saying the father is not responsible because the mother didn’t follow the instructions God has given.
Children without guidance are prone to be caught up in crime; many join gangs because they’re not receiving the love, attention, and discipline they need. Then there are those no matter how much love you showed them, trained and disciplined them they will go the opposite way of what they have been trained. When that happens, God does not hold the parent responsible for the actions of their child, but when discipline and training have not been given, as a parent, we are held responsible. When a child is old enough to understand what is being told them is when training should begin to enable them to be successful in life. Love can be taught while they are still in the womb by talking and reading to them. Children can feel and receive while they are in the womb. An example is when a woman gets pregnant and she doesn’t want the child, while she’s carrying that child they will receive resentment, and many times adults are suffering from resentment because it started from the womb. As they are treated with love from the womb and throughout their life it will bring joy to them and the parent.
The old mother’s never left their little girl with a male that was not the father. Wherever the mother went the child was with her. She taught the little girl where she shouldn’t be touched. She would check with the child to make sure she hadn’t been touched by the father or any other family member. The mother would keep the child covered with prayer, the problem is many women don’t have spiritual discernment because they don’t have a connection with God. The old mothers were connected with God and He told them what was going on with their children; nothing was hidden from them because God would tell them what was going on even if the child tried to hide it. Take time and pray for your children and allow God to tell you and show you what’s in their mind and heart.
Many teenagers have no clue how to clean, cook or even fold a sheet. As parents, our responsibility is to teach both, our girls and boys. Being beautiful and ignorant will not help her to be a successful career woman or entrepreneur, a handsome young man without guidance will not help him to succeed in life, and especially if he’s a man of color, he has two things against him, he’s a male and a male of color. Many children aren’t being taught to respect themselves or respect others. Children can’t talk to their parents any kind of way they want and not receive the discipline of God. God’s instructions for children is to respect their parents (Honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise -(Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise. That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live on the earth Ephesians 6:1).
Children’s safety is the responsibility of the parent, children shouldn’t be allowed to stay overnight over friends when they are too young to explain if they were approached by either parent inappropriately. Allowing males to babysit children that are not there is not wise no matter how they appear to treat your child in your presence. Too many children have died because the mother left the child with someone that wasn’t the child’s father. Sadly, to say sometimes children aren’t safe being with their father. God has given women discernment and it should be applied to everyday life and especially with children and their safety.
Children should be taught to work even at an early age, showing them to clean their room, teaching them how to wash and iron. Teaching them how to follow instructions, so when they are old enough to work they will be able to follow the instructions of their employer. Children should be taught how important education is and the parent should make sure their children are learning. Sadly, to say there are many high school graduate that can’t read at a 5th-grade level. College students, barely can read and have no awareness of life and how to handle it. Take the time to get to know your child, most of all pray for them, teach them to respect God, teach them to trust and communicate with God through prayer. When we teach our children to reverence God, He will protect them, teach them, give them wisdom both for the natural and spiritual. God wants us to appreciate and take care of the gift He has given us!