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Dear Friends,
Teaching
Values to our Children
As parents, we want
to raise honest, decent, and responsible children. It’s not just a matter of hoping these
values happen, we need to show them. After all, the home is the laboratory
of life!
We as parents are the
best people in a child’s life to model appropriate behavior and to
instill our values. Proverbs 22:6
says to "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he
will not turn from it."
Below are some suggestions to help you shape your child’s character:
- Household Chores: When you ask your child to clean
his or her room, take out the trash, or empty the dishwasher, don’t
just ask them, show them.
Modeling and clearly outlining your expectations will go a
long way toward helping your children act responsibly.
- Homework:
If your family is like mine, homework can be a tug of war in
terms of time. Either your
child wants to watch TV, or hang out with their friends. But homework time should be a
normal part of their evening routine as well. Again, setting clear expectations,
and encouraging them to accomplish their tasks – even when they
don’t feel like it - will help them develop character.
- Meal Time:
When you sit down as a family for a meal, it can include much
more than just eating. Engage
them in conversation. Ask
each member for a best and worst moment of the day. Discuss what happened at school or
work. Use this time as an
opportunity to build relationship.
You will be surprised how small talk can lead to significant
talk.
We have offered you
three examples, but there are many other opportunities to instill
positive values, and principles into your children. However, all the good effort on our
part can be undone if our kids see us acting in a way that contradicts
what we are trying to instill. We
are not perfect, but our Heavenly Father is! Let’s go to school on His example.
Celebrating
Family,
Michael "Kapp" Brown
Executive Director
House on the Rock Family Ministries
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If you
found this information helpful, we have made other Pebbles of Truth articles
available on our website (www.hotrfm.org). Each month we feature
articles on the topics of: men's issues, marriage, blended families,
parenting, and church ministry to families. You will also find a
great deal more information about House on the Rock Family Ministries!
Thanks for visiting.
Please
feel free to forward this to friends and family … we just ask that you
keep it intact … thanks
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