Parenting

This week let’s talk about parenting. Parenting can be a scary thing, yet so exciting and rewarding. First of all, let’s talk about the purpose of being a parent. Being a parent has many purposes, maybe more than you thought. Some of those purposes include to bring joy, to raise decent human beings, to provide physical safety for children, to improve your community, to teach children values, to give children a sense of belonging, to help children reach their potential, and to give the parents an opportunity to continue to grow. When you give kids instruction, you give them structure and something to fall back on. An interesting thought, that some people have said before, is that children may view God in the same way that they see their parents. Let that sink in. Parenting is very, very important.

I know that when I was growing up, I have seen this in my life, both with my own family and other families. The older I get, the more I realize that I am like my parents. By being a parent, you are the first people and experiences that the child will know. As the children get older, the parents are supposed to help and guide them. If you want to change the world, you need to start in the walls of your own home. When you raise and teach your children to be good people, they will go out into the world and be a good influence and contribution.

Children have basic needs. Besides the survival needs (water, food, shelter, etc.), they are contact/belonging, power over their own life, protection, and challenge. When kids do not get these needs met, they will act out in trying to fulfil their needs. To avoid this, offer contact freely, teach your children to contribute, teach them responsibility, teach them assertiveness, and teach and show them forgiveness.

None of us are or will be perfect parents, but we should always try our best. f