Parents & Priorities
Parents, what are your priorities in raising your children?
HOMEWORK is a priority is most homes. Parents insist that their children do
their homework every school night. Often, there is a requirement that the
homework be done before any outdoor play, video games, TV or computer. Parents
are thinking, not just about the immediate grades but the future academic
success of their children. This is as it should be.
GETTING TO SCHOOL ON TIME is a priority. Most parents organize their morning
around the goal of getting the children to school on time. Parents see the value
of teaching their children to be punctual. And there is some fear that a tardy
attendance record will reflect negatively on the children and their parents. I
think this is wise. Teach children to be responsible and dependable.
MISSING SCHOOL ALTOGETHER without an “excused situation,” is also either
discouraged or forbidden by most parents. If little Johnny gets up one morning
and simply doesn’t want to go to school, his parents are probably not buying
that. He is going to school. Skipping school is not an option in homes of caring
parents.
I have another question for parents: Do you maintain these same priorities about
the spiritual education of your children?
Do you require that your children read their Bible class lesson? When their
Bible class teachers send assignments home or ask them to read passages – do you
attend to that as you would math, grammar and science? Is there a rule, they
must get their Bible lesson before playing, games, TV or computer?
Do you get your children to their Bible classes on time? Is that a priority? You
want them to observe good punctuality at school. Does this apply to attending
assemblies and classes at the local church?
Do you miss assemblies when you could be there? What does that say to your
children? Could it say to them that school is important, but church – not so
much?
In 25 years, how do you think you will feel about how you raised your children?
Will you have highly motivated, successful business men and women who earn good
money and have nice things, but have no participation with God and His people?
We are charged by God to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the
Lord,” (Eph. 6:4). Now is the time to take all this seriously and act.
By Warren E. Berkley
The Front Page
From Expository Files 16.7; July 2009
