The Choice for Parents

by Dale Harcombe | More from this Blogger

19 Apr 2009 08:30 PM

In the forums Amand44 and several others,expressed anger and disappointment at the lack of supervision that sees children roaming the streets. The same thing happens here in Australia. Some parents have forgotten that parenting is an active choice. Parents need to do more than just breed children and then let them do as they like. They need to parent their children and not be afraid of using discipline and corrective measures. Mostly what I believe children today need is time invested in them.

Too often Mom and Dad are at work. Children come home to empty houses or are left with after school care or some other type of care. Then the busy parent races in and picks them up, by which time everyone's tired and not feeling in the mood for talking or spending time together. Is it any wonder our society ends with problems?

We see plenty of examples in the bible too where parents forgot or ignored their obligation to parent. They let their children make up their own minds how they'd behave and did I not correct them. A few examples are Eli and his sons and Samson's parents. Even King David was negligent in this area and suffered the consequences of bad choices and poor parenting.

How different is the picture we have of Timothy's mother and grandmother who fulfilled the role as parent and grandparent. They obviously spent time with Timothy and taught him from God's Word. That's what love and parenting is all about. Their faith was obvious and instilled faith in Timothy, 2 Timothy 1:5, 2 Timothy 3:15 and Acts 16:1. And what a great job of parenting they did, for Timothy became a leader of the Christian church and held in high regard by Paul.

Each of us as parents can choose to be like Lois and Eunice or to be like these other examples that didn't bring their children in God's way didn't discipline or correct them or show love. Which will you choose to be?

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Learn more about Dale Harcombe

Dale has a passion for books and writing. She writes in various forms, from articles to poetry to fiction for children and adults.

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