Some folks tend to think that who is jesus parenting automatically assures protection from common parenting mistakes. That then becomes their first parenting mistake. Look at the world around you. Raising well-adjusted children is a difficult time-consuming labor of love. Raising children in a manner that keeps the child grounded in the here and now while preventing the child from becoming a citizen of this world is perhaps the most difficult task a parent can perform. The Christian family must live in the world, take part in many world activities, and yet resist being overcome by the errors within the world system.
From a secular viewpoint, parenting is a debatable process of methods and procedures. Every person with a degree seems to have a better game plan than do lay-parents. More over, even the neighbor who has no children of their own behaves with a mannerism that implies a higher knowledge of things concerning parenting and child rearing.
But I tell you a truth: From birth to death, every person is a unique individual who will see this world through unique mind-filters. Your child meets daily life changing circumstances in a way that is not quiet the same as any other child, including those who live within the same family unit and share the same family genes. Living in a Christian home increases and intensifies the accumulation of thoughts and ideas that define your child’s personality and characteristics. Even adult Christians must learn to find a balance between home, self, the world, the church, and the purity of living a holy Christian life. For a child, the conflicts are worse. They live in a religious world that has turned Christianity into a battlefield for denominational control. For the sake of money, pastors rape the body of Christ… And your child is not blind to these church failures.
In general, experts agree on certain patterns that parents should follow. Making certain mistakes will almost surely be detrimental to your child’s emotional, mental and spiritual development. If you believe that the following common parenting issues do not directly address Christian principles, you are at error. Fact is: In many decisions that establish the patterns of society, even in non-Christian societies, the core virtues in some form or another reflect the light of Holy Spirit restraints.
Be honest with your children without robbing them of a childhood legacy. A lie is a lie, and Santa Claus is a fable. But permitting your child to enjoy the fable is not the same as lying to avoid a sticky situation. For example: For a time, the fable of Santa can co-exist with the truth of a virgin birth, sin, redemption and a living Savior. It prevents your child from enduring unnecessary confrontation when age and experience has not yet prepared them for such a conflict.
However, permitting your child to be a child is not the same as crafting a lie for personal convenience. For example: Your child wants to watch television but you want him or her to go outside and play. Saying that the television is broken or that the show he or she wants to watch isn’t on is a deliberate act of dishonesty. If your child should discover the lie, a wedge begins to hinder the development of respect between you and your child. Be empathetic if possible. Talk through the situation with your child and make sure they know that you understand how they feel – unless, of course, such resistance to your authority has become commonplace. In any event, remain firm with your opinion and don’t back down.
