Loving Your Children

We are family

The talk I gave last week for "Apples of Gold," a mentoring program for younger women, was about loving your children. I focused on wisdom as an aspect of loving your children because all 4 of my children are grown and now have children of their own to raise. We all need wisdom.

 James and me in Budapest, Hungary

My 4 kids on the first day of school, 1989

 

But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? 

Job 28:12

I thought, ‘Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.’ 

Job 32:7

Only I didn't want to speak on this subject because, well, I'm not that old. And I'm not that wise.

But with 10 grandchildren and number 11 on the way, I accepted this assignment––my own misgivings aside for telling other people how to raise their kids. Because anyone can be a parent, but not everyone knows how to parent.

Each parent must work out his/her own salvation with fear and trembling, I'm afraid. Yet some principles abide, enduring time's testing and cultural distinctions. 

So in the end, I came up with my own contemporary 10 commandments to guide parents who truly love their children. 

10 Commandments for loving your children

Thou shalt not idolize your children.

Thou shalt not treat children as little adults.

Thou shalt not cover up mistakes your children make or make excuses for their failures.

Thou shalt discipline your own children when they overstep boundaries.

Thou shalt teach your children to work.

Thou shalt teach your children to tell the truth.

Thou shalt teach your children to respect themselves and others.

Thou shalt teach your children good manners.

Thou shalt read to your children early and often, starting with the Bible.

Thou shalt not text and drive.

While there's a story behind each of these opinions strongly held by yours truly, I shall spare you those explanations. 

 

Here are 10 reasons I believe Thou shalt not text and drive should be a commandment.

6 grandsons:

Beau and Beck

Dax

Samuel

James-Paul

Hayden

4 granddaughters

cousins Ava and Rachel

1st grandchild, Kate

sister Sarah

fun when cousins get together

By the way, it's against the law in California to text and drive. 

Here's to parents and grandparents everywhere who are doing the best they can to love their children.