Friday, February 25, 2011

Raising Children

Spending time with family is something that's extremely important to my family and me and something that every parent should know is very important in a child's life. To know they are loved and to understand that family are more important than friends. I hate when parents say that they're happy to have their children out of the house or they're happy when school starts up again so they can just be alone and have 'peace and quiet'. How would that make a child feel? That their own parents would rather have them away from them just so they can be alone. No wonder so many children have grown away from their families and cling to their friends instead or go looking for relationships for some companionship, it's because parents don't take the time to get to know their children, they let them go off and do their own thing while (as my Mommy has always said) they keep their jewels and money locked in a safe where no one can get to them. Does anyone else see a problem there?
Someone would always say to my Mommy or about her that she homeschooled us to keep us at home and turn us into 'mini hers'. Mommy will be the first one to tell you that's not true and my brothers and I will be the first ones to agree. It isn't true, if we had been in school with everything that started to happen whilst we were there, who knows what we'd be or even where we'd be now. Being taken out of school to be homeschooled is one of the greatest things that has ever happened to my brothers and me. If people don't see that, then, they're blind to it.
We are an extremely close family and are all very thankful for that. I praise God that He has given us all these years to be together, to know each other better, to become each others best friends. I'm not just saying that, we seriously are best friends, all 5 of us. Even though my oldest brother moved out a few years ago, he's still really close to us and we still love spending time together. He always wants us to go over and visit him and we want him to come over here and visit us.
I can't stand seeing parents being so cruel to their children, in stores they'll be yelling at them, even if it's a baby and he's crying for some reason, a lot of times (not all the time), the parent won't even pay attention to the child. How does the child feel when this happens? I seriously doubt 'loved' would be the word.
A mother who was behind me in a store once told me that she promised her daughter if she was good all week that she would get her a balloon. The little girl was so cute and just loved her little balloon. While the mother was being so nice and sweet to her and even though I told her it was cute that she did that, inside, I didn't agree with it at all. You don't bribe a child and tell them stuff like that. You teach them gently, lovingly, but firmly, and however long it takes, to be kind to others, to know what is right and what is wrong. You watch their every step, with a loving eye. Don't let your child out of your sight or, one day, they will grow away from you.
Listen to your child, not just with your ears, pay close attention to them, really, really, listen and hold in your heart the things they've spoken, their cute ways, the things they do. No child is perfect, every one will mess up, but so have the rest of us. Don't expect more of them than the best they can do. Encourage them and love them, hold them close and never let go.
"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it."  ~Proverbs 22:6
God has given us these little blessings and we are to take care of them, not let them go on their own.
"but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of Heaven."  ~Matthew 19:14
It's highly possible you're thinking "What is she talking about? She's only 21 and knows nothing about raising a child." True, I have no children but, I do understand the importance of spending time with your children and training them up in God's Word and making sure they know the importance of needing a Saviour, how they are sinners, just like the rest of us. I learn this from my own Mommy. She has instilled these things in me and has also raised me to share what is on my heart and not sugarcoat it. I honestly can't stand sugarcoating so just go as far as I can, being very careful what I write and how everything is worded.
Always pray for your children and tell them all the time that you love them, show it to them also, not by buying them stuff or anything like that, just spending time with them, playing their little games will help them to know how much you care about and love them. Hold on to them. Teach them things so that when, one day, they leave all they've ever known at home to go out into the world, they'll know what do and they'll know they can always come back home to you and that you'll welcome them with loving, open arms, no matter what, and that you'll help them to the very best of your ability.

Grace be with you.

4 comments:

Monica said...

Katie I do agree with you but we also need to lead by example. We are the first people our children will see we are their first human interaction and what we do and say affects them. I don't quite agree with never letting them out of your sight. Children need to be able to spend time with friends and to be away from their family so it isn't such a huge shock when they say go to college or decide to get a job or get married. I do think experience outside the home is important to. The Lord says that we are to "leave our father and mother and cleave" unto our spouse so I think having friends outside the home helps soften the blow when we do leave our parents homes. I do agree though parents need to spend time with their children, to listen, and interact with them because a close family is very important

Katie said...

Monica, I agree with you as well.

I should've specified an age when saying 'children', automatically, the first ages that come to mind when saying 'children' are like 10 and under, just my opinion though.

Right, I hope I didn't come across sounding like I was saying children shouldn't have friends, 'cause that's not at all what I meant.

Monica said...

No no I know you weren't saying children shouldn't have friends LOL. I agree when I think of children I think of little ones. And yes I do agree with you on a lot of this post.

Katie said...

LOL, that's good ;)
Ok. Sweet :)