There is a trend in America today that is ever increasing and being promoted from magazines, books, and TV shows that we need to be aware of --it is a form of parenting that hinders a child instead of helps a child to reach his maximum growth. It is a form"molly-coddling" and it needs to be addressed.
I have read some very sound books on parenting and some very bad books on parenting. The good books will stick to scripture and follow it's guidelines. The bad books are based on psychology that can be confusing and literally stunt the growth of a child.
We need to be Christian women who can discern the difference. Just because a book made it to the top 10 bestselling list or has a splashy cover does not mean it contains wisdom. It might contain wisdom of this world but not true wisdom which comes from God's truth.
Some of these books talk about how we need to talk the child through every little thing--to find out how that child "feels" and how we "feel" and how we need to allow the child to vent, do what they want and be out of control. I know there can be a time and place for talking, but that is alot different from what I read about having self control and self government in the Bible. Sometimes sin is just sin and we need to deal with our children biblically, with a firm hand of truth combined with love.
"Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul. "
Proverbs 29:17
False methods exhaust and exasperate the children and the parents. The scripture above speak volumes of truth on parenting. His way is always perfect and right.
We need to raise up children who can do things for themselves too. Not a child who cries and whines for everything. We must understand that we can't do everything for them. When we do this we are giving them life skills that will prove to be valuable one day. These children will eventually turn into adults who cannot do things for themselves because they have been handicapped while they were younger.
We also need to teach them to serve others. Children are born with folly bound up in their heart, they feel that the world centers around them and a parent needs to step in and let them know that this is not so. We need to teach our children to having loving hands that share and give and thinks beyond themselves.
We try to do that around here by giving our children the Word of God, teaching them to serve and do jobs that help others, to serve by helping at church, and minister in our neighborhood. Now we don't do this perfectly by any means, but it is a starting point. We are laying down seeds that will grow one day and that is what matters.
Parents need to do their part. They are responsible to God.We are commanded in Scripture to raise them up in His ways---not the ways of this world. We cannot grow weary or be swayed by all kinds of false teaching.
Mothers, my prayer for you today is that you would have wisdom as you walk alongside your children ever dispensing truth, patience and mercy. Forgiving and learning along this great journey of motherhood as He molds you as a parent-- that you and your husband, together as a team, raise up godly seed for Him, and would have wisdom to discern His truths over the fallible wisdom of this world.
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