1 CHILDREN REQUIRE TAKING NOTICE, TALKING,
TRUTH, TRUST, TOGETHERNESS, TOUCH, THANKSGIVING, TIME, TEACHING, TRINITY.

It’s impossible to parent part-time. Parenting requires our full-time attention, love, care, discipline, effort and excellence. Too often we try to squeeze parenting into a rushed, stressed schedule of work, recreation, personal development, entertainment and overlapping activities.

We confuse taking our children places and involving them in extracurricula activities with involved parenting. Yes, part of parenting is going with them to their activities. But parenting is about relationship, not just running around with children. What does a healthy, wholesome relationship with children look like? The foundation for training your children in the way they should go includes but is not limited to the following:

The Top Ten “T’s” of Training

1.     Taking notice—Notice their clothes, hair styles, non-verbal communication, friends, interests, change in habits, temperament, feelings, music, TV programs, video games, email, words, attitudes, behaviors, grades, hangouts, etc. In other words, notice everything.

2.     Talking—Talk (which includes much listening) about feelings, thoughts, opinions, joys, hurts, random stuff, sexuality, finances, right from wrong, etc. Nothing is off limits. Talking with lots of listening communicates warmth, caring, interest, concern, love, and empathy.

3.     Truth—Tell your children the truth about God, morality, yourself, and the world around them.

4.     Trust—Trust your children and be consistent so that they learn how to trust from trusting you.

5.     Togetherness—Let your child know that you are “with” them, not “against” them. Neither you nor they are the enemy. As family, you are working together, not pulling apart.

6.     Touch—Children need your physical touch—hugs, kisses, squeezes, and all kinds of appropriate touch.

7.     Thanksgiving—An attitude of gratitude works both ways. Tell your children daily how thankful you are for them and they’ll begin telling you the same.

8.     Time—Children need you. Your presence cannot be replaced by stuff.

9.     Teaching—You are your child’s primary teacher, not the school, church, club, tutor, nanny, or coach.

10.     Trinity—A child’s first picture of God is painted by a parent.

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). Action Steps I/We Need to Take