As A Parent We Do The Best We Can

I think all parents will agree with me that we do the best we possible can when it comes to raising our children. From providing food, shelter and love to instilling in our children our personal beliefs and values. Often times we mimic how our own parents raised us in our younger years. And our parents too will say “We did the best we knew how to raise you”. But what if there is a vicious cycle of bad values instilled in the family tree? What do you do to break that chain?

My advice would be to reflect on the values you are instilling into your children. Are you teach them principles that are taught in the Bible? Try this for starters; teach them the Ten Commandments first and foremost as these are the standard building block of a good value system:

Exodus 20:1-17 of the New International Version

1 And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.

5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

6 but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

I believe our decisions as adults are strongly influenced by our values that our parents instill in us while we are under their care. As parents it is our duty to ensure that our children have the right tools to make the proper decisions in life. If you are having a hard time with your children maybe it’s time to look in the mirror and ask yourself, does my child respect me as mom/dad? Do they respect others? Do they understand right from wrong? Are they acting selfish or hateful to other children?

Maybe its time to start acting as the authority figure God wants you to be.