I DO solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for … my children.
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 NIV
Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. Colossians 3:21 NIV
In a world that is very much under the influence of external forces and voices, parents and fathers will have a much harder job to be the biggest influence in their children’s lives. Consider the internet, music, movies and social media and suddenly the voices of Mum and Dad can potentially be a mere murmur in a very loud world.
So in the Internet world, I turned to … the internet for these great tips.
- Pray Together. The most important thing you can do is to pray as a family. Oddly, this is one thing that is rarely done, but is really easy to add into your daily routine and it will really help you to appreciate the blessings God has given your family as well as help everyone understand the importance of praying for others who are in need.
- R-E-S-P-E-C-T. This sounds easy but can be hard at times. Yes even when you are driving you need to respect others and be a good example to your family. You especially should teach them to respect each other.
- Show Compassion.. Teach your family by leading by example and really sympathize and be respectful of the feelings of others. Make an effort to help people that are in need maybe by volunteering as a family at the local soup kitchen for the homeless or similar causes.
- Moral Compass. Be sure to supply your family with a moral compass so they are sure to know right from wrong. Point out examples on a regular basis and make sure that everyone understands what is right and wrong and how they can apply that to their daily lives.
- Work Hard. Many people don’t have a good example of someone with a strong work ethic when they are growing up. Display a good work ethic and make sure that everyone in the family always does their best on whatever project they are working on (homework, yardwork, or even housework).
- Eat Together. Given the busy lives that we all lead, it’s rare for families to sit down and eat a meal together. This is really an important time where you can enjoy each other’s fellowship and find out about what is going on in the lives of your loved ones.
- Discipline. Well this one is really not aas hard as what everyone makes it out to be. This doesn’t mean physically punish your family members, it means to make sure they understand the consequences for negative behaviors (lose a privilige, etc.). DON’T reward or ignore bad behavior unless you want to see more of it!
- Unconditional Love. Make sure everyone in the family knows that they are loved regardless of what they may do or say. One of the most important elements of a strong family unit is the feeling of pure, unconditional love.
- I’m Sorry. Those are two words that don’t always roll off of our lips, but they are almost magical in their power. If you do something wrong and need to be forgiven model a sincere apology and encourage everyone in the family to do the same.
- You be their Role Model. Don’t make your family look to professional athletes and celebrities as role models, YOU be their role model.