The hand that rocks the cradle

We often sit around and complain about the horrible state our state or country is in. We see our youths with their pants on the ground and young girls displaying sexuality early in life. There is a lack of interest in education and quick cash is the way to go. Well, these are legitimate complaints, but what can be done about them?

I believe and strongly advocate change begins at home. The Bible states we are to train a child in the way they should go and they will not depart from it. Many people mistakenly assume this passage means to force your child to attend church each Sunday in their youth and they will become a Christian later in life. THIS IS SO WRONG.

The education and training of your child is mainly their home enviroment. From the day you bring your bundle of joy home from the hospital, they are a sponge soaking up their enviroment mimicking those that surround them. The adage of do what I say and not what I do IS SOOOO WRONG too. Your children do as you do and will not depart from these lessons.

If you have a household filled with cursing--your children will learn to curse and not depart from it.

If you have a household that acts one way behind closed doors and another way when people are looking or when in public---you will raise a deceptive person who knows when to turn it on and to turn it off.

If your word does not mean anything in your home and lying comes easy to you about small things-- your child will learn lying is o.k. and won't even notice the ease in which they do it. I have had people lie about their real or fake hair at church and not realize if you lie about small things you lie about big things too.

If you disrespect people's space at home your children will disrespect other's: property and authority.

And if you do not value your child as a individual with a gift that should be nutured at every step in life--your child will not have respect for human life. This is why drive by shootings can exist. If you do not value your own life you will not value the life of others.

Boyfriends and girlfriends being changed out every two years? Your child will not have any respect for future relationship partners in their lives.

EDUCATION OF CHILDREN IS DONE BY EXAMPLE. Jesus demonstrated this through his life on earth. He came to earth in human form to SHOW you by example how you were to live. Just telling us as in the Old Testament was not good enough and too hard for us to maintain so he said "copy me" and you will be fine.

The hand that rocks the cradle--the hand holding the future and direction of our society, in most cases are single women. We are already off to a bad start with our children not experience the balance of a male and female working together on a common goal of raising well adjusted children.

Anyway, moms-- you can directly influence the direction of our states, of our nations. If you are politically concerned and savvy--your children will be. If you are seen reading a lot, your children will read. If you are constantly challenging yourself to try new things and think outside the box--your children will be inquisitive and seek higher and higher goals in their lives.

Finally, if you love God and others when no one is looking and make love and doing kind and good deeds daily for no recognition but because it is the right thing to do--your kids will be concerned with the good things and create good for themselves and others.

Believe it or not, yor children are at their core more like you than you know. Their philosophy on life came from you. They may do different things but they attack it with the worldview they learned in your house.

Girls expect to be treated well in relationships because they saw their mom treated well and demanded to be respected for her mind and personality and not her body.

Boys will treat women well in relationships if they see their mothers demand to be respected by men for their minds and character and not their body. Remember, mothers rock the cradle whether there is a man present or not.

Give your parenting skills much thought. Don't just wing it. The kid will grow up whether you instill anything in them or not. But help mold people you want to meet in your daily life. Do you want to be around someone always ready to fight or who talks about you as soon as your back is turned? Then don't you do it in your home in front of young developing minds.

Break the tradition of THAT'S THE WAY I WAS RAISED AND I'M FINE. You may be fine but are you a productive member of society for it's good or are you only concerned with your little part of the world?

Answer this question to know if you are fine:

Are you the same person you were in your early 20's, 30's, 40' 50's etc. or have you changed and grown adding more positive skills and experiences to your life?

If you are still the same person enjoying the same things and people you did when you were a teen; then what do you have to offer your children in their education of life? You haven't tasted the diversity of people and thoughts that this God given world has to offer.

Offer your kids life filled with more than the same old same old. Read, learn, grow, pray. Ask God to help you discover that wonderful talent he gave to you at your creation and to help you guide and direct the talent instilled from God in your children.

God gave you the gift of children. They belonged to Him first and He intrusted you to help prepare them for their kingdom work.

So moms, I encourage you to begin from day one while rocking that cradle you are changing the world for the better or worse, but you are having a hand in the future.