The Privilidge of Parenting

How many children will there be in your family? One? Two? Four? Twelve? Studies have shown that only two percent of married adults plan a one-child family... yet 20% end up with one. Why? Well, it could be that, after the first baby arrived, they discovered that parenting was a lot of work. It also could be that they delayed children a bit too long and found conceiving more difficult than expected. I tend to think that both answers play a role. Parenting well is tough, beginning at conception!

Unfortunately, society isn't making the parent's job any easier. We are seeing a replay of the poor value system that brought about the demise of ancient Greece and Rome. As Will Durant observed back in 1939:

"Athens had ruined itself by carrying to excess the principles of liberty and equality, by training the citizens in such a fashion that they looked upon insolence as democracy, lawlessness as liberty, impudence of speech as equality, and license to do what they pleased as happiness." (Qtd. in Stupid Things Parents Do to Mess Up Their Kids p 116)

To prevent a similar decay in our own society, mindful parents have quite a task ahead of them! Yet, parents have always been a significant influencing factor in the values their children develop. After all, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world."

Despite the glorification of selfishness in our society, we hold the greatest influence over our own children, especially in the formative years. Even once children begin attending school, parent's still have the lion's share of their time. Only 6 1/2 hours a day are spent at school, leaving parents 9 1/2 waking hours.

How will we handle these precious little people we've been loaned to raise? Let's train them well from the beginning, modeling and expecting good behavior, disciplining bad behavior, being available and loving them throughout. How the world needs us to be good parents!

RESOURCES

Start Your Family

Stupid Things Parents Do to Mess Up Their Kids

Going Public