Children…..Who is in Control? Proverbs 29:15
Lately it seems we have been having many discussions about parental management linked to raising children in a changing society. Observing children from afar, since I don’t have grandchildren as part of our family, but not negating the fact that within our forty year marriage we raised two girls, one halfa girl (my neice that came to live with us when she was sixteen), and several ttroubled teens that wound up on our doorstep for months at a time!Â
The biggest lie whispered by Satan in the ears of parents is that “times have changed, change with it or lose your child–be their friend”. We are in the computer age and parents need to keep up with their children if they want to be their friends. Whispers spoken in the dark provoke parents to buy cell phones and computers for children as young as five or they believe children cannot stay in touch with their friends.  Whispers entice parents to eat at fast food restaurants because the children get the latest plastic Hollywood imagery toy. Whispers let children walk out of the house dressed like they are much older than their actual years, showing their skin, not their humility.  Whispers have boys dressed like girls and girls dressed like boys and neither wear clothes to humble themselves before Almighty God. Whispers tell children to talk back to parents, use foul language (sometimes within earshot of adults), defile their bodies by piercing or tattooing whatever creature they want to worship so they look and dress different so they all look alike. Whispers tell children they are in charge and if they whine, beg and plead enough, they get what they want! Parents must stop listening to the whispers heard in the darkness and reach back toward the Light.
Being in control can carry an awesome responsibility: There has to be a realization that once control has been given to a child without the wisdom to know how to manage it, then the home becomes a child centered environment with disaster screaming out of every corner.
Parents are tired: working all day, balancing the cheque book, cell phone negotiations long after working hours, line ups at the grocery store, pressure to take courses for salary increase, early hour soccer practice or hockey practice or dance practice, latest toys to buy, latest shows to see, balanced meals to prepare, grandparents to visit, church, holiday’s to plan, friends to connect with, and now a “Global” crisis. As if there wasn’t enough to worry about!Â
Tired of balancing all those balls in the air? Tired of just being part of life in 2008.  Maybe that is why at the end of a work week they like the children to be in charge, just so they don’t have to be in control.Â
But the problem with putting children in control is: they don’t have the wisdom to make wise decisions! And that is just for starters! There should be 2 rules in a Christian household: 1. Do not make a threat you as the parent are not prepared to carry out! 2. When a child makes a decision about ANYTHING, that child must suffer the consequences: Hence, consequences of actions! Oh, did I say 2…well, I changed my mind. There is a third rule that belongs in a Christian home: 3. Parents have an obligation to prepare a child for the Kingdom of God!
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Sharon, Proverbs 29:15
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