Your child, your wealth. He or she is your jewel, your most priced jewel, valid both here on earth and in heaven.
The Oxford Dictionary defines wealth as a “large amount of money, property that a person or a country owns. The Bible also says, “Lo, children are the heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward”. You will agree with me that the Almighty God, knowing that ungodly children will be instruments of reproach and dishonour to Him and to their parents, He (God) gave a specific instructions to parents in Prov. 22:6 “Train up a child in the way, he should go, so that when he is old, he will not depart from it.
God issued this command to parents to bring immeasurable blessing from the children to Him (God), parents and the society at large.
When our children are well trained they become a blessing not only to the parents but also to God in such a way that they stand to be a blessing to the less-privileged which is of great concern to God.
We are not to underestimate the worth of any child. Every child is born with an invaluable potentials waiting to be exploited. As gifts from God, children deserve the best of training because those who are well trained will grow to become good citizens in the future, a joy to themselves, their parents and the nation at large.
A parent once said “I will not allow anybody to discipline my child for me; I know the pain I went through before I have him. Leave him alone, when he is old, he will adjust accordingly”.
A child does not become the desired wealth if nothing is done to straighten the child’s way. How can you make your child, your wealth, if there is no proper discipline?
Every child must be made to feel that he/she is special by the way, you give him attention. Give full attention – which means your child must have your undivided attention that will make him/her valuable as an individual. As parents, you should make the child feels as the most important person in the world.
Parents who spare the rod of correction today, for whatever reason are not only postponing the evil day but are also making serious mistakes for the child. No doubt “a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame (Prov. 29:15).
Training a child is not a duty that parents should delegate. It is true that a child spends greater portion of his/her time in school with teachers but the responsibility of bringing up a child lies squarely on the parents. Whatever the child becomes will either be a credit to or blame upon the parents alone, and not the teachers at school.
Plan your time to be available for your children. I know that time is difficult to manage but the time you spend with the child without interruption irrespective of your tight schedules is of great help. It is by spending quality time with your child that you can develop that special character which a child needs to face with the realities of life. A child value such a moment when parents will take some time out of their busy schedule to be with him.
A parent that assumes that a child will naturally or somehow grow to be God fearing without any iota of instruction is making a grave mistake. From experience and biblical confirmation, there is nothing like “inherited godliness”. Every child has to be told what to do, the way out of bad behaviour. “The wicked are estranged from the womb, they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies ……”
Fervent prayer for an all round development of the child is compulsory to have a better wealth. Prayer for your child preserves him and helps him discover early in life his God-given talents that will build him up.
Many parents assume that to be successful in life simply means the acquisition of quality education and a good, well paying job later. Success in the true sense of the word goes beyond that, it affects one’s character. You cannot buy character in the market. The form of training which a child is given will go a long way in determining how the child behaves in the society. “What a child becomes in the future is the embodiment of the quality of training a child receive today”.
Shame, reproach, regret and sorrow are reward of parents who neglect to give their children proper up bringing but for a well trained child, it is a thing of joy (wealth) for the parents.
When a child is well trained, two things happen (1) there will be peace and rest of mind for his parents. Headache, fear and anxiety of the unexpected for our children will be removed as we believe they won’t do what we have not taught or shown them. (2) purposeful life will be the lot of a well trained child – this will be prosperity and progress in all endeavour. Wisdom as well as principles of better healthy living and social relations will govern his life. ###
Edith Nse Friday
08025293937
fridaynse@yahoo.com
