The Business of Parenting

Nike Adeyemi
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22: 6 A parent is one of the two persons, male or female, who jointly conceive, nurture and raise a child. Parenting is the activity of bringing up and looking after your child; supporting the physical, emotional, educational, social, intellectual and spiritual development of the child from infancy to adulthood. It's a tough job but with the help of the Holy Spirit, it is a worthwhile investment that will yield great returns. God has given parents the responsibility of raising godly offspring. A mother is a biological female given the assignment to birth children; and a father's assignment is to train and teach them to be responsible. Parents must take their roles seriously and ensure their kids turn out to become responsible citizens of society. 1 Samuel 2:12 records that the sons of Eli the priest were corrupt because they did not know the Lord; implying that if they knew the Lord they would not have grown up to be corrupt. Basic principles of parenting include:- Walk the talk - Be the person you want your kids to be. Practice what you preach. Treat your children with respect. Spend time with your children. Pray for and with your children to expose them to Christianity early. Establish rules and boundaries for your children early. PROV 6:20. Children need to know their boundaries and the consequences of over-stepping them. Love your children. Be involved in their lives. Correct them every time they err. Teach them integrity. Be a positive and moral role model. Praise them when they do well. Mothers and fathers play different roles in the development of their children. Mothers should teach their children to love and respect people, and fathers must take charge as the spiritual head of the home. Parents must be in a partnership with God because parenting takes a lot of time, finances and sacrifice.