Celebrate your children and celebrate with your children! It is important that, as parents, we value our children and let them know that they are loved. From giving them a special gift or outing on their birthday, to yearly religious celebrations, these moments help children have something to look forward to. Additionally, children tend to gravitate to where they are celebrated and enjoyed. If we fail to appreciate them, we run the risk of them falling prey to the first person who does give them attention. According to the Mayo Clinic, we have to be intentional about creating an atmosphere of love and care. In their words, “Don't assume that your teen knows how much you love him or her.” With this said, birthdays and special occasions such as graduations or holidays, are the perfect opportunities to remind children they are a gift from the Lord.
“Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.” (Psalm 127:3)
4. Devotional Time
One tradition that can help create a firm foundation in the Lord, is family devotional time. This can be done at dinner, a certain time of day, or specific days of the week. The key is to find times that work for your family. Reading the Bible and allowing children to ask questions creates a place of safety for them to ask questions and seek deeper understanding. Parents can be creative with this time by buying family devotionals, playing Bible trivia games, and purchasing Bibles that are easy to understand for their children. Bible time doesn’t have to be a dread for children, but can be a time of fun and togetherness. Teaching children the Word of God is not just a good idea, but a command from the Lord. We can expect that if we don’t teach them truth, the enemy will find ways to deceive them with any chance that he can.
“Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.” (Deuteronomy 11:19-21)
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Halfpoint