Educating and Empowering Parents
An outreach of Cathedral of Faith's Children’s Ministry

The Pastor’s Pen
     

      Raising children is not easy. It is a constant adventure with many surprises.  Here are some basic principles to raising kids that if applied will make your job easier to accomplish. The first thing that you must try to do is to spend lots of time with your kids. Remember, children spell love … t – i – m – e. Secondly, parents need to be fully attentive to their children. This is often referred to as quality time.  This means that you are “all there” when with them. So, the first principle deals with quantity and the second principle with quality. Children need both quality and quantity of time.

Next, you need to spend some time away from your children to pursue things that interests you. The key is a balance between our time and their time. Mutual respect is another very important principle. Treat kids with the same courtesy you give adults as well as expect from children. When discipline is required, it should be given with firmness, purpose, and understanding, and without anger, retaliation or sarcasm.

     

 

Book Corner

    

The fifth principle is to accentuate the positive. This means 1) you listen to your children without interrupting and correcting, 2) discover mutually rewarding activities to share, 3) avoid conflict when possible, 4) never say no when you can say yes, and 5) when you must correct, say no, or discipline your children, do so quickly and firmly. And finally, look for the good points in you children. Focus on their talents and not their faults.

These principles are from Dr. Wilson Wayne Grant and can be found in his book, The Caring Father. Applying these principles to your family can assure that you will have a successful time of raising children. Let’s take the time to be parents.
                   
In His Service,

Pastor Robert
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