SIGNIFICANCE OF PARENTING

IT is estimated that more than 60 per cent of the world’s population is under 25 years of age, yet the number of life’s casualties among them is alarming.

Their minds and bodies have been drained and twisted by drugs, crime and illicit sex. They have been abandoned and left by parents and guardians to collapse by the wayside of life. Our negligence has left today’s young people groping in life with uncertain values, permissiveness, purposelessness and promiscuity.

We must join hands together in order to train, equip and prepare our young people for future exploits. Fathers, mothers, uncles, aunties, teachers, lecturers, pastors, managers and CEOs are all key in raising children of destiny.

Today’s generation will not be necessarily raised by persuasive public orators but rather by adults who are generational thinkers, committed to spending quality time with them, imparting life principles, both by instruction and example. We are caretakers of God’s seed, His inheritance on earth.

God gave us children for the purposes of perpetuating a purposeful and productive family life, community life and national life. It actually takes three generations to change a nation. Therefore, instead of cutting off the future of our children through fear, ignorance and negligence, we must intentionally strategise on how to positively affect the future of our children.

If we positively engage our children, we will also be able to preserve our cities and nations. We must exhibit a great sense of responsibility and concern for the next and future generations, instead of embracing a ‘doom and gloom’ mentality of failure and despair. It is imperative that we respond with hope and determination to preserve our young.

National prosperity usually begins with the birth of a child. Dr Patricia Morgan says; ‘If a nation is a family of families, and if children bear the life-regenerating responsibility of families for the next generation, then God has endowed our children with the ability to deliver their nations!’ Children must be trained and equipped to be nation builders.

The Amplified Bible declares; ‘Train up a child in the way he should go (and in keeping with his individual gift or bent), and when he is old he will not depart from it.’

It is saddening, however, to see that most children exhibit a muffled sense of vision, a confused sense of mission and a distorted sense of their call. This is actually evident in their words, actions, activities and behavior. It is, therefore, imperative for parents to begin to instill in children their God given identity, purpose, vision and destiny.

In order for any human being to be effective in life they must discover their true identity, purpose, calling, gifts/talents and destiny. As parents we must be instrumental in helping our children fulfill their purpose and calling. The first key thing we must all understand is the power and importance of family life.

For children, growing up in a loving and caring family is a vital building block that gives definition to the meaning of life and will serve them for the rest of their lives. Historically families have provided a good foundation for society and played a key role in the training and development of children.

The importance of a stable and functional family unit is key to the training, equipping and development of children. A functional family usually provides children with an integral relationship, with a sense of belonging, warmth and security, being loved, nurtured, appreciated, respected, accepted and cared for.

Functional families can provide an environment in which children feel safe to let their individual identity flourish, and where their creative purpose and potential is maximised. Functional families usually have a safe atmosphere where children are free to express their feelings, dreams, goals, fears and joys, without the fear of being ridiculed or misinterpreted. The family unit is very key because it is where children absorb values, ethics and morals, and where they learn how to discern between acceptable and unacceptable behavior and activities. It is where children can turn to in times of trouble or crises.

It is usually in the family setup where children learn the art of communication, the importance of values, integrity, ethics, morals and how to maintain boundaries in life. A family is a powerful force that has the potential of shaping the destinies of communities and nations. We must, therefore, put value on family life.

Many of today’s problems in communities and nations have their roots in dysfunctional families.
Therefore, when looking at the importance of the family unit, it’s not just the case of husband and wife staying together at all costs, but rather building a strong loving relationship that is able to overcome the challenges of family life or marriage life, in order to cultivate a healthy environment for raising children of destiny. There is a link between healthy families, healthy young people and strong political, religious and economic future leaders.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: