Something Worth Holding On To

If I had a dime for every time I’ve said one of the following to my kids or grandkids, I’d be a very wealthy woman and I’m sure I wouldn’t be alone because you’d be counting your dimes right along with me.

·         Hold my hand—parking lots are dangerous

·         You have to hold my hand so you don’t get lost

·         If you let go of your balloon we won’t be able to get it back

·         Don’t drop that

·         Make sure you hang on to your book bag so you don’t lose it

·         Hold on tight

As parents we’re all about making sure our kids have a good grip on the tangible things they need to stay safe, have a good time, and learn to be responsible. But what about giving them the emotional/mental/spiritual security they need? Are we as concerned about giving them something to hold on to in that regard as we should be?

For the last few weeks I’ve been sharing with you some of the life-lessons my children said they learned from me. This week’s lesson is the last one I’ll be sharing, but it’s an important one, to be sure. The lesson: The importance of giving your children faith and values.

One of my daughters put it like this, “I loved the way we all took turns praying at the table. It was a way for us to know we all need Jesus.”

Another one of my daughters said, “You taught me how to teach my daughter to know and love Jesus. You didn’t just tell us—you showed us what it really means.”

Giving your children a set of values and a faith to hold on to is important—even scientists and child psychologists agree on this one. Numerous studies show that children whose parents raise them in a home where religion/faith and strong moral character is both practiced and taught are decidedly more confident, possess better social skills, and are overall, more likely to grow up to be law-abiding, compassionate, responsible members of society.

We don’t hesitate to make sure we give our children the hand they need to hold on to when they are too small to navigate parking lots, shopping malls, grocery stores, and crosswalks by themselves, so why not finish the job and make sure we give them what they need to safely navigate life in general?

Love,

Momma D

                             Copyright 2016 Darla Noble. No part of this can be used or copied without permission from the author.