Family

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Faith is a Necessary Component in Raising Children

Raising children can be quite a challenge in today's world. Peer pressure, drugs and alcohol can all be difficult to combat. Even though we may raise our children with the best morals and values possible they may still stray and fall upon the wrong path. Children will be influenced not only by their parents or religious teachings but also by other people, television, books and the ways of the world. What are parents to do?

We can't be with our children twenty-four hours a day. We can't always protect them from the evils of the world but we can pray and have faith. Praying doesn't necessarily mean that things will work out the way we want them to. It is God's will that we must pray for rather than our own. We must have faith that God's plan for our children will work out accordingly. Although there may be plenty of bumps along the way we can be assured that God's perfect plan is always in action. Sometimes those bumps are necessary lessons that must be learned.

It is never easy to watch our children go through difficult times. Everyone encounters hardships in various forms whether it is financial hardship, a drug or alcohol addiction or physical illness. It can be difficult for any parent to watch their child battle with such a situation. Parents often end up feeling helpless. They would rather take the pain or hardship upon themselves. If only it were that easy but it's not. It can be difficult to remain strong in faith but that is exactly what you need to do.

Parents often blame themselves when the problem is not fault of their own. For example if a child is born with a disability the mother may blame herself even when she took the utmost care while pregnant. A parent whose child develops a drug or alcohol addiction may blame him/herself for the way the child was raised. Blame is unproductive. It doesn't rectify the situation.

Dwelling on the past does not change present circumstance. It is necessary to move forward. Only then can change take place. It is also important to remember that you can't make someone change. An adult child who is suffering from addiction of any sort must be willing to change and make an effort to actively seek assistance in order to bring about positive change. You can offer your child guidance and provide positive reinforcement but the change must come from within. You must have faith in your child, yourself and most of all, God. Have faith in God's plan that all will work out according to His will.

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