The fact that I am not a perfect parent makes me pay adequate attention to new ideas concerning parenting. I never seize the opportunity to learn new things each time I am privileged to do so. Can I ever be a perfect parent? Of course not. Today's teachings in my church were another opportunity to add to my knowledge or perhaps another reminder for me as a parent. The teaching was obviously designed for parents, and it was derived from the word "FATHER."
Image designed using the Canva app
From the teachings, "F" stands for
faith, "A" stands for availability, "T" stands for teaching, "H" stands for hardworking, "E" stands for example, and "R" stands for responsible.
From what I learned today, parents should first have faith in God, who gave the kids to them, and trust God completely in their parenting Journey.
Availability: giving the kids whatever they need at any point in time is not enough; being Available for them is, especially on their important days, such as graduation in school, matriculation, birthdays, and even at home. In our busy schedules,creating time for the kids matters a lot because when they grow, they will tell the story of whether you were always there for them or not, and this usually has a psychological impact on children.
Teaching: this is another important tip for parents. There are lots of things kids need to learn at every stage of their lives. There are morals, chores, culture, family tradition, and other vital things for them to learn. Their learning shouldn't end in school but should begin at home and at all times. Now, I am beginning to wonder when I last taught them about the scriptures. Like I said earlier, it's also a reminder for me as a parent.
Hardworking: parenting is far more than bringing a life into the world; we take responsibility for the new life right from the fetus to adulthood, and so expecting a rich uncle or aunt to take charge of our responsibility is an error. There should be no room for laziness, but always striving to meet the needs of the kids. This goes to both the man and the woman working hard always in order to do the needful.
Leading by example: you cannot be correcting the kids on a particular habit and they find you doing the same. Children pick up action more than spoken words. So even if you must do a particular thing that you do not want them to do, you mustn't do it in their presence.
Responsible: a responsible dad or mum shouldn't engage in domestic violence. The fighting that goes on in some homes has psychological effects on the children; however, they might grow to do the same. Living responsibly in every aspect of our lives is a good attribute every parent should possess.
These were the tips I learned today. It might not be new for many parents like me, but implementing it will go a long way in our parenting Journey.
I hope you got value like I did