Today there's what many call a "helicopter parent," the type of parent who keeps hovering over and around their children. They tend to be overprotective of their kids, always watching their every move and guarding their every step.
While there's beauty and good in taking extra care of the kids, being overprotective might do more harm than good at times. As they say, "too much of a good thing is bad."
For example, parents might deny their kids the opportunity to make the right choices because they don't get to make decisions; they might develop unnecessary fear or worry because their overprotective parents don't allow them to take risks as kids; and the children might grow to be rebellious because "mom/dad didn't allow me to have my own freedom."
Still, a parent's got to do what God has designed a parent to do. No matter what the world tells parents on how to raise children, the voice of God as read in His word is still weightier and more important.
After all, God is the Father of all who believe, and He knows what He is doing.
That said, here are a few things Christian parents need to remember as they raise their children.
1) Kids need to be given the Father's love
Children need to grow up knowing a father's love. Many kids today grow up in a fatherless home. Statistics show that many problems among youth, in fact a majority, are caused by living without a father.
Fathers have a very big role in raising children. This is in no way a bias against moms, but research has found that when a family doesn't have a father, there's a significant chance that the children will grow up with some behavioral problem. As such, fathers need to be lovingly active and hands-on with their children.
Let's just take a look at our very own God the Father. He wants us to be like Christ, and thus He lavished His love on us! (see 1 John 3:1-3) He is the Father that all children must know and love.
2) Kids have to be taught the teachings of Christ
Proverbs 22:6 gives all parents a very important instruction:
"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Parents are commanded to give children the necessary instruction they will carry until they grow up and grow old. What better instruction than the ones the Lord Jesus Himself taught?
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen." (Matthew 28:19-20)
3) Kids need to grow in intimacy with the Spirit of God
Lastly, kids need to grow in their relationship with God, particularly with the Holy Spirit. Many people today think of kids as children who will never understand God and won't want Him. Well, that's pretty wrong. The Lord Jesus Himself longs for them to be brought to Him:
"Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And He laid His hands on them and departed from there." (Matthew 19:13-15)
We should never think of children as people who can't meet God. Quoting Psalm 8:2, the Lord Jesus even tells us that God has ordained that the mouths of "babes and nursing infants [He has] perfected praise" (see Matthew 21:16). Who are we to deny them the joy of coming to God?
