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Start Children Off

             Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

This is a word of wisdom, not a promise from God. We all know people who were raised in good homes who went bad and people who were raised in bad homes who went good. It’s a general encouragement. Years ago, a friend quoted this verse with an emphasis on the word they. Her idea was that not all children are alike. Raising one using the same rules and ideas as one raises another may harm one.

Of course, we must raise children to be good, but one child may be boisterous while another is a bookworm, or one child may love sports while another is a bookworm.  Even if two children are bookworms, one may like fantasy while the other reads history. Children should be encouraged to explore, but allowed to pursue (or to quit pursuits) their interests.

As a writer, one of the lessons I’ve tried to learn is to get ideas across a little at a time. Experts warn that “info dumps” tend to lose readers. Parents also need to avoid them. Long lectures lose the kids, but consistent teachable moments tend to be more kid-sized and kid-friendly.

Above even consistent and relevant wisdom, there’s the issue of example. Consciously live what you are trying to teach.

Now, in case you haven’t already leaped ahead, in addition to children who live around us, there are children who live within us who need to be taught how to live. We need to build into the lives of  our internal children the qualities he/she needs, according to his/her needs. I  suspect that most of us need to learn to love and to  discipline our internal children.

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