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teach them to respect and
VALUE
human life. Teach them to be
CAREFUL
in playing, swimming and driving,
so that you will never have to have a
funeral ceremony for your own child!
Explain this to them heart-to-heart -
make it meaningful.
Teach your children - as thcy get
up toward the fourth, sixth, and
eighth grades - to read newspapers
and magazines, to be aware of what is
going on in the world. Teach them to
read worthwhile books - books on
geography, history, the biographies of
great and successful men. Inspire the
right kind of ambition and desire for
success in your sons and daughtcrs!
Take time to go over with them cer–
tain outstanding articles in various
magazines and newspapers that you
read regarding principies of life and
success which you want your children
to know. Teach them wisdom and bal–
ance in applying these things. Remind
them, for instance, that many multi–
millionaires would give all thcy had
simply to have one happy marriage!
Teach them that the grasping, claw–
ing, grcedy, competitive way of get–
ting ahead is
NOT
the real way to
permanent happiness and true success.
But do - in right balance - inspire
them to develop their minds, bodies,
personalities and character so that
thcy may be productive human beings
and leaders as God directs their lives!
Read to them sections of that most
neglected of books - the Bible -
and explain the lessons of life. Read
chapters of the Proverbs, explaining
how to apply the wisdom contained in
these pages.
Your little children will never for–
get this kind of teaching, training,
!ove, and inspiration. It will be a help
and have an impact upon their lives
which will last not only through this
age - but through eternity. And that
is a fact!
Make Family Chores a Habit
Millions of modero children grow
up without ever being exposcd to the
discipline of work and productivity.
In their idle hours they devclop count-
18
less wasteful and foolish habits. Aod
they never develop the habit of work
and success in this manner.
Teach your children, therefore, the
habit of work.
Even in the city, children can be
giveo many things to do
if
you prop–
edy
organize them.
Your boys can
mow the lawn, rake leaves, shovel
snow, carry in wood and kindling for
the .fireplace, and even help with the
vacuuming, washing and scrubbing of
the Roors. Your girls can regularly
help do the dishes, dean the house,
polish the furniture, and other similar
chores. Each child should be taught to
keep his own room clean, to make bis
own bed daily, and to be responsible
for putting things back where they
belong and to organize his things
throughout the house. This will give
each child a sense of responsibility
and accomplishment - and may help
more than you can imagine in contrib–
uting to his futurc success.
Make Family Fellowship
a Habit
Warm and loving family fellowship
is a major key in the development of a
child's sense of security. It will help
him have a balanced personality and a
positive approach to life. Every fam–
ily should talk, laugh, and share their
lives with each other at all times -
especially at mealtime. Having "fam–
ily" meals is certainly a great asset in
the development of your children. In
fact, the 128th Psalm, cited earlier,
gives the picture: "... thy children like
olive plants round about thy table."
Here, indeed, ís an opportunity to talk
over the events of the day with the
children.
Ask Johnny, "What did you learn in
school today?" And show yourself
interested in his answer, in his analysis
of the events of his lífe! Learn to
know who your children are associ–
ating with and what kind of people
they are! In a positive way - not
picking and nagging - guide your
children to choose right companion–
ships, to play games in a positive man–
ner without fighting and quarreling,
and to develop habits for success in
theír future lives.
Learo to listen to your children!
Notice their voice inflection, their per–
sonality and the enthusiasm - or lack
of ít - which they convey. Then try
to guidc and encourage them toward
further development - making sure
that you set the example above al! else.
For children will follow your example
more than anything else.
Learn to laugh with and love your
children deeply. Share with them the
knowledge of theír origins - the type
of people their great-grandparents and
grandparcnts were, how you yourself
grew up, and things that will give
their Jives a sense of continuity and
purposc. Although you should always
retain proper digníty as the parent and
Ieader of the child, you can certainly
joke and laugh with the child and
bring out his personality and give him
confidence in the family situation more
than in any other!
Make Family Outings a Habit
Besides just visíting and fellow–
shipping at the table and around the
house, build the habit of playing regu–
larly with your children and sharíng
many hours of good times with them.
Often, children will vividly rcmember
the fact that father used to take them
"piggyback" and laugh and romp
with them on the floor. This type of
activity - kept in right balance and
without undue roughness - can cstab–
lish a se"nse of rapport and closeness
with your children more quickly than
almost any other type of activity. Fam–
ily games can be taught as your
children's ages permit.
When the opportunity aríses, have
family picnics, hikes, camp-outs, or
fishing tríps. These family outings
will be experiences your sons and
daughters will always remember. In
my own life, the dozens of times my
father and mother took me down to
our cabin on a small river -
oc
on
picnics or outings - stand out in my
mind as sorne of the happiest moments
of my chíldhood.
You fathcrs need to teach your sons
PLAIN TRUTH Moy 1972