Are Your Children Prepared?

Faced with the difficult task of child rearing, some parents focus on the daily joys and trials and fail to consider the "big picture". Proverbs 22:6, says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." This verse not only points out that training is necessary, but also the goal of rearing children- that when they are old, they will continue in the right way. In order for that to happen, we need to see that they are prepared for what they will face as adults. They won't be little long, and your job involves preparing them for growing up and, eventually, leaving home. One cannot anticipate every detail of what life may bring, but he can equip a child to be able to adapt and cope with many obstacles.
Preparation for employment- Much emphasis is often placed on the child's education, and rightly so. One should help his child to obtain the training necessary for a job. Today, that usually goes beyond a high school education; if not college, then training for a trade. Even here parents may fail to really prepare the child by allowing them to cheat and take short cuts. Consider this statement, "Although by high school, most teens have accumulated a variety of weapons in their arsenal (English, math, science, history), many lack the most important preparatory tool of all - ethics…" (Prepping Teens for the Workplace, Lorin Shields-Michel ). If a child is not trained to be honest by the teaching and example of their parents, will he be able to hold a job and continue to provide for himself and his family. How many jobs have ended in firing because the employee simply would not work honestly, or do a day's work for a day's pay? Proper childhood training will include a heavy does of teaching on "… Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (Romans 12:17).
Preparation for being on their own- This is often looked at as one of the things that young adults have to experience in order to learn how to cope. While experience teaches one some things that he does not learn in other settings, it is foolish to wait for experience to teach everything that one needs to know. This is equivalent to the "sink or swim" method of swimming instruction. In reality, this is seldom practiced, or more children would drown. But a lot of young adults are drowning. Some are drowning in debt because their parents did not give them any financial responsibility along the way or tell them anything about managing finances. An allowance is a good place to start. Children should be taught to give some(1 Cor. 16:1-2), save some(Proverbs 6:6), and spend wisely. When they overspend and don't have money for what they want, they should be allowed to suffer the small consequences so they won't have to suffer larger consequences later. A good explanation of the statement, "…the borrower is servant to the lender."(Proverbs 22:7) will help a young person see the pitfalls of too much borrowing and that he has to pay back what he borrows plus interest. Children should be reminded that it is wrong for one not to pay back what he owes(Romans 13:8).
Responsibility, not only in money matters, but also in relationship to one's spouse and children, is best taught by a good example of godly parents. What are you teaching your children about being accountable for their obligations?
Preparation for marriage- Again, one would not think of allowing his child to get behind the wheels of a car with no training, handing him the keys, and saying, "Drive on, you are on your own now." Years of a good example in the home help any child to prepare, but specific teaching should be part of our youth's preparation for marriage. They need to be taught about the danger of divorce and the permanency of marriage(Matt. 19:1-9), about how to love and treat a mate(Ep. 5) and how they are no longer children who can depend on Mama and Daddy for everything. Some parents complain about their adult children's failures, but they have never been taught how to succeed.
Preparation for eternity- This may sound a bit morbid, but parents would do well to consider it, "Death will come to every child." Every adult was once a child. People are much more likely to obey the gospel and be faithful to God, if they are taught to do so from their youth. Paul said of Timothy, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.(2 Tim. 3:15) David Courington