“No…no…”, is what I witness many toddlers saying to their parents. “Ha Ha…how cute,” is the response. “He will grow out of it…” The reality is…he won’t.
Character is not developed by chance. Even though one outburst of a child does not mean that he will eventually become a menace to society, few realize that character is formed by the repetition of acts, which in turn becomes habits. Habits are what mold the character either for good or for evil.
Babies are naturally selfish. It is in their nature. It is our moral makeup. Therefore in order to develop a right character, persevering and untiring effort must be implemented by the parent towards the child. You as the parent must intentionally work on training your child. Either you do it or nature and outside influences will.
If you believe that your first duty as a parent comes from taking marching orders from God, then you will heed to the command found in Proverbs 22:6 which says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Parents can teach that a good character is more precious than any earthly treasure and that its formation is the greatest work entrusted to man. All of us have the freedom to choose and are the architects of our own character. Children should be taught to be circumspect of the structure they are building. Either character will be built upon the Solid Rock or not.
Not only is this duty preparing you to train your child for eternity, but it also creates a peace of mind to society. Society is made up of families, which begin with adults who either decide whether or not to choose to cultivate their child’s character. One can only look around to determine the type of home a child has come from. The weighty task of parenting may seem impossible with man but remember that “With God, all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
**Next month we will look at various ways the character is ruined and how to prevent these wrongs at the early stages of a child’s life.
Written by Nikisha Lee
Droolees Co-founder, Mother of two, Life-long learner