It’s been an topic on my mind for a long time, well before I had children of my own.  The two little ones, given my wife and I, are now four and three years of age, and this question is becoming more and more clear.

It has become comon sense to me, as no doubt it has to you, that children attempt to reproduce the actions and behaviors of the role models in their environment.  It has been said by many folks that I’ve talked with, that, “sometimes kids will just be kids”.

That’s where I have a challenge – not in the statement itself, because certainly none of us are perfect, so they are expected to fall short – it’s the constant use of this phrase to excuse behavioral problems with the parents or other role models.

The perspective throughout the generations of parents I’ve spoken with, shows a very clear pattern.  Children are more disconnected, wild, unable to be controlled, and flat out unruly.  Gleaning wisdom from both Word of God, parents and grandparents in their 80s, and above, I’ve determined the source of the problem: parents, (ie the root) and their lack of Jesus Christ, obedience or ignorance.

Oh no, bible trumpery, right?  Well, in a way, sort of…

Jesus Christ, to be clear, is the Word of God made flesh:

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The Bible has been taken from the majority of public schools, though now it is everywhere on the internet (including the thousands of translations).  New ones being produced every week it seems.  How’s the situation at home?   Wat are the child’s role models? A violent, volatile couple that physically and/or verbally abuse the family?  A loving, yet firm, husband and wife that spend time with their children and teach them in the way they should go?  There is an enormous difference, right?

A child can perceive that and it will register over time… think about how fast the past  years has passed, you’ve been exposed to a lot, and chances are, children are at the peak of exposure now.  My own have made me plainly aware of my errors, bad decisions and have even been a catalyst for a decision to changes some things about my own parenting strategy and tactics.

I challenge you, the next time you hear “they are just being kids”, stop and ponder the situation – consider the facts of the environment and the kids’ role models.  I am certain you will find the challenge is not with the children, and anyone that has love flowing over can impact children for the better, by being a role model for them.

I hope this was a help to some.

Joshua Jones

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,

‘Oh excuse me please’ was my reply.

He said, ‘Please excuse me too;

I wasn’t watching for you.’

We were very polite, this stranger and I.

We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,

How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,

My son stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.

‘Move out of the way,’ I said with a frown.

He walked away, his little heart broken.

I didn’t realize how harshly I’d spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,

God’s still small voice came to me and said,
with a stranger,
common courtesy you use,
but the family you love,
you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You’ll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you.
He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.’

By this time, I felt very small,

And now my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by his bed;

‘Wake up, little one, wake up,’ I said.

‘Are these the flowers you picked for me?’

He smiled, ‘I found ‘em, out by the tree.
I picked ‘em because they’re pretty like you.
I knew you’d like ‘em, especially the blue.’

I said, ‘Son, I’m very sorry for the way I acted today;

I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way.’

He said, ‘Oh, Mom, that’s okay.

I love you anyway.’

I said, ‘Son, I love you too,

and I do like the flowers, especially the blue.”

FAMILY

Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company
that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days.

But the family we left behind will feel the loss
for the rest of their lives.

And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more
into work than into our own family,
an unwise investment indeed,
don’t you think?

So what is behind the story?
Do you know what the word FAMILY means?

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU