| ten values you must teach your child | | | | so perfect. One thing we don't need to pass on is our |
| The 10 most important values are: | | | | generation's perfectionism! I hope to teach my children |
| Being the father of five; I hope to teach my child with | | | | to be able to accept the truth about faults, |
| my actions and my words. With the Labor Day | | | | weaknesses, and failures and not hide in shame, |
| weekend and a finally moment to reflect - I thought | | | | self-judgment, and condemnation. Teach your child to |
| about the things I hope I can pass on to my children. | | | | be more forgiving and less judgmental. I want to teach |
| This is not focused on teaching them how to add or | | | | them about trust and honesty; about confession, |
| spell but how to face life and be of character. We all | | | | forgiveness, grief, restoration, healing, and moving on. |
| have a responsibility to resource, equip, teach, and | | | | This will help them deal with the baggage they will |
| provide for those who are coming after us, and who | | | | naturally carry and learn to grow as imperfect people |
| are preparing to take our place. We are expected to | | | | who have a living message of hope for a world that is |
| do all we can to help ensure their growth and security; | | | | lost. Learn them to experience more joy and |
| to teach them the things you value the most. Teach | | | | happiness in their imperfection. |
| them to learn from your mistakes and not necessarily | | | | Less judging. This seems to be such an issue I decided |
| repeat them. It's probably your most important and | | | | to make it a point in itself. We all judge OURSELVES |
| fulfilling tasks as a parent - passing on the values that | | | | and others too harshly. Culture is constantly setting |
| will sustain them through their lives of challenging tasks | | | | standards no one can meet and then we judge |
| and difficult decisions. | | | | ourselves too severely. Worse yet we are constantly |
| What, then, should we be careful to pass on tour | | | | judging others when we hate it when others judge us. |
| children? What values do you want to instill? Here are | | | | It seems these days those who call themselves |
| my ten torches I hope to pass on: | | | | Christians end up being the most judgmental. The most |
| To value money less: I want my child to not let their | | | | important value to teach them is honesty; about |
| careers dictate their time and who they are. Learn | | | | confession, forgiveness, grief, restoration, healing, and |
| them to find joy in their family and friends; in serving | | | | moving on. And once they learn to be less judgmental |
| others and to find your stock in life in god and not in | | | | of others they also stop being so concerned with |
| your workplace. Saving - you must teach your child to | | | | judging themselves and if others are judging them. It's |
| learn to save more and spend less and to not have to | | | | so freeing. |
| continue upgrading your spending habits to match your | | | | Praise. I hope to model to my children how proud I am |
| earning increases. Have your child learn to not to have | | | | of them; how wonderful they are and how much God |
| to continuously upgrade your house and car. Your child | | | | loves them. Our children need our blessing. They need |
| should want to find their satisfaction in worship and not | | | | to know we are selfish with power. They need to |
| in your toys. | | | | know we trust them and love them and we believe in |
| Reflection time: I hope to instill in my children how critical | | | | them and Support them, take initiative to help, mentor |
| free time is and how valuable your time is. I think as a | | | | them, and guide them. Give them confidence in who |
| generation our worst fault is our "busyness" and ability | | | | they are so they aren't so apt to change to make |
| to overbook ourselves. We never ever have any time | | | | someone else happy. |
| to reflect or to meditate; to spend time alone or for | | | | God's blessings don't mean being wealthy. |
| that matter to book a lazy time at home with the | | | | Unfortunately we have somehow tied our wealth or |
| family. My first value will be of time - to be less busy; | | | | lack of it to how much God is blessing us. And if we |
| less scheduled; less stress - to value your free time | | | | are successful it's because God is blessing our actions. |
| and to learn to schedule "nothing" or time to do nothing. | | | | True we do owe everything to God but somehow we |
| The time to meditate; to reflect; to dream and plan is | | | | attribute our success to his approval and that's far |
| so critical to a healthy life but is often completely | | | | from the truth. You should want my children to learn |
| missed. My children should learn to leave the office an | | | | God's love and blessings are the same whether we |
| hour early to spend more time with the family instead | | | | are rich or poor and aren't an indication of either. |
| of working late. | | | | Worship values. We need to teach and model the |
| A Servants Attitude: As Americans most of us are | | | | realities of what is truly important in life. Our time to |
| blessed to have more than we will ever need. Most of | | | | worship and our faith in God should be the most |
| us live in excess - having more toys and spending our | | | | important thing in our lives. Worship is a seven day per |
| free time enjoying our toys and leisure. I want to teach | | | | week pastime not a Sunday morning date. We need |
| my children to use their blessings on helping others - to | | | | to teach them everyday starts by worshiping God. |
| use their free time serving others. It takes a long time | | | | And Sunday also needs to have more reverence. |
| to realize the joy of helping others far exceeds the | | | | Sunday is THE day of worship, a day of reverence |
| pleasure of driving a new boat or playing the latest | | | | and rest not a day to schedule birthday parties and |
| video game. My second torch to pass on is to teach | | | | little league games. We need to teach and model the |
| my children it is far greater to serve others than to | | | | reality of God and his grace, being loving in our |
| serve yourself. | | | | relationships, the truth of the Word of God, the |
| The importance of friends - deep biding relationships. | | | | salvation that comes through Jesus, the importance of |
| One of the best things we can bequeath to the next | | | | a life surrendered to God, that God is first and |
| generation is how helpful, how rich, and how essential it | | | | foremost, that God sees all we do so being an honest |
| is to have abiding and vulnerable personal relationships | | | | person, living holy lives, and living in community - is the |
| with one another. They need deep relationships that | | | | only way to live. Once we trust in God and put our |
| they can not only share with but who will also hold | | | | faith in him and worship Him as He deserves - the rest |
| them accountable. They need connections that | | | | of our lives become much richer and become much |
| transcend friendships and ones that go deep within to | | | | easier to manage. I Hope Our children have to know |
| give each other safety, grace, acceptance, comfort, | | | | that all of reality and all of life is spiritual at the core. |
| and truth - relationships in which we provoke each | | | | This is God's universe, whether we are dealing with |
| other to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24) They | | | | marriage, dating, finances, careers, or our mission in life. |
| need to have a small group that is biblically based and | | | | We have to teach our children to see that God has |
| will help them grow spiritually. | | | | principles, answers, solutions, and guidance for every |
| Less perfection. It seems with emails; computers and | | | | single area of life, so they will look to him and trust his |
| better communications - errors seem to get magnified | | | | ways. Learn to trust in the Bible for our answers not |
| and publicized. Unfortunately this has led to huge | | | | our culture. |
| pressures to be perfect. Everyone now strives to be | | | | |