‘Parents are the pride of their children.’
Proverbs 17:6 NIV
Your child is already in the process of becoming the kind of person he or she is eventually going to be. So to bring them up right and to make them proud of you, live by these six principles: 1) Assure them of your love. They need to know your love is given, and it will never be withdrawn because of their appearance, achievements, or actions. Let them know they are loved for who they are, and that their worth in your eyes is never in question. 2) Build strong character and godly values. ‘Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it’ (Proverbs 22:6 NLT). 3) Establish clear boundaries. And be consistent in maintaining them. Do children like rules? No. But your first goal is not to make your child happy, it’s to teach them responsibility, and happiness will follow. 4) Help them to discover their potential. That means listening, observing, and once their talents are identified, helping to develop them. ‘We have different gifts, according to the grace given us…’ (Romans 12:6 NIV). 5) Don’t try to duplicate yourself through them. God gave each of your children their own unique makeup and personality. So don’t try to make them something that God and the rest of us don’t need one more of. 6) Encourage them to pursue their life’s vision. ‘Your young men [and women] shall see visions’ (Joel 2:28 KJV). Don’t pour cold water on the fire of their enthusiasm, fan it. Get out of the critic’s seat and become their greatest supporter. If you do, you will make them proud of you.
