What Do Children Need?
Your child needs you to be a parent, not a friend.
Children need heroes and mentors.
And that means you need to have great ones yourself. Be careful
who you look up to. Your children are paying attention.
Your children need your time - more than anything else.
Children hunger for their parent's time. When they are young they want to be with you, be around you be near you. Encourage that. Make time for that, because soon enough they will be asserting their independence in so many ways. Form the habit of spending time together before that happens, so that when they are going through those difficult times of adolescence, it doesn't seem so forced and unnatural when you spend time with them... It is so important to know what matters most and what we are really about.
Children need to develop strong sense of self.
They need to know who they are and what they are here for. Teach and encourage them to develop and nurture their spiritual side. Most people are very uncomfortable in silence and solitude. Teach your child to be comforable in her own company, to enjoy his own company. Once we are comforable in our own company we learn to walk away from many people and situations in our lives. Until we are comfortable in our own company we are at the mercy of our peer group and wherever they may lead us. The other way to nurture a child's spiritual side is to encourage them to listen to the voice of God in her life. Ask your child, "What is God saying to you today?" The first time they may look at you a little strange, but the second time they will have an answer. Simply asking the question will lead them to start listening.
Building Better Families
Matthew Kelly
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