March 25, 2017...."Parenting With the Gospel On My Side"

            I start this week’s post with a quote from one of my favorite prophets, President Gordon B. Hinckley:

            “As children grow through the years, their lives, in large measure, become an extension and a reflection of family teaching.  If there is harshness, abuse, uncontrolled anger, disloyalty, the fruits will be certain and discernible, and in all likelihood they will be repeated in the generation that follows.  If, on the other hand, there is forbearance, forgiveness, respect, consideration, kindness, mercy, and compassion, the fruits again will be discernible, and they will be eternally rewarding.  They will be positive and sweet and wonderful……I speak to fathers and mothers everywhere with a plea to put harshness behind us, to bridle our anger, to lower our voices, and to deal with mercy and love and respect one toward another in our homes.” (Successful Marriages and Families, A. Hawkins, p. 125)

            The family is the focus of God’s Plan.  It is in our families that we first learn to forgive, to respect, to be considerate, to be kind, to have and show mercy and compassion.  He knew this life would be hard and He gave us a family to endure all the trials and celebrate all our accomplishments with.

  The Gospel of Jesus Christ has given us the parenting tools that enable us to be positive examples to our children.  Family home evening and scripture study and family prayer are some of these tools, along with church meetings and partaking of the sacrament.  Also, taking time to talk to our children about our own gospel experiences, our testimony and thoughts on the teachings of the prophets, are priceless moments we should take advantage of.

I am so grateful that I have had Christ's church on my side through my years of parenting.  Even though my children are older, I still need and pray for His guidance daily when I know they are struggling, that I will know what to say and do that will help them.  With God on our side, this parenting gig is so much easier.

References: Successful Marriages and Families, A. Hawkins, 2012, p. 125