Moment With Betty

The family is the furnace of a child’s character and personality, and where Love for God takes root and that is why no human community is better equipped than the family to ensure that Faith takes root in a child’s heart.

Bringing up a child in the Faith involves more than just teaching doctrine; it also requires the transmission of a way of Life. Teach the children simple pious gestures and the children will learn to place God at the topmost hierarchy of Love.  They will learn to pray because they see their parents pray and also trust in God with simplicity.  Remember that it is easier to connect with what we see more than what we hear and so, the Gospel will be more convincing when others see it being lived out. This is especially true with children, who have difficulty distinguishing between what is said and who is saying it — even more so, when it’s their father or mother who is speaking. Seeing their own father or mother praying thus, has quite special meaning and value for them. Let us try to foster the habit of praying upon waking up and before going to bed as this come natural to them.

 Parents have every advantage in communicating Faith to their children in action more than in words. God expects parents to be pious and consistent in living the Faith. It will be a good thing if parents give example to their children in “Naturalness” without showing off.  Pray in the presence of your children, let them see you pray so that they can understand and connect with it. In fact, prepare a roster where every child takes turn to lead the prayer in the house.

 Bringing up the children is the responsibility of both the father and the mother. So do it in such a way that they will have strong conscience and character.  We should teach our children to trust in God even in the midst of both normal and abnormal circumstances. They will grow up with it and become better Christians. There is an adage that says that; “when you teach your child the way of the Lord, he/she will not depart from it when he/she grows up”.

That picture of you praying will be engraved in their Hearts and they will always remember it. No matter their age, always call to check how their religious Life is going.  Do not say that they are all grown up now and have their families, they need to be reminded about so many things such as, going to confession as the case may be or about the feats days that the church celebrates. Explain to them why they need to go to church to observe it and many others. Don’t ever underestimate their perceptiveness and don’t think that you can deceive them. They know you (their parents) very well and they can tell when you are just pretending to be good or not. They see, they watch and they draw their conclusions.

Sometimes our children see us as an image of their heavenly Father (God) in certain manner and so we have to try to live a pious Life according to the rule of Law. We need to make effort to attain Holiness and find the best way to teach our children and grandchildren the Faith. Say it to them the way it is because whenever we suppress or ignore negative feelings, we often end up worse because of it, but we should teach it with Love and sincere affections and in a natural way so that our children will give God the glory and adoration that He deserves.