The prevailing influence in the world is to suffer the youth to follow the natural turn of their own minds. And if very wild in youth, parents say they will come right after a while and, when sixteen or eighteen years of age, will reason for themselves and leave off their wrong habits and become at last useful men and women. What a mistake! For years they permit an enemy to sow the garden of the heart; they suffer wrong principles to grow, and in many cases all the labor afterward bestowed on that soil will avail nothing…. {AH 200.4}
Some parents have suffered their children to form wrong habits, the marks of which may be seen all through life. Upon the parents lies this sin. These children may profess to be Christians; yet without a special work of grace upon the heart and a thorough reform in life, their past habits will be seen in all their experience, and they will exhibit just the character which their parents allowed them to form. {AH 201.1}
The young should not be suffered to learn good and evil indiscriminately, with the idea that at some future time the good will predominate and the evil lose its influence. The evil will increase faster than the good. It is possible that after many years the evil they have learned may be eradicated; but who will venture this? Time is short. It is easier and much safer to sow clean, good seed in the hearts of your children than to pluck up the weeds afterward. Impressions made upon the minds of the young are hard to efface. How important, then, that these impressions be of the right sort, that the elastic faculties of youth be bent in the right direction. {AH 201.2}
Family today
• The father is the head of the family (Ephesians 5:23), so he is responsible for representing Christ’s character at home (Ephesians 5:25).
• The mother is the greatest influence in the personality, character, and temperament of their children.
• Parents must work together in educating their children.
• In the Bible, parents are told to teach their children how to love God and obey Him (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
• Children will be responsible for their actions once they become adult. However, parents are responsible for planting the seed in them that will grow for eternal life (Proverbs 22:6).
How to educate:
Communication
• Appropriate communication is essential in education. Parents must devote time to communicating with their children (not just talking, but also listening to them).
• Communication must include an emotional side too. Parents should show love in every action.
• We should always ask God for wisdom on how to properly imprint the Christian values on the hearts of our children, by using our words and our example.
• The time we spent communicating with each member of our family will be worth it.
Organization
• It’s important to set a specific time apart for sharing God’s wisdom and promises with our children.
• Pray with them and schedule a morning and/or evening family worship time.
• “Teach a child how to follow the right way; even when he is old, he will stay on course.” (Proverbs 22:6 VOICE).
In the education of your children lay not the grand truths of the Bible to one side, supposing that the Sabbath school and the minister will do your neglected work. The Bible is not too sacred and sublime to be opened daily and studied diligently. The truths of the word of God are to be brought into contact with the supposed little things of life. If rightly regarded they will brighten the common life, supplying motives for obedience and principles for the formation of a right character. {AH 189.2}
Parental Responsibilities Which No One Else Can Bear—Parents, you carry responsibilities that no one can bear for you. As long as you live, you are accountable to God to keep His way…. Parents who make the word of God their guide, and who realize how much their children depend upon them for the characters they form, will set an example that it will be safe for their children to follow. {AH 187.1}
Fathers and mothers are responsible for the health, the constitution, the development of the character of their children. No one else should be left to see to this work. In becoming the parents of children, it devolves upon you to co-operate with the Lord in educating them in sound principles. {AH 187.2}
A Precious Trust—Children are committed to their parents as a precious trust, which God will one day require at their hands. We should give to their training more time, more care, and more prayer. They need more of the right kind of instruction…. {AH 161.1}
Remember that your sons and daughters are younger members of God’s family. He has committed them to your care, to train and educate for heaven. You must render an account to Him for the manner in which you discharge your sacred trust. {AH 161.2}
