The Parent’s Role of Preparing
Children for a Relationship With God
A parent is to show a child that the parent is in charge and should be respected. The parent sets the rules and if the rules are broken, the child will be disciplined and have to suffer the consequences of their actions. The parent is also to show love, mercy, compassion, understanding and forgiveness. The parent should always communicate with the child after they calm down - talk about rules, consequences and how to avoid consequences. The parent is also to stress to their child that they still love them. In this way the child will learn to love and respect their parent.
Later in life the child will see how God has rules and set parameters. The child will know to respect God and obey His rules. The child will also realize that if these rules are not obeyed, they may have to suffer consequences. If they were forgiven and loved by their parent, they will understand that God still loves and forgives them. If the child was taught how to communicate with their parent, they will be better prepared to communicate with God through prayer, reading or hearing His word, and meditating on what they read or heard. God stresses to His children that He loves them. In this way the child will learn to love and respect God.
Children are God’s gift to parents, and parents are to be good examples to their children. To be good parents and an early example of God to their children, they must also communicate with God. It is the parent’s responsibility to prepare children for a relationship with God.
