Whenever we talk about raising children, a few biblical passages come to mind – Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord”; Proverbs 22:6, 15: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it”; “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline will drive it far away.”; Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home.” We can clearly see that teaching your children God’s Word is the responsibility of Christian parents.
In the process of educating them, there are times when we need to be strict: “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them” (Proverbs 13:24).
Good communication between parent and child is the key towards educating your children. In this busy digital age, the pace of living gets faster and faster and everyone (including our children) is using digital media which has changed the way we communicate. Hence, it poses a new challenge to Christian parents who are raising their children. How can we continue to effectively impart wisdom and the truth of God’s Word to our next generation?
Young Singaporeans often use digital media to communicate. Thus, there is an increasing number of parents who also use digital media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, etc., as means to better understand and communicate with their children. This is a good sign. At the same time, we should consistently maintain a good family life through some activities between family members where we can interact with each other face-to face such as during meal times. When you are out dining, you will often see everyone busy fiddling with their electronic devices at the dining table – while some are reading the news, others are busying messaging or very focused on playing their games. Though they are having their family meal, they are not communicating with each other. What a waste! Parents can actually use this precious time to find out more about their children’s lives and help them. Experts suggest that parents should insist that everyone puts aside their mobile or electronic device during family time. Whoever uses these tools first will have to be ‘punished.’ Parents should also lead by example!
On the other hand, as parents we should pay careful attention to our children’s online activities and the time spent on them. The content is not neutral. Hence, parents should supervise their children while they are consuming digital media. Parents should not be dependent on digital media as a means for their children to kill time and allow it to become their ‘nanny’. We should limit our children’s exposure to the virtual world and help them to use it correctly.
A child is an inheritance from God. As parents and seniors, we should protect and nurture them.