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Motivating Ideas on Where to Begin Conditioning A Child for Positive Character Traits in Effective Perenting of Children in Their Formative Years.

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From the outset we can notice that the home presents itself as the basic place to begin teaching the child basic character-building principles and proper education. Neglecting this fact has been very costly on societies throughout the ages. This basic neglect stems from ungodliness which results in the abandonment of the God-given responsibility as earlier mentioned with respect to Abraham and God’s expression of his confidence in Abraham to teach his children the fear of God which is actually the beginning of wisdom. This confidence God placed on Abraham is for him to serve as a point of contact for all men and indeed parents. The primary reason God blesses a family with children is for the parents to train the children to bring glory to God in proper conduct in all their dealings with all peoples of the planet earth. God is concerned about right living in the world because he himself is righteous. The failure of any parent to train their children to fear God is a total failure and God would require such parents to account for their failure. The next port of call for the child’s training is the spiritual home of the child – in a religious setting. The church is the body of Jesus Christ and plays the role of second home for the child’s spiritual upbringing. The Sunday school offers a unique setting for the training of the child in spiritual matters and parents should introduce their children to the Sunday school as soon as they come of that age. Sunday school teachers and peers offer a very important opportunity for the child’s spiritual development. We don’t intend to place the child’s spiritual development solely in the church, though, as we have earlier included this in the primary role of fathers at home. The church only serves as an extension of venue for the child’s training especially in spiritual matters from the home. The child eventually reaches the pre-school age when he enrolls for Kindergarten school for social and academic development through formal education at that level. He progresses to primary, secondary and tertiary schools for further training. It must be stressed that the character of the child is not developed at this latter stage but is only reinforced as he progresses in the educational development. It takes a peculiar force of some sort to change character at this point and this is the point most people have been missing as they presume that the child would rather form character or improve his character with advancing years. The error of this presumption is the trouble we have today in the delinquencies and deviations abounding in contemporary societies. This informed this author’s study and inspiration to provide this book as an important resource for proper parenting for a better society. Society has some form of influence on the child but there is no fundamental responsibility on it to provide the necessary training of the child in terms of character development. The reverse, however, is the case where a child of good character would be a good influence in the society while the one with bad character would provide negative influence on the society. There are no two ways about this fact. And this fact is incontrovertible! A child must be guided to be choosy about associations in the society. A bad company corrupts good morals, we are warned. This is so, due to the natural bent which is prone to wrongdoing. By natural bent we mean the tendency in human beings to do things the wrong way unless some external or other activated internal influence is applied against the doer. It all began soon after creation of man and the deceit of man by the Biblical serpent at the garden where we are told God the creator placed the man and the woman. The Adam’s nature of disobedience since then has been genetically transferred to offsprings down the line. Every human being has their share of this genetic natural bent, according to researchers. However, the original loyal aspect of character remains waiting to be activated by proper training and instruction as well as discipline by parents, teachers, care-givers, guardians and mentors. God equally placed some inexplicable power of influence in parents such that children have no choice but to remain under the influence of their particular parents. Have you wondered why children who attempt to run away from their homes are treated with disapproval from the larger society? Have you wondered why most children would prefer their particular parents to any other no matter the status of their parents or the amount of inheritance or legacy such children derive from their own parents? Have you wondered why a poor hungry child will still work home notwithstanding that there may be no food for him in the house, instead of walking into a rich neighbor’s house even if they were ready to feed him sumptuously at that particular time or any other? 
Such is the wonder of God’s provision of parental influence on their children! No wonder God holds parents accountable for the proper upbringing of their respective children. The home, then, remains the primary, if not exclusive, location for the nurturing of children for proper development, especially character traits, attitudenal and behavioral development. The best option remains for parents to assume this solemn responsibility and seek information such as contained in this concise book and other family life education books to prepare themselves well enough for a successful endeavor. Parents who succeed in this task are to be bountifully rewarded and truly happy at the end. Children of such parents are equally a reward for their parents and share in their happiness. Yes, while marriages are made in heaven, children are made here on earth, at home, by their parents!

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