August is the month that children are preparing to go off to school once again. Parents are having to buy school supplies, new clothes, enroll their children, make arrangements for them to get to and from school and so on. But what is more important than all of that is are the parents preparing their children to learn more than academics? They need to learn social skills, self-help skills, and citizenship skills. As Christian parents they should be teaching their children how to obey the Word of God and grow up in a scripturally sound church. For those who have to send their children to public schools, parents have to learn to trust the school system and those who care for the children. So, this prompt will be based on trusting and obeying those who are in authority in school and trusting the Lord to care for your children first and foremost.
As a parent start now and pray for your child's safety. Before school even starts write out prayers for your child to stay out of harm's way. Write out prayers for each of the staff at the school. Pray for all who will be of an influence to your child. Pray for all who will touch your child's life throughout the school year. Continue to hold the school system, administration, and staff in prayer daily.
It is hard for parents of preschool-aged children to send them off to school at such an early age. If you have to send your child to preschool, write out your concerns and share them with the Lord. Pray that you will be able to trust the teacher and other staff to properly care for your child. And write out your prayers for the Lord to help you deal with detachment issues. Find other parents that you know and discuss the concerns of leaving your young child at school. You will make it through the school year, but writing about the different problems you may have with the school or teacher will help you put the matter in perspective. You can also reread what you wrote at the end of the year and see how the Lord provided help all along.
As a teacher I have witnessed many times children who have no respect for authority. Teach your children to respect those in authority at school. Explain how important it is for them to obey the teacher and other staff. Start a journal with your child and write the names of all the people who are involved with your child on a daily basis at school. Let them know how they can pray for them too. No matter how old a child is, he/she can pray for others. Take time to pray together about matters at school. This will show your child how when things get rough or things don't go right that he/she can always pray and depend on the Lord to help them at school. If there is not an adult to pray with them, they can learn to pray by him/herself.
If a child disobeys in school there are consequences. It may be a check mark, loss of privilege or tangible item, or other disciplinary action. Explain to your child that when one disobeys they must suffer some form of discipline. Share with your child how the Lord will also chastise His children if they disobey. When you must administer discipline explain it where the child will understand. And always let them know that they are loved. It is the misbehavior that you do not love. Write the incident down in a journal and how you handled it whether it was positive or negative. Write how the child responded. Pray that the misbehavior will turn into appropriate behavior. Praise your child for good behavior.
If you have not raised your child in a Christian home, it is never too late to begin. Turn to the book of Proverbs for wisdom on life's issues. Go to your pastor and ask for help in being a Christian parent. Read godly books on parenting. And pray for your child to accept Jesus as his/her Savior and to grow into a Christ-Like Christian. We trust their lives with school caretakers, but more importantly we must trust our children's lives in the care of the Lord. We need to trust them to Jesus. Pray for their salvation as well as their safe protection. Record these prayers and trust the Lord to answer them. Write your prayers about being a good parent and how you need the Lord to help you raise your children in church and that you will be a godly example. Your children will follow in your footsteps. Pray that you are walking in the way of the Lord so your children will not fall, stumble, slip, or go off the strait and narrow path.
Discuss with your children the type of people they should be aware of and the inappropriate actions some adults will do. Record these discussions in your journal and pray that your child will be spared from the destructive behavior some adults participate in. They are out there and it is our duty to protect our children by making them aware of the evil that lurks out there. We should not go about mistrusting everyone, but we should always pray that we are surrounded by trustworthy caretakers.
For further writing activities, do a word study on trust, trustful, trusting, trustworthy. Do another word study on obey, obedient, obedience.
Here are some verses on trust and obey that you can write out. Ask the Lord to let you know which ones you should memorize:
Ps 25:3; 31:6; 40:3; 55:23; 62:8; 115:9; 118:8; 143:8; 144:2; Prov 28:26; Is 30:10; Nah 1:7
Deut 11:27; Josh 24:24; ISam 15:22; Jer 7:23; Acts 5:29; Ro 6:16; Ep 6:1; Col 3:22; II Thes 1:8; Heb 13:17; IPet 1:22; IPet 4:17
Here are synonyms you can write out in your journal:
Trust - confidence, faith, belief, assuredness, reliance, certainty, sureness, conviction, responsibility, charge, care, obligation, custody, guardianship, safekeeping, protection
Obey - comply with, be ruled by, follow orders, submit to respect, observe, be regulated, abide by, be governed by, mind, heed, submit to, bow to.
Record antonyms in your journal and write statements on how you will commit your ways unto the Lord and not be like - insubordinate, rebellious, resistant, disobedient, revolting, mutiny, mistrustful, distrustful, doubtful, disbelieving, discredited, questionable, uncertain.
Questions to answer in your journal -
As a student was there a teacher you trusted? Was there other staff you trusted? Write what made them special to you.
Write about the different friends you had in school. Was there one particular friend you could trust above all of the rest?
Did your parents support you and your career throughout your school years?
Write about your grades, the extra-curricular activities you were involved in. How did these prepare you for adulthood?
Did you obey your school authority?
Write what characteristics you believe make a good teacher. Pray that those are the same characteristics your child's teacher possesses.
Read the different parables Jesus told in the Bible. Write about the different ways Jesus taught people. Write how Jesus is the greatest teacher of all times.
Remember to encourage your child to trust and obey. And remember your child is watching you to see if you are trusting and obeying. I have seen too many times where the obedient child will end up following the disobedient child and start getting into trouble. Start praying now for your child's future friends. Pray that as they grow up and go into the higher grades that they will make right choices in friendships and other decisions they will have to make. Pray that each year the teachers will show love and respect to your child. Pray that the school system will be a positive influence to your family and that your child will grow up to be a productive citizen and will be a positive example to others.
Here are some songs you can write the lyrics out in your journal and commit them to heart:
Trust and Obey
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
I Have Decided to Follow Jesus
