Parenting, Distractions and Scripture

[MaxPC]

In a conversation about "distracted parents", I stated:
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"Parenting can't be done on cruise control or remote control. It's an active 'every hour and minute' relationship. I think the internet and tv have distracted too many from their real life parenting responsibility. Parents need our prayer for an awakening and God's grace."
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My point is that children shouldn't raise themselves; and secular schools, government institutions or media shouldn't be programming their "values" into our children.

In short, to the old public service ad I would add:
"Do you know where your children are; who they're with; and are you okay with that situation influencing your child?

Would enjoy your thoughts, input and suggestions for Scripture to augment this statement. Any other thoughts?

[JimFoxvog]

My point is that children shouldn't raise themselves; and secular schools, government institutions or media shouldn't be programming their "values" into our children.

Does this depend on whether you agree with the "value" being "programmed"? Anti-bullying seems to be a growing cause that seems admirable to me. Not cheating, not stealing, also seem to be values that secular schools try to "program" into our children.

[MaxPC]

My point is that children shouldn't raise themselves; and secular schools, government institutions or media shouldn't be programming their "values" into our children.

Does this depend on whether you agree with the "value" being "programmed"? Anti-bullying seems to be a growing cause that seems admirable to me. Not cheating, not stealing, also seem to be values that secular schools try to "program" into our children.

The federal government has also mandated transgender bathrooms (both biological males and females allowed in the same bathrooms) in schools, and mandated teaching children to accept homosexuality as normal in spite of their religious beliefs; the Feds also try to force local school districts to remove any mention of Christmas, Easter, and other Christian symbols. Are you willing to accept the preponderance of bad moral programming of mandates from a government entity so that you can justify a 'good' program that an involved parent can teach as well?

Placing child rearing responsibilities and moral values solely in the purview of governmental authority is always a bad idea as history reminds us.

I am not interested in a discussion of the horrific Federal agenda currently forced on schools and the preponderance of evidence of socially engineered governmental programming of Christian children with anti-Christian mores. Most Christians I know acknowledge this governmental interference has gone too far.

The input for which I'm asking is related to Christian parenting and for additional ideas to encourage parents to be more directly involved with their children. Scripture quotes are appreciated.

[trimthicket]

Scripture quotes are appreciated.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:6–7

[Bootstrap]

"Parenting can't be done on cruise control or remote control. It's an active 'every hour and minute' relationship. I think the internet and tv have distracted too many from their real life parenting responsibility. Parents need our prayer for an awakening and God's grace."

Totally agree.

My point is that children shouldn't raise themselves; and secular schools, government institutions or media shouldn't be programming their "values" into our children.

Schools are the main place that do this. There is no such thing as a value-free education. That's why many Christians don't send their kids to public schools. Public schools are designed to teach the skills needed to get a job and the values of "mainstream society". Traditionally, that included a fair amount of respect for civil religion and a lot of patriotism.

We reject a lot of the values of "mainstream society". That makes public schools fraught - if you send your kids there, you know that they will be exposed to some values that are not ours. But we aren't going to turn them into publicly funded Mennonite schools, and eliminating them would be disastrous for the people who have the hardest time getting jobs.

And some private schools teach things that are problematic too. Our oldest daughter was in a private school that taught a brand of patriotic right-wing Christianity that was really problematic, distorting a lot of facts in its presentation of history, and glossing over some things that are pretty key to the Constitution. Kingdom Christians can find even private religious schools a bit foreign.

Home schooling and Mennonite schools are good choices. Parents who send their kids to public schools need to be very active in their parenting.

[MaxPC]

Scripture quotes are appreciated.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:6–7

Thank you. These are exactly the kinds of Scriptures that are helpful.

Are there any Anabaptist/Mennonite words of wisdom from tradition and experience for encouraging parents to be more engaged in the raising of their children?

Scriptures?

[temporal1]

am truly missing hopenafuture's posts, and the many threads and posts on homeschools and faith based schools on MD. a library on this topic, alone!

http://biblehub.com/jeremiah/29-11.htm

Jeremiah 29:11
…10"For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.

11For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

12'Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.…

it's a great topic, one that is held dear to many.
i recall discussions that covered many views, much dedication to home schools, also the opposite view that children of the faithful should be in public schools, to be a Salt and Light there (probably not the majority choice on this forum, as i recall.)

both home schools and private schools require dedication of the family, time, personal involvement, extra financial cost .. taxes for public schools must be paid, no matter family choice.

private schools, including faith based private schools, have the ability to require parental and family involvement throughout the year.

public school teachers, as a group (have always) had problems getting parents to even be present for parent-teacher conferences. this one thing reflects a serious problem, no matter school choice, parents remain the primary influence on their children's lives and education. this can be for the better or worse.

public schools (i.e., gov mandates) have been trending toward dividing children from their parents, and their churches. erosion of parents' rights, often cloaked in legal language claiming "service" to families, is troubling. i.e., parents do not realize they are losing parents' rights by government mandate.

without understanding, parents today often vote-for removal of their own rights!

probably the majority of MD-MN active posters and read-only members are thoroughly invested in their children's education. this made it an ever-interesting topic with helpful references to resources.

[MaxPC]

Indeed, it is an important topic: one in which I hope to hear more Scripture and ideas for "training the trainers", i.e. Encouraging parents to be more involved with their children.

[Josh]

I don't think helicopter parenting is a good idea.

[Wade]

As far as parenting goes I was overwhelmed early in my Christian walk at what a blessing the Lord had bestowed upon me in giving me a wife that loves our children so dearly and her always looking to their good and future. A prudent wife is from the Lord! When we struggled to get a long at times like we should have, she yet still cared so deeply for our children - how was I so selfish at times not to see the expression of her love to me in how she loved and loves the little ones... "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." - Ephesians 6:4

Some of the greatest Christian's will never be known by the rest of us or made mention of for the great things they did here on this earth.
1 Timothy 2:15 "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety."

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." - 1 Peter 3:4 Mother's have a special place and their constant care in what can seem to be the mundane things at times are of such a blessing that we would do well to look on that example and support it.

So one of the best things we can do is: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;" - Ephesians 5:25

And in order to do that, we need to have a proper relationship with our loving Father in heaven. That security in Christ empowers woman to have faith in Him providing, so they can be "keepers at home" and fill a role that deserves more credit than it receives but yet the meek and quiet don't want that credit anyway. Rather they humbly point to Him and His grace.

God bless the many Christ-like selfless mothers(or anyone in a role caring for children) pouring their hearts into children and God bless the fathers that give up themselves, give up their distractions and love them through Him.