Each generation may say “the world is a defective place to raise a kid.”  There’s been moral degradation since the beginning of time, but nothing like now.  Now, there is the erosion of Truth as an absolute, and the challenges of ever changing technology that stand in our way of effective parenting.  Remaining in God’s Truth and obtaining Biblical principles as your guide in parenting is never outdated.

In today’s culture, a parent cannot just be “aware” of what their children can get involved in that forms their moral character.  A parent must know and be involved in what their kids are involved in.  Be careful of what your kids watch whether it be on their phone, computer, or your TV.  Monitor their use of technological devices.  Sit with them, and let them show you their activities on their Social Media sites.  If you don’t like the music they listen to, be sure to tell them why and disallow it.

Setting clear parameters of what you allow your kids to see and hear is going to cause conflict, no doubt.  Your kids will feel “left out” by their peers because they cannot do what everyone else’s parents are allowing their kids to do.  You will appear to be the “Bad Guy,” and they will be upset with you.  That’s okay!  Be the bad guy for a season in your teen’s life, and it will pay off later.  I used to tell my kids “I love you too much to care what you think of me right now.”  And you know what?  Today, they thank me for it.  You must be courageous, set boundaries in a loving, firm way, and don’t cave in to the limitations you have set.  In another season in their life, they just may thank you for it too.

Building a relationship that will help you bond with your teen comes from communicating clear cut objectives from a Biblical perspective.  Don’t just preach “you cannot do this or that.”  Tell them Why you don’t want them to do this or that.  You must practice what you preach, and express to them the positive results for doing so.  Moral development begins in children between the ages of five to seven years old.  The younger your child is when you start to introduce Biblical principles to them, the more affluence it will have on their entire life.

Here are a few pointers to acquire or maintain a Biblical Worldview for yourself and your family.

  • Provide an authoritative community – surround your family with others who are like minded in their Biblical Worldview
  • Find positive role models that will be influential in both yours and your child’s life
  • Become active and involved in a good Bible teaching Church and discipleship community
  • Study God’s word – especially verses from the New Testament that pertain to the mind (i.e. Romans 8: 5-8, Col 3: 1-4)
  • Seek a mentor – older, mature Christians in the faith

The Bible says in Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  Proverbs 23:7 tells us “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”  What goes into your kid’s minds now will determine their lifestyle later on.  What is put into our minds is what forms our view of our self, the world we live in, and the decisions we make in life.  So, be careful what you see and hear, in order to set an acceptable paradigm for your child.  Remember; in parenting, more is caught than taught.  If you don’t train your child, someone else will.

Author:  Trace Embry is the Founder of Shepherd’s Hill Ministries.  He hosts the License To Parent radio program.  For over a decade, Shepherd’s Hill Ministries has helped struggling teens through its residential program and Christian boarding school, Shepherd’s Hill Academy located on an 86-acre property in Georgia.  Call 706-779-5766 for more information, or join us on Facebook.