Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church – Children always go through seasons of emotional difficulty. That is why they need parents. Parents, don’t forget it.
Children need care not only for their bodies but also for their emotions and souls. A child’s heart is very sensitive, and parents have the greatest influence on its health. This article helps parents recognize their children’s emotional struggles and care for a child’s heart as well as their health. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
Why Care for a Child’s Heart?
Burger King removed soda from its kids’ menu, and McDonald’s and Wendy’s did the same. Whether that is a good idea or not isn’t my concern here; the tension between nutrition and marketing is outside my expertise. Instead, let’s look at how much our culture focuses on children’s physical health, while children are being deprived in their moral formation and emotional development.
My colleagues Dr. Pat Fagan and Christina Hadford have written that the family has a profound influence on children’s lives. The experiences of childhood shape the habits and decisions of later life. An intact, loving family tends to improve outcomes in education, health, economic stability and religious practice, while family breakdown can leave children with a sense of rejection that follows them as they grow up.
Yet despite the harm adults bring into children’s world, many parents are willing to break their commitment to their children through divorce. Of course there are cases where a couple has no other option, and there are exceptions. But according to Fagan and Hadford’s research, fewer than half of American teens aged 15–17 were growing up with both married parents, and among African-American teens the figure was far lower. For young people in America, the older they get, the more likely they are to experience this kind of rejection.
The Wounds of Divorce
The harm of divorce is real and significant. In their paper on the effects of divorce on children, Fagan and Aaron Churchill explain that the damage to a child’s heart, mind and soul ranges from mild to severe, from barely visible to obvious, and from short-term to long-term. No one can predict exactly how much a particular child will suffer, but the overall effects on society and on the number of children affected are serious in both scale and severity.
The research links divorce with lower economic well-being and education, more emotional and behavioral problems, more crime and abuse, earlier sexual activity among teenagers and its consequences.
A Culture That Rushes Childhood
At the same time, many cultures, America among them, push children toward early sexualization. Take girls’ clothing, for example. A 2011 study reported by LiveScience.com found that nearly a third of girls’ clothing sold at major retailers had sexualizing characteristics, a trend that encourages girls to see themselves as sexual objects at a very young age. Melissa Henson of the Parents Television Council has written that children are being exposed to adult sexuality earlier and earlier, and that parents who once worried about their teenage daughters now have to push back against marketing aimed at their third-graders.
And we wonder why so many young people struggle with depression, promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases. Here are a few questions parents can reflect on:
- Paying attention to our children’s diet and exercise is good, wise and responsible. But is it right for Christian parents not to care about the moral and emotional influences their children absorb at home, at school and from the culture?
- As Christian parents, are we building healthy marriages marked by love, security and commitment to God, which our children so badly need? Are we watching what our children see and how they process the countless confusing messages from society? Let’s pay more attention to their hearts and minds.
“Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23).
Children always go through difficult seasons, especially emotionally. That is why they need parents. Let’s not forget it.
Walking Alongside a Child’s Heart
Take time every day to listen to your child without rushing to judge. Often what children need most is not advice, but the sense of being understood and loved.
Teach your child to bring their worries to God in simple prayer. If you notice prolonged sadness or unusual changes in behavior, don’t hesitate to seek help from a child psychologist or doctor.
You may also like: 10 Ways to Weave Prayer Into Family Life and Family Worship.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for our precious children. Guard their young hearts, heal their wounds, and give us wisdom and patience to walk alongside them every day. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Article: Hà Đặng
Adapted from: ChristianHeadlines.com
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