Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Who influences our children?

Someone asked me the other day, "Do you think it helps (raising kids) belonging to a church that supports your moral beliefs?"

My answer was, "Heck, yah!"

I truly believe in the philosophy that it takes a village to raise a child. Think of all the people who influence our children: teachers, friends, non-friends, neighbors, church leaders, sports leaders, coaches, etc. How many hours a day are we, the parents, influencing our children versus the time others are influencing them?

With this in mind, think about this quote:
"The group consisting of mother, father and child is the main educational agency of mankind." -- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

So, while it might take a village, it is ultimately up to the family unit. Parents must be involved in the lives of their children. Parents need to know what is going on... and we do that by actively engaging our children in conversation. AND listening to what they have to say.

I'm currently working on my second manuscript, titled "The Education of Thia." Originally, I was going to begin each chapter with an interesting educational quote (such as the one above). However, other people in the publishing industry have told me that it is nearly impossible to get quotes published in a novel. Too many hoops to jump through. So, I need to research it more. I'm considering eliminating them from the novel.  But, none-the-less, the quotes have stirred my thought process.

4 comments:

  1. I agree with your partially. I think a child can be raised with a basic foundation of morals and values without a specific religion.My parents taught me through example. So the fact that I don't steal, cheat, lie, or kick puppies has to do with the household I grew up in and not the religion I was raised which I no longer practice by the way. When you surround yourself and your children with people who support your beliefs it does reinforce them, but once again it doesn't neccesarily have to be religion.

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  2. I'd say a church that supports your beliefs is definitely important. I've heard before that "if you're not influencing your kids, someone is."

    I get ElbieNy25's point about giving kids a good foundation. Really, they are going to pick up on what they see as genuine. It's important to raise kids to think and choose for themselves, but there's nothing wrong with including religion among the other influential factors of their childhood, right?

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  3. I have nothing against religion at all. I think it's a choice each individual and parent has to make. My choice is what's right for me, but may not be right for someone else.

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  4. When we are talking about school, we can't stop talking about the fact that teachers press too much on pupils about homework. They don't require you to know something, they just need children's homework to be done. (even if it's done by online service that can do their homework online). We need to change approach not from children's side, but from teachers'

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