Family Companionship
Parents to Become Acquainted With Children. -- Some parents do not understand
their children and are not really acquainted with them. There is often a great
distance between parents and children. If the parents would enter more fully
into the feelings of their children and draw out what is in their hearts, it
would have a beneficial influence upon them.
The father and the mother should work together in full sympathy with each
other. They should make themselves companions to their children.
Parents should study the best and most successful manner of winning the love
and confidence of their children, that they may lead them in the right path.
They should reflect the sunshine of love upon the household.
Encouragement and Commendation. --Young children love companionship and can
seldom enjoy themselves alone. They yearn for sympathy and tenderness. That
which they enjoy they think will please mother also, and it is natural for them
to go to her with their little joys and sorrows. The mother should not would
their sensitive hearts by treating with indifference matters that, though
trifling to her, are of great importance to them. Her sympathy and approval are
precious. An approving glance, a word of encouragement or commendation, will be
like sunshine in their hearts, often making the whole day happy.
Parents to Be Child's Confidants. --Parents should encourage their children
to confide in them and unburden to them their heart griefs, their little daily annoyances and trials.
Kindly instruct them and bind them to your hearts. It is a critical time for
children. Influences will be thrown around them to wean them from you which you
must counteract. Teach them to make you their confidant. Let them whisper in
your ear their trials and joys.
Children would be saved from many evils if they would be more familiar with
their parents. Parents should encourage in their children a disposition to be
open and frank with them, to come to them with their difficulties and, when they
are perplexed as to what course is right, to lay the matter just as they view it
before the parents and ask their advice. Who are so well calculated to see and
point out their dangers as godly parents? Who can understand the peculiar
temperaments of their own children as well as they? The mother who has watched
every turn of the mind from infancy, and is thus acquainted with the natural
disposition, is best prepared to counsel her children. Who can tell as well what
traits of character to check and restrain as the mother, aided by the father?
" No Time. "--"No time," says the father; "I have no
time to give to the training of my children, no time for social and domestic
enjoyments." Then you should not have taken upon yourself the
responsibility of a family. By withholding from them the time which is justly
theirs, you rob them of the education which they should have at your hands. If
you have children, you have a work to do, in union with the mother, in the
formation of their characters.
It is the cry of many mothers: "I have no time to be with my
children." Then for Christ's sake spend less time on your dress. Neglect if you will to adorn your apparel. Neglect to
receive and make calls. Neglect to cook an endless variety of dishes. But never,
never neglect your children. What is the chaff to the wheat? Let nothing
interpose between you and the best interests of your children.
Burdened with many cares, mothers sometimes feel that they cannot take time
patiently to instruct their little ones and give them love and sympathy. But
they should remember that if the children do not find in their parents and in
their home that which will satisfy their desire for sympathy and companionship,
they will look to other sources, where both mind and character may be
endangered.
With Your Children in Work and Play. --Give some of your leisure hours to
your children; associate with them in their work and in their sports, and win
their confidence. Cultivate their friendship.
Let parents devote the evenings to their families. Lay off care and
perplexity with the labours of the day.
Counsel to Reserved, Dictatorial Parents. --There is danger of both parents
and teachers commanding and dictating too much, while they fail to come
sufficiently into social relation with their children or scholars. They often
hold themselves too much reserved and exercise their authority in a cold,
unsympathizing manner which cannot win the hearts of their children and pupils.
If they would gather the children close to them and show that they love them,
and would manifest an interest in all their efforts and even in their sports,
sometimes even being a child among children, they would make the children very
happy and would gain their love and win their confidence. And the children would sooner respect and love the authority of
their parents and teachers.
Evil Associates as Competitors of the Home. --Satan and his host are making
most powerful efforts to sway the minds of the children, and they must be
treated with candour, Christian tenderness, and love. This will give you a
strong influence over them, and they will feel that they can repose unlimited
confidence in you. Throw around your children the charms of home and of your
society. If you do this, they will not have so much desire for the society of
young associates. . . . Because of the evils now in the world, and the
restriction necessary to be placed upon the children, parents should have double
care to bind them to their hearts and let them see that they wish to make them
happy.
Parents to Be Acquainted With Their Children. -- No barrier of coldness and
reserve should be allowed to arise between parents and children. Let parents
become acquainted with their children, seeking to understand their tastes and
dispositions, entering into their feelings, and drawing out what is in their
hearts.
Parents, let your children see that you love them and will do all in your
power to make them happy. If you do so, your necessary restrictions will have
far greater weight in their young minds. Rule your children with tenderness and
compassion, remembering that "their angels do always behold the face of My
Father which is in heaven." If you desire the angels to do for your
children the work given them of God, co-operate with them by doing your part.
Brought up under the wise and loving guidance of a true home, children will
have no desire to wander away in search of pleasure and companionship. Evil will not attract them. The
spirit that prevails in the home will mould their characters; they will form
habits and principles that will be a strong defence against temptation when they
shall leave the home shelter and take their place in the world.