By Carolyn Tomlin
Expressing love in our homes is an ongoing 12 months, 365 days-a-year activity. Throughout the year, our thoughts turn to ways to express love. Christian parents have a responsibility to teach children to love God, others and themselves. Jesus spoke about love throughout the Bible. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (I Corinthians 13:13, NIV).
Teaching children to love God. Love is one of the most powerful emotions. Parents are the “first” and “best” teachers. One of the most important lessons you can teach your children is that God loves them. He loves them unconditionally. He is forgiving, compassionate, and generous in His love.
What can parents do?
• Establish a Christ-centered home.
• Make prayer a priority with your family.
• Apply the Bible to daily living.
• Attend church as a family.
Teaching children to love others. In recent years, the term “bullying” has become commonplace in our language. When a child is the victim of a bully, this mental and physical abuse can disrupt a child’s education and social life. Their emotional well-being is at risk. A recent report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics states that bullying occurs on a daily or weekly basis in 23 percent of public schools in the United States.
This increase is due in part to technology and communication. The Internet, cell phones, and social media are often used as an outlet where kids can have anonymity online and use cyberbullying. Mature adults can usually ignore bullying, but for children and youth this is a real problem with serious consequences (healthline.com).
What can parents do?
• Treat all people with respect.
• Avoid using demeaning language in the home.
• Keep lines of communication open between parent and child.
• Seek professional help when needed.
• Pray for your children and let them hear you pray.
Teaching children to love themselves. Suicide is on the increase. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports from 1999 through 2015, 1,309 children ages 5 to 12 took their own lives in the United States (latest data as of 2017).
For some parents whose children have taken their own lives, there is no explanation. For others, there were relationship problems, arguments with family and friends, and boyfriend/girlfriend issues in the older group. Statistics show that, among children under 13, boys are more likely to take their own lives (76 percent of those who died in 1999-2015 were males). However, girls attempt suicide more frequently. The number of children/youth ages 5-12 hospitalized for suicidal thoughts or actions has doubled over the last decade (psychologybenefits.org).
What can parents do?
• Recognize warning signs.
• Identify risk factors.
• Promote protective factors.
• Talk to kids.
• Seek mental health service, if needed.
Teaching children to love God, others, and themselves is important for the present as well as the future. B&R — Tomlin, of Jackson, writes for the Christian magazine market and teaches the Boot Camp for Christian Writers.


