Our Roles as Parents

This week we did a kind of switch-a-roo.   We would normally learn from the Gospel Principles this week, but we had a special visitor from LDS Family Services give a combined lesson with the Priesthood about parenting.

I don't know if you noticed it or not, but in April's General Conference, there were A LOT of talks about teaching children and youth the gospel and keeping them on the right path.  Maybe it's because I've been thinking about how I should be teaching my own children lately that I felt like they were talking about it so much.  My favorite that I've read so far is "Mothers Teaching Children in the Home" by Elder L. Tom Perry.  If you're a mother, you should definitely check that one out.

So with all this talk lately about raising children up in Christ, I'm thinking that it must be pretty important.  Maybe we should start taking note...  if the Lord's prophets are telling us that we need to teach our children, they must know something about the future that is going to require our children to be unwavering in their testimonies.

Our teacher shared lots of quotes with us today.  I wasn't able to copy them down word for word (my hands only move so quickly), but I was able to get a little bit.  These things do not only apply to parents.  These tips can be useful for Primary and youth leaders, mentors, teachers, and whoever else deals with young people on a regular basis. Here's a few things I learned today:

• We need to bear our testimonies in our homes.  Often we teach principles, but how often do we actually bear our testimonies to our children?  I know I haven't.
• Parents have the main responsibility to to train our children because we're farther along in our development, but truly we all work together to build each other up.  Sometimes (okay, many times) our children teach US!
• We need to really listen to our children when they talk to us.  I'm very guilty of tuning my son out because he talks non-stop, but when I actually do listen, he surprises me with what he knows and asks me very intelligent questions.
• In a talk by M. Russell Ballard he encourages fathers to have the big talks with their sons.  There's so much immorality in the world that they need that rock to cling to when they're faced with it.  I'm pretty sure that this applies to more than just fathers, too. 
• Pray, pray, pray!  Not just as a family, but with your children individually to teach them. Pray for family members.
• Teach children to WORK!  It's never to early to start.  For that matter, it's never too late.  The best thing my Mom and Dad ever did for me was teaching me that I had to work to get through life.  They not only taught me to work but instilled in me a desire to my work well.  Work together with your children.  Not only does the job get done faster, but it's more fun, too.
• Education is a commandment, so continuously learn to teach our children.
• Teach a child confidence by giving them praise.  Teach them it's okay to fail.
• Avoid anger.  Is it possible to feel the Spirit while angry?  No!  Learn self-control.
• If we want our children to honor us, we need to honor our own parents.  How can we expect our children to treat us with respect if we show our parents disrespect?  Our children learn by watching us. Monkey see, monkey do, right?  :)

These are just a few points that hit home for me.  Some of you reading are in different stages of parenthood in your own lives, so these may not be as helpful.  I encourage you to read the words of the prophets from our last General Conference to get the guidance you need to help your own children.