Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

PROPER TRAINING Too much too soon is as damaging as deprivation. Although we must be careful to teach the truths of God to our children from the very beginning, we do not teach eschatological dissertations to a four-year-old. We properly begin by letting our little one know from birth he is a very special creation of a loving heavenly Father, created for a purpose and design. After many years of studying how children develop, one authority suggests that certain concepts can best be taught at specific age levels. The wise parent will take advantage of these tender times. Proper training and teaching involve knowing when to teach various truths. A child so prepared will eventually develop a maximum sense of maturity and security. Commenting on age levels, one specialist observes, "The family's most powerful influence in the life of the child is felt during the first three years. After that, the peer group and the community assume more and more importance." Jochebed and Hannah demonstrated through the lives of their children, Moses and Samuel, how deeply the influence of these years can affect a child. The years between ages fifteen and twenty-five constitute life's decade of decision. Here the child makes his three most important decisions: (1) His faith (Studies indicate most people choose their values when they are between eighteen and twenty-one. Most conversions occur when people are between sixteen and twenty-one); (2) His life's work; (3) His mate. To insure that our children will be equipped to make these decisions properly, we must teach them specific concepts at specific times.