Nothing can be cuter than two or three year olds absolutely insisting they know something is right when they have it entirely confused. It doesn’t matter how much evidence you provide that they are wrong, this child (not yours or mine of course) will stubbornly stick to the original statement. Most parents eventually shrug it off and figure over time the child will learn he is incorrect and will change his mind.
Unfortunately, many children never outgrow this habit. They read something somewhere or hear it from someone they admire or sometimes just figure something out independently. No matter what evidence you provide to the contrary, they will not even consider another viewpoint. Throw in a bit of adolescent indestructibility with a dash of “old people are stupid” and you have a recipe for arrogance and pride.
Recently, I was having an email conversation with a woman who works trying to save children and teens from child trafficking. She mentioned something which stopped me in my tracks. She said one of the hardest things she does is trying to convince parents of the dangers of allowing their children to participate in virtual sin. It took me a minute or two to process what she meant.
If you want parenting advice, it’s pretty easy to find lots of experts who will help you guide your child away from bad habits. There is also a lot of advice on how to train on practical things like manners. When it comes to heart issues like speech though, it gets much tougher. The Bible tells us what comes out of our mouths reflects what is on our hearts. (Matthew 15:18) How do we mold the hearts of our children so what comes out of their mouths is positive, loving and uplifting?
One of the most exciting times while raising children is when your little ones begin to speak. The cute way they mangle words and the glimpses into their minds and personalities is a joyful experience. As they begin to master speech, sometimes what comes out of those little mouths are things we would rather not hear. Especially from a child we were given by God to point towards Him.
If you are new to Parenting Like Hannah or haven’t looked around in awhile, you may not realize you now have lots of new free resources to help you on your Christian parenting journey. Parenting Like Hannah is actually a part of a much larger ministry called