On April 30, I began a sermon series on the family. That first message was entitled, “What Parents Owe Their Children.” In that sermon, I gave the congregation 3 different lists that was not in their notes. After the message, a lot of people asked me to share those lists with them, so I promised to put them on our website for them. The first list was a list of traits my wife & I wanted to instill in our children (and now our grandchildren):

1.) We want our children to love & obey God.
2.) We want them to have a good self-image.
3.) We want them to take responsibility for their choices.
4.) We want them to have a positive mental attitude.
5.) We want them to have a thankful spirit.

The second list was a list put out by the Houston, Texas police department several years ago that I thought was pretty neat:

11 Rules for Raising Delinquent Children (or for our purposes today, 11 Rules for Raising “Precious Snowflakes”):

1.) Give your child everything he wants, that way he will grow up to believe the world owes him something.
2.) When he picks up bad words, laugh at him. This will make him think that he’s cute and it will encourage him to pick up even cuter phrases that will blow your mind.
3.) Never give him any spiritual training. Let him wait until he’s 21 and then let him decide for himself.
4.) Avoid using the word “wrong.” It may develop a guilt complex. This will condition him to believe later when he is arrested that society is against him & he’s being persecuted.
5.) Pick up everything he leaves laying around; books, shoes, clothing. Do everything for him so he will be experienced in throwing all responsibility to someone else.
6.) Let him watch any T.V. Shows or movies, read any printed matter, or look at anything on the internet that he can. Be sure to sterilize the silverware and the drinking glasses but let his mind feast on garbage.
7.) Quarrel in front of your children. That way, they will not be shocked when the family is broken up later.
8.) Give a child all the spending money he wants. Never let him earn his own. Why should he have things as tough as you had.
9.) Satisfy his every craving for food, drink, and comfort. See that every sensible desire is gratified. Denial may lead to harmful frustrations.
10.) Always take your child’s part, (whether guilty or innocent) against neighbors, teachers and police because they are all prejudiced against your children.
11.) When your child gets into real trouble, always apologize for yourself by saying, “I never could do anything with that child.”

This list of rules for raising children is to prepare yourself for a life of grief, because you probably will have it!

The third list was written by Dr. Billy Graham:

11 Beautiful Ways To Pray For Your Children

1.) That they will know Christ as Savior early in life.
2.) That they will have a hatred for sin.
3.) That they will be caught when guilty.
4.) That they will be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives: spiritual, emotional and physical.
5.) That they will have a responsible attitude in all their personal relationships.
6.) That they will respect those in authority over them.
7.) That they will desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong friends.
8.) That they, as well as their mate, will be kept pure until marriage.
9.) That they will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one.
10.) That they would totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all circumstances. That they will be willing to be sold out to Jesus Christ.
11.) That they will be hedged in so that they cannot find the wrong people and the wrong places, and the wrong people cannot find their way to them.
AMEN!

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