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Do you know what it means to be a humble parent? Perhaps in the wake of the recent New Years holiday you might have made some resolutions such as losing weight, being nicer to others, and also working harder on your relationship with your child. Of course, as the New Year wears on, these resolutions go by the wayside, and before long you are likely to forget that you ever made these promises.
Yet there are 5 ways to becoming a humble parent.
1. Recognize that parenting success is not rooted in your own limited understanding of life, death and everything in between but instead solidly in God's grace. This takes a lot of pressure off you, your spouse, and helps you to not take your kid's disobedience as a personal affront. In turn, this helps with staying objective and dealing with your child's behavior with a sense of purpose and hope rather than hopelessness.
2. Pray for your children. You might be surprised to learn how many Christian parents neglect to regularly pray for their children. This supersedes the prayer for a good grade or to keep them safe, but instead also incorporates the prayer for them to become disciples of Christ, marry disciples, raise children who will also become disciples, and - most importantly - that they will die long after you … as disciples. Beginning these prayers when your children are still in their bassinets is a good time to begin getting a humble perspective that their lives are a lot more than just the sum of their current disobedient streaks.
3. Model your faith in and dependence on God. Unless your kids see you with an open Bible and in prayer, they are unlikely to follow your lead. Children imitate what they see, not what they are told to do.
4. Commit to taking your responsibility for raising your children personally. If you are hoping that the schools will educate them, the church will turn them into spiritual beings, and the athletic programs will provide their scholarships for college, you are going to be sorely disappointed. Remember that humility comes out of a heart that takes responsibility; until you stop blaming others for your kids' and your own problems, you are neither humble nor responsible.
5. Last but not least, seek out help in your parenting. When the kids act up, when there is discord in the home, when there are problems in school, or just to make sure that you are on the right track, it is imperative that you seek help. Proverbs 19:20 teaches that wisdom comes from listening to advice and accepting instruction. Interestingly, it does not refer to buying self help books or waiting until the kids are juvenile delinquents, but instead implies the advice given either by experts in the field or spiritually sound minds should be sought early and often.
Could you continue to just muddle along and hope for the best? Yes, absolutely. Will your children be inspired by your example to become disciples of Christ and take their Christianity serious? Probably not. Fortunately, change is possible and God blesses a repentant heart.
About Sylvia Cochran
 Sylvia Cochran - Christian Parenting Corner and Common Sense Parenting and Parenting By the Book Christian Parenting Book Reviews
Sylvia is a seasoned freelance writer, born and raised in Germany. Having been exposed to a variety of religions and traditions due to travel and study, Sylvia has been a student of the Bible for more than ten years, and has for the last four years taught in small groups about Biblical principles, practical Christianity, Christian parenting, as well as the spiritual use of money. Sylvia also provides Free Online Christian Parenting Courses at Suite 101.
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