Concerned parents and guardians often ask us how to handle certain situations, learning challenges, etc. With online opinions from “experts” and those claiming educational expertise so prevalent, there are many voices adding to the often conflicting dialog regarding Early Childhood Education. To help them sort through the noise, we have compiled a list of the three most foundational principles of parenting:
1. Trust God‘s Choice: Children are a gift. Given by God. And each child has an earthly assignment. A divine purpose. It is not a mistake that you have been given this child. Nor that he/she has been given you as the parent. Knowing this, no one is more qualified to make better parenting decisions for this child than you. And although you may read books on parenting to become more skillful in this area, when all is said and done, you know best what the child needs and what it will take to make him or her prosper.
2. Trust Your Heart: Above all else, above being on a sports team, self-defense classes, or music lessons, it is vital that your child know that you want to spend time with him. This may sound like a given, but we have had grown children tell us more than once that this is the one thing they missed as a child. On the outside, their parents did all the “right things.” But on the inside, the child always longed for that sincere heart connection where the parent honestly just wanted to spend time with the child.
3. Trust Your Intuition: A parent is equipped with a special anointing for knowing. It’s a gift. Part of the initial equipment. And this “knowing” can be cultivated through prayer and practice. Children cannot always articulate or explain what is going on. And lack of experience and immaturity prevent them from seeing clearly. So becoming sensitive to the leading of the Lord and trusting your spirit to inform you concerning what you need to do completes your parenting package.
Enjoy the journey!
How Young Children Learn 