Life automatically comes with a PG (Parental Guidance) warning when we live as active Christians. Our children are surrounded by media that is saturated by sex, violence, drugs, and every abomination imaginable. Our children are constantly bombarded by ideas that are in conflict with our Christian beliefs. Yet time and time again, I have personally observed Christian parents relenting to this onslaught on their children. There are many reasons for this. Time pressures, social conditioning, fear of what others will think of them, or stressed with ‘other priorities,’ just to name a few. Despite all of these, I am urging parents to not let their guard down and allow the evil to penetrate their child’s mind. This is the role you signed on to when you became a Christian parent. Is it tough?..Yes. Is it stressful?…Absolutely! Is it exhausting?…Without a doubt!
As you read this you are saying ‘Easy enough to say’…is he for real? Yes I am. I ask you to look at our Lord Jesus Christ and what he went through to save us from sin. He is our example. Jesus did not give up and walk away from his impending torment. He did not say, “Well, let Me think about it.” He did what God the Father had asked of Him. We are no different. It is our role as parents to provide moral, religious and spiritual guidance to our children. Not only are we to watch over them and guide them, we are also to set the example, for we personify truth to them. Our actions speak louder than words when it comes to our children.
As Christian parents, it is our role to ensure that whatever our children our exposed to must be explained through the context of our Christian faith. Our children need to understand the biblical, and spiritual connection in these life examples and experiences. They need their parents to help with this process. The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly lays out our duty as parents:
The fecundity of conjugal love cannot be reduced solely to the procreation of children, but must extend to their moral education and their spiritual formation. The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute. The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.
In other words, despite our system of schools and other institutions of learning, your parental role as a moral and spiritual educator of your children cannot be usurped or taken away by anyone or any institution. It is our constant responsibility to ensure that our children understand life through our Christian faith and not the secular version. Parents set the example for children to follow by actively living a Christian life without fear. I encourage all parents to be spiritual leaders to their children. Every child born should enter the world and life with a ‘PG Required’ stamp on its butt.
Copyright © 2013, Luciano Corbo
Luciano Corbo
Luciano Corbo holds a Master of Arts - Integrated Studies from Athabasca University. His major interests are Culture, Work, Organizations and Leadership, within a context of Catholic Social Teaching Principles. He writes from Canada.
2 responses to “Parental Guidance Required”
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Thank you for the mention in your ‘Warnings’ post ( .http://www.qualityoflifeministries.info/warnings/ ) Your post does justice to the current approach many Christians take their faith – not fully involved.
Luciano