JOY FILLED PARENTING - 6 (DO NOT LET ANYONE DISCOURAGE YOUR LITTLE ONES)

“Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” – Colossians 3:21

Few weeks before as I was going to have my lunch in a particular place I saw a group of ladies sitting and talking along with a little boy. As I stood near to them for few minutes I heard one of the old ladies telling that little boy that he was taken from a government hospital. She actually meant that he was not born to his actual mother but taken from a government hospital. She was constantly telling him that for fun. It’s not the truth but yet she was repeatedly telling him again and again the same thing. 

When she was speaking I remembered the things happened in my childhood. I have two elder brothers. We heard from our mother that once one of my elder brothers got sick and was taken to the hospital. At that time I was a little baby and the next day as my mother want to see my elder brother she took me to the hospital. 

But as she entered that hospital she felt that if she take me inside I might get some infection and so she had put me in the hospital reception and then ran to the room where my brother was admitted so that the one who was with my elder brother can come out and take care of me. After few minutes I was taken by one of my relative.  

Years passed and in my home I was little different in certain levels compared to my brothers and so they used to say that our mom has picked a wrong baby on that day in that particular hospital.

With this they made a lot of fun at different occasions. Though they are my brothers initially their words had hurt me but whenever they had spoken that my mom used to come and say to me that it was not like what they are saying and you are my son. She made sure that I was not hurt by their words. 

Her comfort and words had really helped me. If she would not have come and told me like that when my brothers made fun of me, I would have got discouraged and I might have gone astray long back. 

I know that my brothers love me and at times we make fun of each other but yet their words had the power to hurt me. What if the same words are spoken to me by my parents or some other relatives like it was spoken to that little boy whom I had seen on the way. 

As a parent you have to make sure that no one words had hurt your child. Particularly your words should never hurt your child. You should not yell at them comparing them with animals or others. You should never say to them that you have a doubt whether they are born to you or not because of their behaviour. 

My dear young parents, do not discourage your children through your words and do not let anyone discourage them by their funny behaviour or words. God be with you and give you His wisdom to raise your children in His way.