The Tribune

By ANGELA PALACIOUS THE LOVE of God is the greatest love of all, but until we are old enough to discover this for ourselves, it is the love we receive at home that nurtures our spirits and sustains our souls. We are all daughters and sons. Hopefully, we were wanted and cherished, but no matter what, we have a heavenly father who loves us very much and wants the best for us. How can we be better parents? How can we be better guardians? How can we be better neighbours to the little ones who are around us? How can we nourish the neglected spirits of so many children who are suffering in too many ways? Our children need protection. They need adults who see them as children and not as consumers to exploit, sexual objects to molest, non-beings who may be terrorized by our bitterness, fury and frustration. They need us to limit our freedom when it comes to preventing them from being hurt by what soon becomes license. What we allow them to see us do and to hear us say is a major source of their undoing. Our children need praise and encouragement not harsh criticism that is spoken in a vicious way. They need to hear that we love them, that we are praying for them, and cheering for them to be successful in the race of life. They need our support offered in a caring manner, reminding them that we will always be there for them for as long as we live. Our children need discipline which is first training, mentoring, and guidance, then rewards and finally appropriate punishment to reinforce the importance of obedience. They need clear instructions, few and straightforward, with gentle reminders of the importance and significance of the requirement. Most of all they need our examples to clearly illustrate the points that we are trying to make. They are confused by our inconsistencies and hypocrisy. Our children need affection in the form of warm, sincere smiles and hugs with no fear of impropriety. They need to feel safe with us, secure in our homes, and appreciated in their efforts. They need love to be real, genuine and ongoing even when they disappoint us. What is it that our children will remember about us when they are adults? Will they be able to recall tenderness and firmness, will they remember boundaries set and maintained, godly moral and values modeled and spoken? On what foundation are we building this nation? Who knows what they will be able to construct if the foundation is strong and well laid. I believe, they will surpass our wildest dreams.