Proper Child Upbringing

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it " (proverb 22:6). Much have been said about this mountain top verse of the scripture. Almost every Christian both young and old quote this verse off by heart. All night withstanding it is very clear that a child needs direction today will determine his future. Another fact is that some one ought to direct the child and this someone is no other person than you!
Exodus 2:1-14, surveys, practical steps for proper child upbringing.


Get saved and divinely placed
Exodus 2:1, "And here went a man of the house of Levi and took to wife a daughter of levi". This is interesting, a levi man hot married to a Levi woman. The two from priestly tribe. Amram the Levi man in question ignored the Egyptian woman and carefully choosed Jochebed the Levi woman (parents of Moses) among many women from different tribes of Israel. This man lain a solid foundation by faith for expected children. They were saved so that through them their children may be saved. As you know "like begat likes", that which is in the parents will be transferred directly or indirectly to their children. Many parents, guardians and children teachers want their children to be better children but they are not better off at all.

Mango tree will not bear pear fruit neither apple tree near orange fruit.
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness.
And what communication hath light with darkness?  (2 cor.6:14). Any violation of this rule will result to disorganized, confused or broken home. Consequently, children brought up from such home turned out to be vulgar, stubborn, bad boys and girls. Gave saved now and divinely place.


Appreciate the goodness in that child :
Exodus 2:2. "And the woman conceived and bare a son and when she saw him that he was a goodly child she hid him three months ". This is one of the major steps in child upbringing. The woman or rather the parents through faith saw their child as good proper child. Heb. 1:23, Little wonder they were not afraid of the kings commandment to kill every Hebrew male child. You have to see and appreciate something good in your child or any little one (someone under your care). Many parents and children workers have concluded on some children that they are useless. They even tag their children in anger such names like "foolish boy or girl ", aturu (sheep) ewu (goat), idiot, oh! dear stop that. If your child is aturu (sheep) then it means that you are mama or papa aturu (sheep).
How does that sound?

Recognizing and appreciating good characters of children is not spoiling the children as some traditional belief to have sense of belonging this increasing the performance. However, there is caution, appreciating is not pampering. Be careful, that child had a lot of potentials in him. Do not kill that but explore that to the glory of God. No child is psychologist put it is "Tabula razar " i.e. no child is without intelligence or no child is born empty headed.


Carefully see to the provision of the child's protection and welfare (spiritually and physically)
Exodus 2:3, "And when she could no longer hide him she took for him an ark of bulrushes and daubed it with skin and with pitch and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river bank.
This woman was a virtuous woman indeed, she carefully selected papyrus reeds (bulrushes) and made a small boat for the child's protection and welfare. The welfare of the child was the uttermost concern of this mothers. She decided not to do it any how, she was extra careful besides considering what she did (daubling with bitumem and pitch). She was delight at any cost.

Physically you should provide protection to the children against accidents at home, school, on the way against diseases and infection. Try as much as you can to provide the children with balanced diet, good clothing, more so protect your children against bad friends. As much as you can provide your children with their needs and not just their wants. Spiritually you should pray for your children even when they are sleeping or awake. Start early to get your children in the things of the God, prayers, fellowship, Bible reading etc. That child needs tender care from you.


The duties of older ones
Exodus 2:4, "And his sister stood afar off to watch (know) what would be done to him". The child upbringing is not left only in the hands of the parents, the older children have parts to play. The older ones at home, church, school, elsewhere will see that their younger ones (not necessarily of the same mother) are brought up accordingly.
Here Moses sister, Miriam, performed two important functions :

• Monitoring 
• Direction

Monitoring : she watched closely to know what will happen to the child. The older ones should likewise monitor their younger ones at all times and always kick out the negative characters and promote the position ones. The cases they can not handle should be reported to their parents or their teachers.

Direction : Exodus 2:7, "Then said his sister pharaoh's daughter shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew woman that she may nurse the child for thee? Now his sister who closely monitored the child noticed when someone picked the child and gave a direction for the proper upbringing of the child. The children need someone that will direct them aright. Always print the child to Jesus Christ as their all in all.
The duties of the older ones are important. The older ones need to be in tune to God so as not to derail these precious children of God.


Show compassion
Exodus 2:5-6, "And the daughter of pharaoh came down...and when she had it, she was the child, and behold the baby wept. And she had compassion on him and said this is one of the Hebrew children. This act depicts defeat of Satan, the preservation of prophecy and the furtherance of God's plan concerning the coming of the seed of the woman. This act was played by uncircumcised challenge to Christians.

 Can you hear the cry of the child for help, food, more of God. Do not close your bowels of love, show him love and compassion. Many children are wondering and highly distracted by Satan. Will you leave them because they are not your children, No! Have compassion on them and fight to retrace their steps back to the right position. Beware! Do not neglect that child for your little love on him will bring a revolution of a nation.


Give to proper handlers
Exodus 2:8, "And pharaoh's daughter said to her go and the maid went and called the child's mother ".
Miriam did a remarkable things here, when she was granted the opportunity to call child's mother. She probably considered that no one else could do it better than the mother.
I want to say at this point that the type of person handling your child (both in the church, school etc.)  will determine what your child will be in future.

 Some parents give their sons as servants or daughters as maid to any how people just because they are rich or just relation. No wonder they become cheap victims in the hands of occult/evil men. If at all you will send out your children even for holidays be careful of the person and the place. Think of a place your children will stay and serve God faithfully. On the other hand many employ anyhow people as maids or servants, consequently they invite agents of darkness who will master mind their children. Be careful and prayerful, for there are a lot of horrible cases.


Train the child
Exodus 2:9, "And pharaoh's daughter said unto her, train him for me and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and nurses him. Here the instruction was "Take And Nurse". The child has to be accepted no matter the atrocities he had committed, his short coming, the sex, age, race, religion. Do not despite them. Then train and care for them as a good God-fearing nurse in a hospital deals with patients. The negativities notwithstanding train/nurse the child in the way he should go for better tomorrow. That stubborn child today many be revivalist, pastor, or teacher of tomorrow moreover there are blessing in training up children.


The results of proper training
By faith Moses when he come of age refused to be called the son of pharaoh's daughters, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward, Heb. 11:24-26.

Moses mother as I said earlier was a virtuous woman indeed, she gave Moses all the fascinating verses show the result of proper training. Train up your children now and you will reap fruitful results in the distant time.
Let us carefully, prayerfully under the leadership of the Holy Spirit properly bring our children in the fear of God. We need no other thing now than proper children upbringing