At this time of year, we’re attending graduations, watching our children go on to the next step of their education or to fly on their own merit. “Live up to your potential; don’t give up; set goals; be all that you can be.”  Good advice to give our children, right?  Even before they’re born, we start thinking about their futures and what they will be when they grow up.  Let me tell you from experience, growing up is over-rated.

I always found that no matter what toys we got for our children, they got more enjoyment playing with the box it came in.  The things we give our children usually are a result of what we think they want.  It’s really fun to see them use their imaginations to create something out of nothing. Remember that parenting requires a great deal of responsibility. We must not shirk that duty or look for substitutes for our love. Buying them what they want rather than what they need is one of those things we feel necessary to obtain their love and honor.

When I was a kid, we’d cut paper dolls out of the Sears catalog and dress them with pictures of clothing from the same book.  We’d make mud pies and feed them to the dog.  We’d set up a lemonade stand or hang a sheet across the clothesline and use it as a makeshift stage to perform shows for the neighbors. We used old boxes to create forts or communities to share with our friends. We ate outdoors. We didn’t always wash our hands. We played until the sun went down and returned home dirty and sunburned.

My children grew up on Sesame Street and video games, but they always found adventure outdoors.  One of them found great delight in scaring me to death with a 6-foot snake or a variety of other critters.  We were constantly bandaging scuffs and bruises from their journey into the unknown. Kids today aren’t much different, but our world is.  We’ve evolved into a society that fears for their children’s safety – not only in their own neighborhoods, but also in their schools.  Therefore, we try our best to protect them.  To compensate we provide safe things for them to do within the confines of our homes.  However, the world always sneaks its way into children’s minds even when we think they are safe.

We still must have open communications with our kids.  It’s probably the most important time for us to establish our relationship with them.  It’s also a great time for them to develop their imagination, creativity and communication skills. My thinking may be old fashioned, but I still believe God places children in our lives for a purpose.  The most important being that we’re responsible for letting them know about their Savior.  Can we accomplish that by putting them in touch with technology from the minute they can sit up and use motor skills to operate a computer?   Knowing what you believe in is extremely important to them.  You are their heroes. Technology should never take your place as a parent.

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:7