The important thing for any
person to know is that their parents love them.
Tell each of your children every
day that you love them! You tell your wife or husband, don't you? (If not,
you better work on that first) Tell your children too! It is important
for young people to know, as they interact with people in the world that
their parents love them 100%, especially their Dad. This gives children
the reasons and the courage to do what they know is right rather than whatever
their friends may be touting as the great new thing.
We often make decisions based on
our needs rather than on what we ought to do. Perhaps it should not be
that way; but think about a person who has just fallen into the water.
All his efforts are based on getting to the surface so he can breathe again.
If a person has not been able to eat for many days he may eat things he
normally would not eat or he may even steal some food. Satisfaction of
our physical needs is a strong natural drive in each of us.
If a person has all their physical
needs satisfied they then begin to try to satisfy their emotional needs.
The most important emotional need we have is to feel that our physical
needs will continue to be met. That is called security.
In the normal family, much of the
security comes from the actions of the father. He is supposed to protect
the family from physical harm. He is supposed to provide for the needs
of the family through his work. He usually makes and enforces the rules
for safety and peace. He is supposed to ensure some emotional stability
in the family, keeping cool and not 'flying off the handle' in difficult
situations.
I will speak about MOTHERS in my next entry.