PARENT'S SHOULD PLAY THEIR ROLE AS WELL.

I hear very many strange things about some teenagers and young adults. They don't listen to their parents, they play very loud music, they dress poorly, they don't work hard in school... it is a long list.
I was reviewing my own life recently and I came to the conclusion that there could be a way out. I will not start with that.
I had gone for a certain youth meeting and all the people I was there with, were organized and disciplined youngsters. They were actually so different from what I constantly hear. We had our usual discussions and at the appointed time, we dispersed.
That got me thinking, where does the differences come in? I got a few things I really wouldn't call answers but I feel obliqued to put them here.
As children grow up, there are various voices speaking to them. There is the media, the internet, parents, teachers, friends and et cetera. Of all these voices the parents' voice is the less heard; something that is so unfortunate, especially considering that parents have the prime authority over their children. But I wouldn't really put pressure on parents because, the current state of things in the world demand that, they be out of the house most of the time to work for a decent living. But there is something they can do; ensure that they leave something inside their children each time they are with them, what I call spending quality time with their children. And something in this context means, wisdom. Give your child the wisdom you want reflected in the rest of their lives and it doesn't matter your religion it will be reflected when the time comes.
Who said children are too young to understand? They know perfectly if you explain to them and in as much as there are other influences in their lives, they will have your voice deep down them everywhere. The parent's voice has authority over all the rest and I repeat because, most parents underestimate the efficiency of what they say to their children especially when they are young.
At this point, I will divert to the christian teaching because that is where my roots are. The bible says that you should teach a child the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Most people take that particular verse for granted but it is real.When I was about eight years, my parents put me in the care of a certain pastor. She was and still is my spiritual mentor but I prefer calling her my spiritual mum.(How we met will be featured in the next post)
One thing I remember about her as a child is her steadfastness in the Word of GOD. She had very little time for those who did not respect GOD. At eight, I already knew that GOD was responsible for my life and I owed it to HIM to be good to myself and others. I might not have been able to understand or even read my bible as a child but I was already aware of what I was expected to do. As I grew older, my knowledge of the bible kept increasing and by the time I was supposed to be a 'rebellious' teenager as everything around me said, the voice within me said that rebelliousness was not going to help me in anyway. So I gave it up.
When it comes to schools, don't take your children to any school. Find out as much as you can about the school before you take your child there. Performance could be the main thing you are looking for but don't compromise your child's well being for good performance. As for house girls, never settle for anyone. I know parents who fast, seeking GOD's direction for a good house girl. And it works! You get a gossiper as a housegirl, like it or not, that habit will be reflected in your child because, apart from teachers and friends, she is the person your child spends a lot of time with, mostly when you are a way- you get the risk?
When you have done all these, the type of friends your child will have is not likely to worry you because you have equipped her well enough to make friends with good people. In fact, you will never have to worry on that score.

I am sure if you love your child for real and you wanna see them prosper, then I suspect doing anything for their well being is not too much.

I want to end with a nice story. The bible says, the seed of the righteous is blessed. So it doesn't matter what happens in between during the life of your child. You may do everything within your power to prevent a bad eventuality. You may take your child to church right from the time he is born for dedication, then ensure she attends Sunday School, get baptized later and instead of standing for the LORD, she follows a path you would have never imagined.
Keep praying for your child, the bible doesn't lie. It says the seed of the righteous is blessed and even if she turns out to be a drug trafficker, she is blessed and that settles it. Pray for your child and stand in the Lord. As the parent, you have authority over her life and she will one day(it is never late for GOD), come around; the bible says the fervent prayer of the righteous avails much...pray!