I would like to take a moment and encourage you. Sometimes people ask me, “What is the best thing I can do for my child?” You may think it is giving them healthy meals, or limiting their time on technology, or even taking them to church each week. But I truly believe that one of the very best things you can do for your child or children is to openly and strongly love your spouse. Yes, that’s correct, love your spouse. Subsequent to loving God, your spouse should be next in line for all that love. God created the first family when he brought Adam and Eve together. One man together with one woman for a lifetime commitment together. Anything outside of this plan, is outside of God’s design for the family. Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
Studies show that when you love your spouse, your children feel happier and more secure than families in a loveless marriage environment. When children don’t have to worry about whether their parents will stay together, there is mental freedom for them. They are free to grow and become all that God has planned for them. I also believe that it is beneficial for children to know that we love and honor God most and our spouses next. This doesn’t mean we don’t love our children or meet their needs, that’s a given. It means we prioritize our marriage-love relationship. Some families get this order out of whack and the children are placed on pedestals and basically rule the household. This leads to children who live with a sense of entitlement.
Your children need to see you make time for your marriage, even at the cost of time from other things because it is that important and worth it. We should be willing to invest both time and finances in something that has a high priority in our lives. Your children need to see you be unified as a team. If you disagree about something with your spouse, go to a private place and talk it out, pray about it and come to an agreement. Try your best not to argue in front of your children. You can’t always have everything your own way. The important thing is for your children to see you both unified in marriage and as you parent. Don’t ever talk negatively about your spouse in front of your children, even when you might be angry with your spouse. Always be your spouse’s biggest fan, especially in front of your children. 1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
Let your children see you go on dates, and maybe even go away for a night or two alone, because your marriage is that important. You must tend to and invest in something, if you want it to remain strong and grow.
Remember that you are modeling to your children what marriage and family life looks like. Pray daily and seek God’s power and wisdom in this. One day your children will grow up and move away. You want to be able to truly know and love the person you are left with, when that time comes.
Resources
In striving for a touch-free church experience, please plan to print these activities ahead of time, if you plan for your child to complete them during Sunday services. Remember pens and crayons too, please.
Follow this link for a complete step-by-step time of Bible study with your children:
Children’s Worship Song: