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| Mom |
A friend asked me to answer some questions. I have chosen four out of his many. Although some thought has gone into the answers, the answers will not be too in depth except maybe for the first one; rather more quick replies.
The first question to be addressed is: What do you think about young children using electronic devices in this day and age?
If this had been asked of me a year or more ago, I'd have dogmatically declared, "Take them all away; they are no good for the children!" Today, I'd still say "NO good!" on one hand but that on the other hand, such devices are a necessity in today's world especially in the looming and inevitabe Fourth Industrial Revolution . [Click on the link to find out what that revolution is about]
Why the reply, "NO good!"? Obvious reasons are damage to the eyesight. Have you seen how close people in general, not just to pick on children, hold their device to their eyes? A Googled article states that there can be damage to brain and sensory processing ability in children. Children can have difficulty in falling asleep when they stay too long on the devices and there is not a significant break between using the device and bedtime. The child will still be "plugged in and hopping" so to speak.
Check this out for further collaboration of children being affected by tech devices..
They list obesity, short attention span, even to becoming a hunch back from constantly peering at their devices with head bowed. I would also add anti-social behavior and not knowing how to go outside and play interactive games that do not require electronic devices.
When asked to stop playing and do some chores or to just chat face to face with a family member, the child often becomes angry and insolent as they do not want to be torn away from the all engrossing game or what ever is taking their interest at the time on the device. They do not learn how to relate and interact in a face to face encounter.
Parents please do not perpetuate such things by condoning them, allowing the device to be your babysitter in restaurants or in church. This will become your child's "opium" and he or she will become addicted. The electronic device becomes the master of the child.
Instead, when used wisely, a person can be the master of the electronic device. Have you ever heard of the Fourth Industrial Revolution? The First Industrial Revolution was when water and steam were used to power mechanical machines such as the steam engine. The Second Industrial Revolution used such for mass production such as factory output. The Third Industrial Revolution was electronics and IT information. What a blast from the past that propels the world towards the Forth Industrial Revolution which if you googled the link mentioned above, you would have learned that it is a fusion of technologies creating self-driven cars and drones, robotics and the like. Doctors are using this new fusion for 3D images, aiding them in performing major surgery.
The children are going to have to learn how to use the devices so it is necessary to learn how to operate them. Having such knowledge could well help them to get a job when other jobs are no longer viable because modern technology of their times has swallowed the need for actual manpower of those specific jobs.
A mother's job is not easy in knowing how to balance electronic device usage with occupation of other activities. Certainly teaching self-control would be a big help. It is, after all, one of the characteristics of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. And there is a verse in Philippians 4:5 KJV that advises...
"Let your moderation (or reasonableness-NIV) be known to all men..."
Another question asked is: What one thing do you think a mother should pass on to her children?
I answer this one in joint effort with my own mother. She must have taught me well, as I had the same thought even before I asked her what she would say. Pass on to your children a love for Jesus and God because HE loves your children and cares for them. Teach them to trust Him in all things as He cares about every thought and need of their life.
A third question is: What was the hardest thing about being a mother? The most rewarding?
I believe the hardest thing for me was/is letting go of my child. There are different reasons one must let go. When one's child dies that is a huge letting go. My husband and I had to let go of our little girl who had leukemia. Between diagnosis and when she passed away was about one week's time. That certainly puts a parent into a tailspin!! Very difficult.
Letting a child leave home, even just to go to kindergarten for the first time was hard for me. That was a huge letting go. My precious little lamb being sent out to the wolves was the image that came to mind. But one had to let go and let God watch over the little lamb that He, too, loves.
Letting go of a child that is leaving the nest to go off to university, going out into the wide, wide world and who may or may not follow the teachings they learned at home and church all their growing up years. But again, one has to release the children into God's more than capable hands and be at peace because He cares about them even more than I do.
There is a poem I call "Mother's Covers" (author unknown) which I often think of that goes like this...
"When you were small And just a touch away, I covered you with blankets Against the cold night air. But now that you are tall And out of reach, I fold my hands And cover you with prayer."
So prayer has become a BIG THING for me in overcoming the difficulties and worries of motherhood.
I believe that one of the most rewarding things about being a mother is having your child come to Christ. I still remember one of my son's conversion. He was still so young maybe about four years old. He was having a bath and he remarked, I'm washing all my sins away in the water.
I told him he could wash the dirt off his body with soap and water but the only thing that washes away our sins is the blood of Jesus Christ. I then asked him if he wanted to do that and to pray as ask the Lord for his salvation. He said he did and so we prayed together and he became a child of God right there and then. That was thrilling for me.
I believe that having one's child then continue to walk in God's ways would be part two of that most rewarding thing. Prayer again, is needed to cover ones' children to follow after God and seek His will and ways in their individual lives.
The fourth question to be addressed is: What advice would you give to a new Mom?
I have a scrapbook which is a compilation of good advice collected from the many parenting books I've read over the many years of child rearing and were of great help to me. There are also related jokes and funny stories I've picked up along the way.
That scrapbook I call Bouncing Babies and Powerful Parenting and is about one and a half inches thick and chock full of advice and anecdotes for new Moms and Dads. However, when all is said and done, I'd say, make a habit of going to God in prayer in the Name of Jesus as He is the best and greatest friend anyone could ever have.
In the book of James, we are encouraged to ask of God when we feel we lack wisdom because God will give "generously to all..." (James 1:4-5). Ask away...
May God bless all you Moms out there and your parenting.
Have a Happy Mother's Day 2018!
~ERC May 2018~
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