Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate (Psalm 127:3-5 NKJV).

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6 NKJV).

The Scriptures teach that children are a gift and blessing from God. It should be the goal of every parent to create an atmosphere in their home life where children can grow up into the fullest that God intended them to be. The home is the predominant place where children’s physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and spiritual development takes place. Jesus Christ’s boyhood is our example for our children’s character development. Under the parentage of Joseph and Mary, “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52).

What is a parent’s (both mother and father) responsibility to their children? God has given parents the responsibility to train, teach, and discipline their children according to the principles, and values as outlined in the Holy Bible—the Word of God. The Word of God unequivocally teaches that parents are given, among all other responsibilities, these three indispensible responsibilities: (1) to teach a child. Teaching involves giving their children godly instruction and providing them with knowledge and understanding of how to conduct themselves as godly children; (2) to train the up. It is the parent’s responsibility to guide and control their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord; and, (3) to discipline. Discipline must be carried out in love, never in anger or frustration. When children are disciplined in a loving way it produces a type of child-training that develops self-control and orderly conduct in the child. At the very least, these are a parent’s responsibility to their children.

The Word of God is the manual and handbook that God provides to parents that is full of knowledge and wisdom to skillfully guide parents in carrying out their responsibility to their children.