“When I was your age . . .”

When I was your age I used to walk a mile to and from school every day – and it was uphill both ways.”

This is the kind of boastful statement parents sometimes make to their teenage sons and daughters to emphasize how easy young people have it today when compared to the time their parents were growing up. The difference between the two times is called “the generation gap.” It is one of the things with which mothers and fathers must deal if they are to fulfill their God-given responsibility as parents.

To keep the lines of communication open with their teenagers it is important for parents to know what is popular with the younger generation in today’s world – for example, their likes and dislikes when it comes to the styles and labels of clothing they prefer. Each generation will set its own preferable style.

Our daughter, Gail, just before entering high school requested that we purchase a certain label of coat that was popular in her age group. When I told her we could not afford that label, that another label had the same style and quality, she said, “Write a check!” I should have known then that she would become a banker following her graduation from college. Today she is a regional Senior Vice-President for First Citizen’s Bank.

Watching your sons and daughters grow up, become Christians, graduate from college, get married, have children of their own, and succeed in their chosen profession is a reason and time to rejoice. The only thing that compares with that is having grandchildren – and great-grandchildren! I have three great-grandchildren – and if you have a couple of hours to spare I could tell you about them.

Let me encourage every parent to work hard at the task of maintaining communication with your children until your divinely assigned parental responsibility is finished. The gap between generations is real, but communication can be maintained by parents who willing and seek God’s guidance.

When our daughter, Gail, was fourteen I went into her room one night, sat down on the bed beside her, and we had a “DDT” (daddy-daughter-talk). Her mother and I were aware of the pressures she would face and the challenges she would have as she entered high school. She and I talked honestly and openly about them.

I said to her, “Your mother and I want you to begin making as many of your own decisions as you can, for that is the way you grow up as a Christian toward maturity. When you make good decisions, we will commend you and support you. When you make what we consider to be a wrong or bad decision, we will countermand it, and we will tell you why. God gave you to us, and He requires us to guide you in the right way. We believe God has special things in store for your life.” That talk was one of the wisest things I ever did.

God’s Word gives every parent this instruction: “Train up your child in the way he (she) should go, and when he (she) is old, he (she) will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Parents who say to their children, “Don’t do as we do; do as we say” will fail in the most important responsibility they will ever have.

Mothers have provided most of the training in the home for children, for fathers have traditionally been the breadwinners. In today’s world more and more mothers also work outside the home. Whatever a family’s circumstances may be, both parents should be involved in the training of their children. It is their sacred duty.

Parents: If you will set the right standard for your children in everything you do – seven days every week and twelve months every year – you will never regret it. When you have done that, you will have been a good steward of the greatest responsibility you will ever have!

 

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