I have something that I feel I need to speak my opinion on. I have been seeing this more and more and it has bothered me a great deal.
There are a lot of people having babies right now and it is very exciting. And at the same time it saddens me how they are raising them.
I have heard on several different occasions that you need to let a child “find themselves.” Let them find their own way. Let them decide who and what they want to be.
While this is true in many ways it is also way “out there” in others. I believe God gives us children and we are to guide and direct them.
Train them up in the way he or she should go and they won’t depart from it.
(Proverbs 22:6)
The Bible also says that if you spare the rod, you spoil the child. (Proverbs 13:24)
I am not saying we should beat our kids. I am saying we should teach them, and when they do something wrong, we correct them. In some instances, this correction means a pop on the hand or a spanking. I know this is going to rub a lot the wrong way. I ask that you think about it. Normally you only have to use this type of discipline a couple of times. The child will know if they do that again there will be consequences. Some kids are hard headed and may need a lot more discipline.
I had the best of both worlds with my kids. I had one that required a spanking often, and then one I just had to talk to in order to discipline. I am sure you all have experienced the same thing.
It is amazing how you can bring up kids in the same household and they are totally different in how they respond.
I remember, back in the day, we were well-behaved and well-mannered kids. I’m not saying that we didn’t get off track here and there. But, for the most part, we listened and listened well or we knew what was coming.
We were taught at an early age to “be seen and not heard.” We didn’t get to participate in adult conversations. We could listen most of the time, but we didn’t butt in and give our opinion. If we butted in, we were asked to hush or leave the room.
Yes, we want our kids to experience life. We want them to become or do what they have dreamed about their whole lives. Sometimes, they need a little help along the way.
There are some things I thought I wanted to do in life but didn’t — and I am glad I didn’t. I found out that it wasn’t for me.
You see, we have to help and guide our kids along the way.
We should be there biggest cheerleader and also be there to help them think things through. We are there to parent them not be their friends.
Ask a lot of questions along the way. When your child wants to do something big or small and it is not harmful to them but you don’t think it will be the right thing we should start out like this, “Is this something you really think you want to do? Are you sure you looked into all aspects of this? You know if you start this you will finish this through.”
I am not against not letting our children choose to try things. My kids always knew if they started anything they had to finish it. No quitting. It didn’t matter if it was a sport or something else, they had to finish.
I believe it taught them to think things through more thoroughly. Have they made mistakes? Yes they have. And I was there to help them through.
What I am getting at is this: First be their parent. Then you can be their friend when they grow up.
I believe we will be held accountable to an extent of how our kids grow up. We are to guide and direct them. Remember they watch everything you do. So I guess you should look at yourself and see how you are doing. They may be mad at you now and not like you. But, one day, they will thank you for how you brought them up.
CHEESY CHICKEN CRESCENT BAKE
Ingredients
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed a cut to bite size pieces
8 count of large (extra large size – Big & Flaky) crescent rolls
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided in half
1 bag frozen broccoli steamers, cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
Sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup (10 1/2 ounces)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray
In a large bowl, mix chicken, broccoli and 1 cup cheddar cheese. Separate crescent rolls – one at a time, place a crescent on flat surface and add a large heaping scoop of chicken mix and roll up, sealing (pinch) any openings. Repeat with the remaining rolls. There will be leftover chicken – set aside, it will be added later. Place rolls in baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
While crescents are baking for 10 minutes, in a medium size saucepan heat soup, milk, sour cream and 1 cup cheddar over medium heat, stirring until cheese has melted. Keep warm on low.
After 10 minutes of baking, remove crescents from oven, pour remaining chicken mixture around rolls, cover with sauce and bake an additional 20 minutes. Remove and serve warm. Enjoy.
Serve with a side salad. Also great with wild rice
Tina Specht is co-publisher of the Minden Press-Herald. She shares her thoughts and recipes each Thursday.