Articles for Parents

I must admit that Indiana Jones is one of my favorite film heroes of all time. He always has such a cool demeanor as he is flying by the seat of his pants from one adventure to another. Anyone or anything that gets in his way doesn’t stand a chance.

Indy is forever punching, whipping or shooting his way in and out of trouble. He is a bigger than life hero who doesn’t have the time or patience to examine his methods or the consequences they may bring to others. Admitting that he is wrong is not an option, even though at times he makes mistakes. He is a hero, albeit a make believe one. As parents, we are often real live heroes in the eyes of our children. Unlike Indy, we don’t find ancient treasures, whip across chasms, or get nuked inside of a refrigerator, but we are heroes just the same. Also unlike Indy, we need to acknowledge our mistakes and examine the consequences of our words and actions when it pertains to our children.

James 6:15 tells us “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (NKJV). This applies to adults and kids alike. We expect our kids to apologize to us and ask for forgiveness when they sin against us; why then would we not do the same? Apologizing and asking our kids to forgive us when we sin agaist them can be extremely impactful in illustrating our own personal relationship with Christ. It can be a tremendous picture of how we are also under God’s authority and how what we are teaching them from the Bible also applies to us. Remember to also pray with your kids. Both of these things can have an overwhelming affect on the heart of your children.

Our children watch us every day. They love us unconditionally. They often imitate our actions and words. They want us to be their heroes. Admitting to your children when you wrong and asking for their forgiveness does not undermine your authority or make you appear weak. It will make you a stronger parent than you were before, as well as strengthening your relationship with your children. Doing this won’t help you find the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail, but it can go a very long way in becoming a hero worthy of your children’s admiration and respect.