Purposeful Parenting

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

When we think in terms of something being purposeful, we think it is done with intention, not haphazard.  If it is purposeful, it is calculated and deliberate.  If something is not purposeful, it is aimless, thoughtless or unplanned.  You should raise your children in a purposeful manner because Purposeful parenting allows you to attain your hopes and desires for your child in a deliberate and intentional manner.

Do you remember the type books you purchased when you found out you were pregnant?  I remember getting books on child development, breastfeeding, sleeping habits and of course colic…just in case.  Yes, even as a nurse practitioner, I poured through these books.  I read and reread these books so that I would be ready when the baby arrived. I was being purposeful and planning in the areas of child development, feeding, and sleeping.  But, interestingly, I didn’t have any books on parenting.  

You’re probably like me and remember the day your child was born as though it was yesterday. Our first child was born on a beautiful day in February. I walked into the Raymond W. Bliss military hospital Fort Huachuca, Arizona at 12:00 PM.  The doctor said that by the time the shift was over at 3:30, I would have delivered our first child.

I was ready… I had purposefully planned the nursery and it was ready.   I had been very purposeful in scheduling and attending Lamaze classes.  I was very purposeful in practicing the breathing for each stage of labor.  

Midnight came and I still had not delivered.  A lot of things were running through my mind but I can guarantee you I was not thinking about the book on parenting that I hadn’t purchased.  Purposeful parenting was certainly not on my mind.  

Needless to say, the time came when we realized we were going to have to get a grip on parenting.  If Dennis and I were going to raise fully functional adults, who could take care of themselves and make a positive contribution to society, we would need to “parent on purpose.”

I’m sure you have heard, “Babies don’t come with manuals,” and unfortunately, they don’t.  But, as Ronald Reagan said, “Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face.”  We don’t think of our children as problems, but childhood is riddled with various challenges and it helps to know where to turn for answers.  

We found the answers in the Bible and biblically based books.  The Bible helped us achieve the primary purpose of parenting.   It helped us parent in a deliberate and intentional manner.  The Bible helped us stay focused on Purposeful Parenting.