What is the nature of your child? Another word for nature is character. Each child enters the world with intrinsic characteristics that are seen by their behavior and attitude. These can be described as fussy, pleasant, irritable, cranky, jolly, quiet.
As parents, it is our responsibility to help shape the child’s internal thinking, motivation, and ability to regulate themselves. The sooner the newborn learns to think rightly, the more adapted they will be to their environment. Success is inevitable for every child who learns to think rightly, have proper motivation, and be brought to maturity.
A new born baby screams incessantly for nourishment. As the baby grows and learns the nourishment is on the way, the incessant crying is delayed and by the time the child is a toddler, he can wait for a much longer time before whining. From birth, parents teach their children to be successful at waiting.
There are 6 character traits every parent should set as priority to teach their child. They are found in Titus 2:1-2. When taught by parents and learned by a child, these character traits yield great benefit to the child now and for all eternity.
Character or the nature of a child has to be handled very delicately, but it must be handled. If parents fail to teach their child these 6 basic character traits who will? Parents who love and care for their child want their child to succeed. Teaching these 6 character traits puts your child on the path to success.
Trait One: Sensible Spirit
This involves how the child thinks. Helping your child think rationally is imperative. A child will be able to “keep themselves together” when they can think with well-grounded perspective. Teach your child to think before they act. This will enable them to be have a calm and collected spirit that makes good sense.
Trait Two: Respectable Reviews
Teaching your children what they do with their body matters. Their body is fearfully and wonderfully made. They should take care of their body and display themselves as trustworthy. Teach your child to be reliable and genuine in everything they say and do. Help your children to always “check” to be sure they are worthy of the praise they receive.
Trait Three: Balanced Behavior
Something that is balanced is stable. It doesn’t teeter and totter but remains constant and consistent. Teach your child how to be confident in knowing and acting upon what they believes. This teaching should involve practicing how to put on the brakes in time to stop before crossing boundaries. Balanced behavior can be described as being in control of themselves, knowing the truth, and behaving accordingly.
Trait Four: Full Faith
A child needs to experience for themselves that God is trustworthy. Teach so that your child is fully persuaded of God’s character, deeds, and provision for their life. Assist them to develop absolute confidence in God’s Word and His Will.
Trait Five: Loyal Love
Doing good and performing what shows affection to God and others is necessary to develop a character of loyal love. This is modeled by parents. A child may not readily observe the sacrifices parents make for their children. Parents can use this as the first teaching lesson for their child. It is important the character of loyal love is taught with the right attitude or it would not be loyal love . . . but a begrudged duty.
Trait Six: Expected End
Help your child see the final outcome. Teach your child to keep working toward final outcomes in their life. Teach your child to have their eye on the prize and keep going until they get it. Difficulty on the way to the destination will arise. Training your child to keep going despite the hindrances will help them understand the value of obtaining is more prized than the pleasure of stopping short.
As you can assess, these 6 character traits will serve your child well in this life and the life to come. They will be prosperous in life with these characteristics. It is important to remember the world also teaches these things, especially the first three. Take your child to a whole new level of success by teaching them these characters not just with the “form of godliness” but with the “power of godliness”.
The book of Joshua is an excellent source for parents to use to teach these 6 character traits to their children. In this study, your child will see first how Joshua’s character development in thinking rightly, being worthy of the people’s trust, controlling himself when life was hard, being fully persuaded God would give them the land, demonstrating great sacrifice to love others well, and always looking to the end result.
The Joshua Bible Study – Leading Your Family to Victorious Living One Day at a Time is available now. Get your copy today, set aside some character trait training time, and get your child on the path of success for this life and eternity to come.
