“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you
were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
~Colossians 3:23
As moms, we have a lot going on. We’re working. We’re serving. We’re cooking and cleaning. We’re doing a lot. That’s why it’s always a great idea to call in a little help. If your kid or kids are still home (living with you), it’s totally okay to train them up to be responsible humans as it relates to work, decisions, and choosing the right friends.
For starters, let’s talk about raising responsible hard-working kids. If your kids are small, start by giving each one of them a chore. It could be cleaning the bathroom or sweeping the kitchen floor or wiping down the table after dinner. If you have a son or sons, taking out the trash and making sure that the backyard is swept clean would be great responsibilities. If you have a daughter or daughters, you could teach them about cooking and baking. All kids can make sure their bedrooms are clean by the end of each night. Consistency will be the key that unlocks great work ethic, but it will also bring peace and strength for you as a mom getting those extra worker bees on deck.
What about making responsible decisions. Personally, I have trained my kids to be wise in their choices as it relates to what they watch and listen to, but also as it pertains to how they spend their money. For instance, while at the register in a store, I’ll lean over and ask my youngest son, “Is that a wise purchase?” It makes him pause and consider before buying something that could deplete all his funds or that he may not “need” to buy at all. So, if your kids are given an allowance or have a job, teach them to tithe, save, and spend wisely. In addition, teach them to watch what they’re watching and be leery of what they’re listening to.
Lastly, raise your kids to be responsible in choosing the right friends. Hanging out is fun! Whether they’re playing at the local park, at a neighbor’s house, or out with friends from school or church, you want to make sure that you’ve had the conversation about choosing friends that will build them up and not tear them down…friends who don’t steal or curse…friends who don’t bully others or engage in sexual immorality. These are real conversations. But they are all geared towards helping your kids be responsible in choosing the right circle of friends.
Raising our kids to be responsible now will help them be responsible adults later. Our children have only been entrusted to us for a season. So while we have them close to us, let’s train them up spiritually, but also naturally. Let’s train them to cook, bake, clean, wash, sweep, and mop. Let’s train them to give, save, invest, and be wise in spending. Let’s train them to choose their friends wisely. When we raise them up in the Lord, that’s when this Scripture will come to life even more, “Her children stand and bless her.” (Proverbs 31:28)
If you feel as though you are lacking in this area of raising responsible kids, it’s totally okay. You can start now. I encourage you to take some time to break out a clean sheet of paper or open up a fresh Word or Google doc and begin creating a clear plan ahead for your family. Lay out the new chores, roles, and responsibilities for each child. Schedule some time to teach them about money. And gather everyone on the living room sofa to talk about “friendships.” You can also Google search a list of Scriptures, online Bible Studies, or find a YouTube video on the topic to add to the discussion. And for you, as a fellow mama, I would like to share with you my “Parenting Planner.” Grab it today and start planning!
Your fellow Able Mom,
Courtnaye Richard
“Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that you will help us as moms to raise our children to be responsible now and later. We cannot do this without You. We have a desire to train them up in the way that they should go, but we need your wisdom to guide us as we lead them. We trust and love You. Amen.”
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