| Having faith, and teaching your children to have faith, is | | | | and will encourage them to do their best. Trusting your |
| an important part of the fundamental growth of your | | | | children to make the right decisions with your guidance |
| relationship with your child and will determine how your | | | | gives them the freedom to develop their own faith and |
| child sees the world. First, we have to understand | | | | encourages them to make the right choices. That is |
| what faith really means in order to embrace the | | | | the beginning of teaching faith. |
| thought process that will enable you to teach your child | | | | Parents' actions create the daily influences that |
| to live their life to its' full potential and believe in | | | | determine the mindset of their children. To have |
| themselves. Faith is an acceptance of what we | | | | consideration for others and to be honest in your |
| cannot see but feel deep within our hearts. Your | | | | intentions is what makes children grow into honorable |
| actions are a direct result of your faith. Being able to | | | | adults. Having faith in others, not just themselves, |
| have faith in one's self and in one's future is important, | | | | allows them to view what happens on a daily basis in |
| especially in trying times. Being an example of faith for | | | | a non-judgmental way. Expecting respect and giving |
| your children will keep them on the right track. The | | | | respect to people around you is something that should |
| dictionary defines faith as "Belief that something is true, | | | | be automatic, but sometimes the simplest things |
| in spite of evidence to the contrary". Christian faith is | | | | become complicated and misguided. The lack of faith |
| defined as "The theological virtue defined as secure | | | | in all people creates bitter attitudes and allows the |
| belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will." | | | | blame game to begin. All we have control over is |
| What is God's will, but that each of us may live an | | | | ourselves. As parents, we have control over our |
| honorable life? Teaching faith is really instilling a set of | | | | children's development. Displaying faith through your |
| principles and values in your children from a very | | | | own actions with your children will show them how |
| young age in order that their actions will lead them | | | | important it is to believe in things without always seeing |
| onto a positive path. The same principles apply for | | | | the physical evidence. |
| every religion and ethnic background, so having faith is | | | | Long ago, someone made the analogy that faith is a |
| universal in spirit. | | | | lot like the wind. We cannot see the wind, nor can we |
| Faith is also verb, because it means we must act on | | | | hear the wind unless it blows against something, and |
| what we believe. Faith, as we have seen, is the | | | | we can only feel the wind when it touches our skin or |
| theological virtue of being secure in our belief. As | | | | rustles our hair. Faith is like that wind. We cannot see |
| children grow they are influenced by many things that | | | | what we believe in, we cannot hear what we believe |
| cross their path in life like their parents' words and | | | | in unless we open our eyes to the truth, but we can |
| actions, things that happen in school and other children | | | | sure feel that our faith is justified by the joy we feel in |
| adult relationships with them. All these experiences, | | | | our hearts. Remember, in the end, we all put our faith in |
| both good and bad create the thought processes that | | | | something, so let it be the truth. The old saying is, "the |
| follow them throughout their adult life. Instilling faith as a | | | | truth will set you free". Having confident belief in the |
| belief system as they grow into young adults is very | | | | truth of a person, devotion to, or trust in somebody or |
| important because it instills confidence in them, even | | | | something, especially without logical proof is what faith |
| when they fail in something. Teaching children to have | | | | is all about. This all starts with the faith in oneself. With |
| faith in their own ability builds confidence and is the first | | | | faith, one has hope, trust, love, and the certainty that all |
| step in being able to act upon it. By repeating daily | | | | things are indeed possible. Displaying that to your |
| words of confidence to your children, discussing | | | | children and coaching them through their formative |
| choices that they make, both good and bad and | | | | years will enable them to develop their own faith and |
| encouraging them to take the initiative to act upon | | | | to be a shining example of a life well lived. |
| positive thoughts, will help them believe in themselves | | | | |