Between Parents and Children…

Too often there is too much distance between people who should keep closer⎯a distance that separates those who live in the same place. It happens too often between parents and children, who basically have much in common, but fail to open up, fail to take time to talk things out, to understand. We see and read of failure in the home, failure to teach children. Yet many who are young and who seem to be indifferent and difficult to teach are sincerely seeking guidance, sincerely waiting for counsel that often doesn’t come⎯at least not in a form that is convincing, or at a time when they will take it⎯young people waiting for leadership, waiting for a sure and certain sound, for convincing examples to follow. This is what one youngster was quoted as saying: “I don’t get authority at home. We’re just a bunch of people who go about our business and live under one roof. One of these days I’d like to sit down and find out from my parents what they really believe in.” Conviction is contagious. We must give them standards they can count on. And even when they don’t seem to take counsel in just any form in which we offer it, there are times when they will accept what we say by the way we live our lives, and we should make sure our lives are such as they can safely follow. In any case, we must keep doors and arms and hearts open, from infancy, from childhood, from the years of youth , that they may know that they can confide, that they may know they will receive understanding answers, and not, as our Savior said, “… stones when they ask for bread…” Early and always, with love and quiet consistency, we must teach them virtues, honesty, morality, causes, consequences, the commandments, the laws of life⎯not compromising principles when they are searching for solid substance. Heaven help us to draw closer in communication and companionship, and conviction, and teach our children the things of honor, the timeless truths, and let them see and feel the meaning of our teaching in the lives we live, with character and love and quiet consistency.