If you have a child under 3 years old, especially if you have a large family, this message will be very important to you. It’s a very good reminder from Brother Denny. Please go to the following link for the mp3 file of the sermon. And I do have a summary follows, but I do strongly recommend the mp3 file.
http://www.charityministries.org/audio/1913.mp3
Summary
Forming the Personality of a Child (especially under 3 years old) by Brother Denny Kenaston of Charity Ministries.
– Focus on forming the soul of a child. We as parent have a lot to do with that, we don’t just wait and see what kind of child what God has given us.
– When we have a 3 and under child, we have a piece of soft clay to mold. “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace” Psalm 144:12, pay attention to “nurture” a plant and “polish” corner stones, meaning active role of parents. It seems that we overlook the foundational stage in the child development because of our fast pace life. The foundation is laid in the first 3 years of a child, they don’t just sleep, eat and play.
– Do we put our older children in charge of molding the foundation of our little child?
– Do we read a book or talk on the phone while nursing?
– Do we argue before our 1 year old because we think they don’t understand?
Consider the following points:
1. A child begins to hear at 28 weeks in the womb. They are influenced before they are even born. Therefore, the atmosphere is very important. Talk and sing to the baby, and read to it the Word of God.
2. Consider a peaceful homebirth.
3. Nurse your baby. God designs in such a way that when we nurse our baby, we can look at each other. It’s a precious molding time to form the sweet spirit of the baby, not for reading or something else.
4. At night, don’t put the baby down with a spirit of getting rid of the baby. In the morning, welcome the baby with a sweet spirit.
5. Work the child into an ordered, peaceful, scheduled life so as to mold security, and peace will prevail in the heart of the child.
6. Melodious and worshipful music is important to a child. SING to the child.
7. Provide stimulations.
8. The child learns reverence for the authority by father’s voice at an early age. Fathers, talk to the babies with sweet words.
9. A child can learn a lot more than what we think they can.
11. God’s Word is powerful when read by an upright heart.
12. A child can be trained to be very social at an early age, trained to be a person who loves to reach out to others, to love others. But it doesn’t mean passing the baby around without your presence.
13. Read to them as early as possible.
14. A child can be taught to love to sing at an early age.
15. A sweet loving atmosphere is very important.
16. TRAIN THE OLDER CHILDREN TO HELP YOU WITH THE WORK, AND MOTHER MOLDS THE BABY. DO NOT LET THE CHILDREN RAISE THE LITTLE BABY!!!
17. Don’t raise the baby with a despaired, depressed spirit, as the personality of the child will be greatly damaged. Get help, don’t just sit there and wait.
REMEMBER, it’s not the will of God to train the 9 year old while neglecting the 1 year old!