Hurting or Helping Children , The Battle For Hearts And Loyalties5 min read

This article was originally published by Nicholeen Peck on Teaching Self-Government.

Think of the voices that surround our children. Voices leading children to love money, God, family, power, popularity, prestige, entitlement, activism, intellectual achievement, personal worth, truth, pleasure-seeking, time wasting, productivity, industry, judgment, despair, and more.

It’s easy to see how some of these voices mislead and hurt a child’s potential. Yet, these voices oftentimes come from people who say, or even think, that they are helping children. No matter the voice, the child is influenced. But, two voices have a greater power to win the heart and loyalty of the children; the parents. It’s toward parents, these key players in the advancement of society and morality, that our devotion should lean.

“German novelist Jean Paul observed, ‘The conscience of children is formed by the influences that surround them; their notions of good and evil are the result of the moral atmosphere they breathe.’ For new human beings the moral atmosphere they breathe has historically been supplied by their families — and principally by their mothers. A mother powerfully impresses on her child what is right and wrong, what is true and untrue, what is noble and detestable, and thus establishes the foundational beliefs of societies, nations, and the world one child at a time.” (The Invincible Family, Kimberly Ells 2020)

Families form the moral atmosphere that children breathe, or they allow others to make the atmosphere by stepping aside for the other voices to dominate. The impact a mother has on the heart of her children has been coveted by political and social leaders, philosophers, and activists throughout the history of the world, including our modern day.

The battle we find ourselves constantly in is the battle for the hearts and minds of our children. If a teacher, leader, activist, superhero, or cartoon character can alter a child’s heart and mind, then they can unseat the mother, who has the greatest hold upon the child.

Currently, there is a theory that somehow children are hurt if they aren’t at least partially pulled away from their parents; that children must seek individualization early. Some parents are even fooled into thinking that if their children enjoy being with them instead of peers that this means the child is destined for social distress. This thinking goes against reason and history.

Reason and History

“Mahatma Gandhi: ‘If we are to reach real peace in this world…we shall have to begin with children.’…

“Vladimir Lenin: ‘Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.’

“Adolf Hitler: ‘He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.” (The Invincible Family, Kimberly Ells 2020)

Author Kimberly Ells shared these quotes to expose what she calls “the great ‘secret.’” The leaders of the world have always known that to maintain control, or to create change, the children need to be groomed to follow a prescribed narrative.

It’s hard to reach children because they are tethered to mothers from before birth. The ‘mother’s love” only increases as time goes on, so the tethering only increases. Also, mother’s role is to be a teacher. She teaches every lesson with love and bonding. Who can compete with that? No wonder some children love mother’s company best!

The only way other influencers can help/hurt/groom the children is to get their attention to turn outside the home. The creative measures that people vying for power over the children’s employ are extensive and masterful.

Do parents really know how much power they have to change the world through their parenting? Or, are parents turning their attention to things outside of the family too often? The messages today regularly turn our hearts, minds, and eyes away from family bonds, eternal truths, true power; these things start at home.

Eyes To See

More parents are recognizing the social, political, and ideological advances of their children, and are consequently taking actions to maintain their influence in their children’s lives.

  • Many parents are decreasing screen time and teaching their children about the dangers of addictions. Digital citizenship programs and special child-friendly phones are increasing in popularity all the time.
  • Homeschool numbers are increasing. In the United States, there were 1.3 million homeschoolers in 2003, and 2.3 million by 2016.
  • Parents have special rules and filters for home computers to increase child safety.
  • Idaho and Utah have passed laws that require school digital resources, like databases, to be scrubbed to make them child friendly and to remove pornography and pedophilia sources and site links. Parents in 35 states have noticed this problem on school devices and are working to keep children safe while doing their school work. The dirty database problem is a global situation that all parents should watch out for.
  • Parents are opting their children out of some school tests, subjects, and Sex Ed classes at school because the subject matter and method of instruction don’t seem appropriate to them.
  • Many parents are scheduling one-on-one dates, meetings, and trips with their children to improve relationships and open conversations.
  • Some parents are bringing back a home culture that involves good old-fashioned work and stepping out of one’s comfort zone in order to combat the theories that discomfort and hard work are bad.

Hearts And Loyalties Naturally Point Toward Home

From birth, our children’s hearts are pointed toward us. They want to love us and be like us. This power of influence that a parent naturally has is very difficult to unseat. If it happens, it’s because we allowed it to happen or we let our guard down. This doesn’t mean, of course, that after good training, a child can’t still turn their allegiance toward sources that will exploit them. They can. But, it is true that mothers and fathers really do have the greatest power to help or hurt children, society, and everyone’s futures.

When we recognize and embrace that power and the obligation that comes with it, we will find increased happiness, purpose for our lives, more love, and a better future. The battle is on. The children’s hearts and minds are being attacked by cunning, jealous, power-mongers. But, if we stay loyal to who we are and who our children are, the hearts will always turn toward home; toward truth.

Unity and calmness are one step closer with Nicholeen’s free Calm Parenting Toolkit.

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