7 Lessons You Can Teach Your Kids Every Day for Free

God  has blessed us with two wonderful children. Many of you have children as well, and each reader has an influence on children, either for good or for bad.

Some lessons cost a lot of money and time, but most lessons are free and are taught just by how we live our lives. However, we need to watch ourselves to make sure we are teaching what God would have us to teach!

Here are 7 lessons you can teach every day, just by living for God.

1. God comes first. When there is a “big” ball game on TV on a Sunday night, or when your child has a ball game on Wednesday night, where will your family be? When “the girls” plan a shopping trip over the weekend, or when your family is on vacation, will you take time to worship God? Those decisions have eternal impact, because they teach our kids what is really first in our lives and what should be first in their lives.

2. Family comes before work. Kids learn quickly that work must be done. They gain at least some understanding that work is a major part of life, but, do we always stay at the office to finish “another” project? Do we ever take a little time off (even a few minutes!) to spend time with the kids? If we are going to say that family is a high priority, then we had better start spending time with the family!

3. Living for God is an everyday priority. Simply talking about God, having Bible lessons, praying before meals, singing worship songs around the house, and making some visits during the week are ways to teach our kids that living for God is something we do more than just on Sunday.

4. Education is ongoing. Do your kids only see you “vegging out” every night? Do they ever see you reading or listening to things that are helpful to growth and maturity? If we want them to grow for a lifetime, they need to see us doing some things that are helpful, and not only entertaining.

5. Laughter is okay. Far too many kids never see their parents laugh. They just see daddy come home, eat, watch “the game,” see the news and go to bed. Play a game. Tell a joke. Watch a funny TV show (that’s morally clean; see #6). Take the kids out to do something silly.

6. Sin is not okay on TV! We teach tons of lessons on sin each day. We tell our kids certain words they should not say. We tell them they should not lie, and that they should respect parents and other authority figures. We tell them not to drink, and to honor God and His Word. … And then … we watch things on TV that teach the exact opposite. Parents, please hear me: by not turning the channel (or just turning the “box” off!) you are “un-teaching” your lessons. Please, parents, we MUST get this lesson in our heads!

7. Marriage is fun and good. How many kids learn that marriage is nothing more than just something you endure? If parents are truly working on their marriage, and enjoying the blessings that come from that work, then kids need to see that. Let them see mommy and daddy kissing and hugging. Let them see the emails or notes that daddy sends from work. Smile at home (what a concept!).

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What would you add?