1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Peter talks about deep love... that is the love that connects and accepts and that love covers over thousands of others (including your children's) sin. Our children need this Connection of deep love towards Parents without any condemnation.

Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

We all have this need to be accepted as Christ accepted us. Our children also have the same need deep in their heart to be accepted by parents for who they are with their strengths and weaknesses, flaws and all.

The core emotional need of connection and acceptance can be defined as the state children live in when they feel completely attached to their parents in a healthy affectionate bond with empathic understanding.

When this need is met and your connection with your children is strong then not only will your children love and respect you but they will enjoy being with you.

When this need is met children will naturally imitate their parents values and this in turn will help them eventaully have the conviction to resist being drawn to unhealthy delinquent behaviour, beliefs and ideologies.

When parents meed this need of connection and acceptance the child will develop the traits and beliefs of Trust, Self-Acceptance and Openness, Emotional fulfilment and intimacy, Belonging and Affinity, Emotional Spontaneity and Expressiveness and Mastery and Success. The foundation of parenting is that parents must connect with their children empathically and not cause exasperation.

Today's Practical

Both parents together write a card or note to each child expressing how much you not only love them but LIKE them and they are such a joy and blessing to both of you.

Write 3 things you like in each kid and share with them and all pray thanking God.