Way back in 1980, President Jimmy Carter, trying to make a salient point in the Presidential Debate with Ronald Reagan, remarked that he asked his 13-year-old daughter, Amy, what she thought was the most important issue of the day? She said, “Nuclear disarmament.” I was only in college at the time, but I remember wondering, “Why is the President of the United States taking advice on governmental policy from his daughter?” That made me a little nervous; and it made Carter a bit of a laughing stock. He lost that re-election.
When I was homeschooling back in the olden days before everybody was doing it, people would stop my children and ask them if they like homeschooling. At age eight, one of my children would reply, “I really want to go to public school, but my mom won’t let me!” That was horribly embarrassing, but the truth is, God’s design is for parents to raise their children according to their own wisdom, not for children to raise themselves according to their limited knowledge.
Multiple choice (answer at end of article):
Prov. 20:29 The glory of young men is their ___________________.
a) wisdom
b) strength
c) knowledge
The frontal lobe of the brain is not fully developed until about the age of 22. The frontal lobe controls execution function, planning, reasoning, and impulse control. This is why juveniles usually cannot be tried as adults in courts of law. Research suggests that the decision-making capacity of youth is simply not equal to that of mature adults. Of course, we don’t need scientists to tell us that; the Word of God has already informed us of that in principle. So does common sense!
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
”Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”
The Scriptural order of the home requires that the parents, the oldest, wisest members of the family, make the decisions for the training of the children (which includes the training of the mind until full maturity.) It’s natural for a middle school or high schooler to want to follow the crowd and “fit in” to his culture, just as it is natural for a five-year-old to demand candy at the check out lane. Parents are tempted to let the teenager make the decision on whether to continue Christian education or be educated under a secular system. Now, if the parents prayerfully decide it is in the best interest of his child to attend a public school for reasons of their own, the child can trust this is God’s leading and submit to their decision in a supportive fashion; but if parents just want to “take the road of least resistance” because the teenager will be difficult to live with if he doesn’t get his way on the education decision, then the child has a character issue that must be dealt with before he leaves the home. It can be a growing opportunity for parents and teenager.
“My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
When you roam, they will lead you;
When you sleep, they will keep you”
Loving parents do want to listen to and consider the desires of their children, but when it comes to the training and admonition of the mind and heart, it’s OK for parents to make the final decision for their teenager’s education, even if the child initially protests, for this is right.
By the way, Amy, we still have nuclear weapons which have proven an effective deterrent to nuclear attack so far. And my child mentioned above now has six children whom they are homeschooling!
Answer to multiple choice question:
b) The glory of young men is their strength.
Mom and Dad, let your son move the furniture and chop the wood, but you decide how to equip his mind with truth and bestow godly character training to his heart. You won’t regret this in the long run. I promise you.