Parenting Advice

                    Families, communities, and nations are strengthened when parents properly teach their children.  In order for children to learn acceptable behavior, they must be taught what is appropriate and what is not appropriate. 

                    An ancient American king and prophet taught some of the responsibilities of parents to his people.  "And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.

                    "But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Mosiah 4:14-15).

                    The youth and the young adults of our world today are not behaving as they should.  I would be very embarrassed if any of my children or grandchildren were part of the Occupy movement.  I would be embarrassed if any of them were part of the inappropriate distraction at the GOP Alaska State Convention last week.  Children and youth must be allowed to exercise their agency, but they must also be taught manners and proper ways to make their wishes known.  This teaching can be started very early in their lives.  When my grandchildren demand that I do something for them or give them something, I insist that they ask me appropriately and use words such as please and thank you.  If parents let their children become little tyrants, they will act like tyrants when they are older.  The teaching of appropriate behavior must begin at an early age and continue as long as necessary.