Parents, You Still Have Control

Awhile ago, I read a conversation parents were having about video games. One parent was wrestling with whether they wanted their child to start down the road of video games or not. By the end, she finally concluded they should get a gaming device, but then came the cost and all the “extras” she could get. Even though I wasn’t part of the conversation, I could feel the lamenting this mom was experiencing, wondering, is this really worth it?

This is the battle parents are ALL in right now. It’s Christmas and here we are, wrestling with the same questions this mom was: the battle to keep control or to give in.

Kids have meticulously written lists of the items they want and now it’s our turn to decide:

• DO WE WANT THIS IN OUR HOME?
• DO WE LIKE THE IMAGE THIS IS CREATING?
• DO WE LIKE WHAT IT WILL DO TO OUR FAMILY, ESPECIALLY OUR KIDS?
• DO WE LIKE THE MINDSET IT CREATES?
• DO WE LIKE THE END RESULT IF IT’S WORN, USED, OR PLAYED WITH?
• WHAT VALUE SYSTEM IS THIS ITEM PORTRAYING?
• DOES THIS ITEM HONOR GOD?
• DOES IT BRING ME CLOSER TO GOD OR FURTHER AWAY FROM HIM?

Let me be clear: this post isn’t about the ins and outs of video gaming, but merely an example of the battle we ALL face as parents: How much control do we really have?

PARENTS, WE STILL HAVE CONTROL.

Our society is telling us:

• It’s okay, everyone has one!
• It’s okay, you don’t have control anymore anyways!
• It’s okay, it’s just one thing (game, piece of clothing, toy, etc), it’s not going to make that big of a difference!
• It’s okay if it means your kid is more accepted and popular.
• It’s okay, just make up for it with the other gifts you buy.
• It’s okay, if you’re honoring God with the rest of your life, what’s the big deal?
• It’s okay, the rest of the items in our home reflect your character, values, and faith.

Do you see the battle? And this is the battle we walk in every single day. With every purchase we make. No other holiday forces us to confront our ideologies than Christmas does. Many have come up with creative ways to handle gift giving, in hopes of combating this battle. But one thing we have to remember as parents is, WE STILL HAVE CONTROL. If you don’t want it go down the road of the item they are wanting, THEN SAY NO. You still have the power to do so, while they are in your home.

We aren’t called to care about what the world wants. We are called to care about what GOD wants for our lives. And if an item will lead our family or kids further away from God or how He originally designed us to live, WE STILL HAVE THE POWER TO SAY NO. And in doing so, we are standing up for the beliefs, faith, and convictions God has given us. Don’t listen to the voice of this world – God’s voice is the ONLY voice we should be echoing!

Choose wisely this Christmas season! The battle is real. Wage war, stand firm, and keep God as your focus this Christmas season – all the way down to the gifts we choose to buy.