But not everything changes. What about when your parents or children die? Do you still feel pain, loss, anger, and confusion, like I did when my Dad died? Why would it be that in this day and age people still persist in feeling attachments to others?

Well I reckon we can't help it. "Modern society" tells us that we are individuals, look after number one, help children be independent, stand on your own two feet. However God says 'It's not good for the man to be alone, I will make him a helper suitable for him' (Gen 2:18). Then God made the woman. And despite the efforts of all sorts of people, that's the way it still is. It's not good for the man (or woman) to be alone; we need to live in loving relationship with others as God meant us to. We need interaction with other people to keep us emotionally balanced. Children living with loving affectionate parents in families is the norm. What we see prevalent in our society is abnormal.

Sadly, two major world wars have had a terrible effect in reducing the numbers of fathers. Many of those men who survived were sickened by what they'd experienced. They just wanted to forget and have a peaceful life. This meant that suddenly there were lots of children without proper families. How can people relate to God as a loving Father if fathers are seen as distant, uncommunicative, or harsh, or redundant?

he family is the best environment for children to grow up feeling loved, feeling secure, and feeling that they are valued. No matter how much society tells us to stand on our own two feet, each of us needs to know and be known, to love and be loved. We should learn how to relate in a healthy, responsible and respectful way by watching how our parents behave to each other.

Much as children like them, presents and possessions are no real substitute for attention and care. These things may be seen as inconvenient as the caring parent is prepared to stop the child from doing what he/she pleases. The book of Proverbs would be very unpopular with any child that read it today! However, it gives clear guidelines on childcare. It talks about teaching children to respect others, to show discretion, to learn wisdom.

I have children and sometimes we have to teach them more about obedience and respect for elders and not to be selfish and all those enjoyable things that they don't want to hear. But if we don't teach them, someone else will and that someone won't necessarily be coming from a place of wanting the best for my kids

I don't want my children to be a prey for people of ill-intent. I don't want them to end up drug addicts, AIDS victims, criminals, anti-social types. I want them to be people that I can be proud of. I love them and want to help them to discover God and His purpose for their lives, and how they can fit into His plan. And despite all our society's efforts to come up with an alternative, I believe the family is still the best place for them learn that.