Those of us who are in the diaspora must know that raising families here is quite tough. We don’t have maids and nannies to help us with children like those in Africa. This means that both husband and wife must be hands-on from birth. Dads must be modern, realistic, and empathetic. They must also feed the baby, bath the baby, and mind the baby, especially if the wife also has a job. The two must communicate, starting well before the pregnancy, as they must plan how they are going to handle the baby when they have one. This cooperation must continue… driving the kids to kindy, then to school, helping with homework, and dealing with sports and any other extra-curricular activities.
Both parents must learn to support each other in the disciplining of children. If they decide that one does the disciplining, the other must always show that they are united in this. On the spiritual side, both parents must participate in leading children in bible reading and prayer. Always be careful what the children watch on TV and on the Web. Put filters on their gadgets to help them avoid nasty websites. Avoid them watching dangerous, immoral content…..even cartoons. There are now so many bad cartoons out there, aimed by the devil to seduce them. Stop using the TV and gadgets as your nanny!
Lastly…. but not the least….always converse with your child. Ask them how their day was. Insist on getting details….”Fine” is not good enough. This is the only way you will quickly know when they are being bullied or racially segregated if your children are of immigrant descent. Racism is real. Finally, always attend church services with your children. Don’t leave them alone at home when you attend evening prayer unless one of you is with them. Present them before God, physically and in prayer.